Publications, reports, releases, and other information media supplied to the Congress, committees, and members are both timely and useful. They are direct and factual statements giving the aims and results of our programs and studies in protecting human lives and conserving our natural and cultural resources. They serve to illus trate the needs and support the accomplishments of a major activity of the Federal Government, and they benefit all phases of the national economy in both peace and war.

(e) Do security considerations affect your decision whether to supply information to individual Congressmen on request?

Yes.

(f) In this connection what use do you make of security files on Members of Congress?

The Department has not had nor does it anticipate an occasion which would make it necessary to make use of security files on Members of Congress.

(g) Please suggest ways of improving the flow of information to individual Congressmen and congressional committees The record of the Department of the Interior in providing information to individual Congressmen and congressional committees is believed to be such that there is no need for improving the methods that are being employed. The unavailability of information falling within the categories and types enumerated in the answer to question 1 (a) of part I of this questionnaire should not indicate a need for improving what has always been a firm policy of providing promptly and completely to individual Congressmen and congressional committees any information requested when such information is of a nature that it can be provided. Compliance by the Department of the Interior with what the executive branch of the Government has historically construed to be required under the Constitution of the United States should not be interpreted as a reluctance on the part of the Department to facilitate the flow of information between the executive and legislative branches of the Government. In this regard, it is believed that there will always be certain information contained in papers in the executive branch of the Government that should not be released outside the Department when the release of such information would not be in the interest of the public. It is possible that the position of the executive branch on this point may be the same as that of the legislative branch in not releasing generally information relating to the deliberations of congressional committees meeting in executive session.

6. How many employees of your agency are assigned the job of contact with or making information available for individual Congressmen or congressional committees?

(a) What are their titles?

The Department has two primary points of contact for individual Congressmen or congressional committees. These are the Legislative Counsel, Office of the Solicitor, and the Director, Division of Budget and Finance, both in the Office of the Secretary.

In addition, the secretarial officers, heads of bureaus, and members of bureau staffs may appear before congressional committees as required to answer questions relative to the Department's program.

(b) If you have a congressional liaison section, please describe its day-to-day operation

The Division of Legislation, Office of the Solicitor, under the direction of the Legislative Counsel, supervises the preparation and is responsible for the unification and coordination of the Department's legislative program and its presentation to the Bureau of the Budget and the Congress. The Legislative Counsel consults with the secretarial officers and the officers of the bureaus in the determination of policy incident to proposed or pending legislation of importance and with respect to policy involved in reports on legislation or recommendations for Presidential approval or veto of enrolled bills. The Division reviews all legislative documents submitted by the bureaus and offices, prepares coordinated reports and coordinates and arranges departmental representation at congressional hearings. It is responsible for establishing and maintaining day-to-day contacts on legislative matters with Congress.

(c) Please estimate the annual cost to your agency of providing information to individual Congressmen

(d) To congressional committees

Information requested by individual Congressmen and congressional committees is furnished as a part of the normal duties of the employees of the Department, and although the costs are substantial, it is impossible to make any estimate.

LIST OF EXHIBITS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Exhibit A-President's letter of May 17, 1954, to the Secretary of Defense Exhibit B-Part 2-Records and Testimony, Subtitle A-Office of the Secretary of the Interior, Title 43-Public Lands: Interior Code of Federal Regulations— Availability of Official Records

Exhibit C-Department of the Interior Order No. 2761, dated June 15, 1954, regarding safeguarding official information in the interests of the defense of the United States

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ADMINISTRATION

Answer to questionnaire submitted to Federal executive departments and independent agencies by Government Information Subcommittee of the House Government Operations Committee

I. GENERAL

1. What categories and types of information possessed by your agency are not available to

(a) The press and other information media serving the general public?

Answer. (1) Classified security information;

(2) Trade secrets, processes, operations, amount or sources of income, profits, etc.;

(3) Confidential advice and communications within the executive. branch;

(4) Loyalty cases information;

(5) Confidential personnel information;

(6) Confidential communications between governments;

(7) Communications and reports to congressional committees and individual Congressmen unless the information can be made public generally.

