Secrecy News -- 06/20/12

[Steven Aftergood]

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SECRECY NEWS
from the FAS Project on Government Secrecy
Volume 2012, Issue No. 60
June 20, 2012

Secrecy News Blog:  http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/


**     DNI DIRECTIVE SEEKS TO TIGHTEN PROTECTION OF INTELLIGENCE
**     HISTORY OF EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE, AND MORE FROM CRS


DNI DIRECTIVE SEEKS TO TIGHTEN PROTECTION OF INTELLIGENCE

Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper issued a directive
earlier this month to improve the protection of intelligence information
and to help prevent unauthorized disclosures.

The newly revised Intelligence Community Directive 700 requires a new
degree of collaboration between counterintelligence and security
activities.  While counterintelligence (CI) was scarcely mentioned in the
previous version of the policy on protecting intelligence in 2007, it is
now being elevated to a central role and integrated with security.

	http://www.fas.org/irp/dni/icd/icd-700.pdf

"Together, CI and security provide greater protection for national
intelligence than either function operating alone," the new directive
states.

In order to combat the insider threat of unauthorized disclosures, the
directive prescribes that "all personnel with access to national
intelligence... shall be continually evaluated and monitored...."

But since there are more than a million government employees and
contractors holding Top Secret clearances who are potentially eligible for
access to intelligence information, it seems unlikely that any significant
fraction of them can literally be "continually monitored."  Still, that is
now formally the objective.

A copy of the June 7, 2012 directive on "Protection of National
Intelligence" was released by the Office of the Director of National
Intelligence under the Freedom of Information Act.

The new directive has been under development for at least several months.  
It was not specifically devised as a response to the latest controversy
over leaks of classified information.

It serves as a reminder that the implementation of revised policies to
address unauthorized disclosures of classified information (including
congressional action just last year to establish an "insider threat
detection program") is ongoing, possibly obviating the need for new
legislation.


HISTORY OF EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE, AND MORE FROM CRS

A 2008 report by the Congressional Research Service discussed the history
of claims of executive privilege, including various unresolved questions
surrounding its use.  The Obama Administration asserted executive privilege
today in connection with records sought by a House Committee.  See
"Presidential Claims of Executive Privilege: History, Law, Practice and
Recent Developments," updated August 21, 2008:

	http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/secrecy/RL30319.pdf

Newly updated reports from the Congressional Research Service that
Congress has not made publicly available include the following.

U.S.-China Military Contacts: Issues for Congress, June 19, 2012:

	http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL32496.pdf

Free Trade Agreements: Impact on U.S. Trade and Implications for U.S.
Trade Policy, June 18, 2012:

	http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RL31356.pdf

Madagascar's Political Crisis, June 18, 2012:

	http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/R40448.pdf

Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia: Political Developments and Implications
for U.S. Interests, June 15, 2012:

	http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RL33453.pdf

U.S. Trade Deficit and the Impact of Changing Oil Prices, June 18, 2012:

	http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RS22204.pdf

Unauthorized Alien Students: Issues and "DREAM Act" Legislation, June 19,
2012:

	http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL33863.pdf

Federal Taxation of Aliens Working in the United States, May 18, 2012:

	http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RS21732.pdf


_______________________________________________
Secrecy News is written by Steven Aftergood and published by the
Federation of American Scientists.

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_______________________
Steven Aftergood
Project on Government Secrecy
Federation of American Scientists
web:    www.fas.org/sgp/index.html
email:  saftergood at fas.org
voice:  (202) 454-4691
twitter: @saftergood

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