For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
December 28, 2001
President Signs Intelligence Authorization Act
Statement by the President
Today, I have signed into law H.R. 2883, the "Intelligence
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002." The Act authorizes
appropriations to fund United States intelligence activities, including
activities essential to success in the war against global
terrorism. Regrettably, one provision of the Act falls short
of the standards of comity and flexibility that should govern the
relationship between the executive and legislative branches on
sensitive intelligence matters and, in some circumstances, would fall
short of constitutional standards.
Section 305 of the Act amends section 502 of the National Security
Act of 1947, which relates to executive branch reports to the Congress
under the intelligence oversight provisions of the National Security
Act. Section 305 purports to require that reports submitted to the
congressional intelligence committees by the executive branch on
significant anticipated intelligence activities or significant
intelligence failures always be in written form, with a concise
statement of facts pertinent to the report and an explanation of the
significance of the activity or failure.
Section 502 of the National Security Act as amended by section 305
of the Act shall be construed for all purposes, specifically including
for the purpose of the establishment of standards and procedures under
section 502(c) of the National Security Act by the Director of Central
Intelligence, in a manner consistent with the President's
constitutional authority to withhold information the disclosure of
which could impair foreign relations, the national security, the
deliberative processes of the Executive, or the performance of the
Executive's constitutional duties. Section 502 shall also be
construed in a manner consistent with the statutory responsibility of
the Director of Central Intelligence to protect intelligence sources
and methods and other exceptionally sensitive matters.
GEORGE W. BUSH
THE WHITE HOUSE,
December 28, 2001.
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