We have not had any problem with the press on disclosure of information. See answers to I 6 (a) and II generally. When the press or other information media makes justifiable requests for material that is classified for security reasons, that material is promptly reviewed to determine if the gist or any part of it can be properly revealed in order to provide the information requested.

(b) The Congress?

Answer. As to requests from individual Congressmen, our experience has been that such requests are usually of the nature that can be satisfactorily and fully answered without involving questions of security, executive branch communications, or other regulations or policy limiting distribution of information. Where requests are made for information subject to regulations on disclosure, the rules pertaining to requests from congressional committees apply.

As to requests from congressional committees, information that would properly be withheld from the press and the public for security reasons is made available under the safeguards that apply to the handling of classified information. The agency, in addition to regular and routine reports to Congress, prepares annually a full review and factual presentation (much of which is classified) of the foreign-aid program for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the Appropriations and Armed Services Committees. In addition, personnel of all congressional committees are permitted to review documents classified by this agency

for security reasons where such personnel are properly qualified. Previous to use of classified information by a committee, the matter of classification is handled with the committee, or its chairman. Agreement may result in the use of such documents only in executive session of committee hearings, the deletion of classified information if the document is to be used in public hearings, or by having the documents concerned declassified if this can properly be done. Otherwise, the agency policy and rules in effect as to the press and the public are generally applicable.

(c) Other Federal agencies?

Answer. Restrictions are not placed upon providing information required by other Federal agencies in carrying out their responsibilities. Where classified information is involved, representatives of the requesting agency must be cleared to receive such information.

(d) Business, trade, and other groups with an economic interest in the information?

Answer. Same as (a) above, except press news bulletins are not available until after release date. However, daily procurement information bulletins and small-business circulars are immediately available, and are specially prepared to enable business to keep fully informed on purchases to be financed by the agency. This is in accord with section 504 of the Mutual Security Act of 1954, as amended. Because of contractual relationships with individual companies performing work under the mutual-security program, it is sometimes necessary to furnish classified information on an "as needed" basis for them to perform their contractual obligations. In such cases, proper security clearance is required.

(e) Research specialists, scientists, public affairs organizations and similar groups or individuals?

Answer. Same as (a) above, except press news bulletins are not available until after release date. However, the Office of Public Reports maintains a Public Liaison Division, part of whose responsibility is to fulfill all legitimate and specialized information requested from such groups, within security limitations. For example, some 60 briefings were given to organizations, students, and others requesting them who have a special interest in agency operations. 2. On what do you base authority for denying access to or not making available such information? Please provide copies of regulations, directives, letters, policy statements, etc., bearing on the withholding of information by your agency. Please cite any court decisions and statutes which relate to your agency—

Answer. Executive Order 10501; Title 18, United States Code, section 1905; Presidential Directive of May 17, 1954 (with attachment of memorandum of the Attorney General); Presidential Directive of March 13, 1948 (13 Federal Register 1359); Federal Personnel Manual, chapter R-1; and Agency Manual Order 610.1.

3. What terms do you use to describe restrictions placed on imparting information?

Answer. "Top secret," "secret," "confidential," and "official use only."

(a) Please define each term to indicate the type of informational material which it includes, to what group of individuals it applies and what exceptions are made in its application Answer. "Top secret," "secret," "confidential" (see sec. 1 of Executive Order 10501). For "official use only," see Manual Order 610.1. These citations reflect the groups and individuals to which the restrictions apply and the exceptions made in their application.

(b) What proportion is withheld on each basis?

Answer. No breakdown of all types of agency communications available. However, the cable traffic between the Washington office and its 60 overseas missions is a fair indication of the degree to which the agency concentrates on keeping the proportion of classified communications to a minimum. Prior to Executive Order 10501, 69 percent of the cable traffic was unclassified. As of August 1955, unclassified cable communications had risen to 85 percent. There was no "top secret" traffic in August 1955; 1 percent was "secret," 9 percent "confidential," 5 percent "official use only." See I 1 (b) as to availability of this information to Congress.

(c) What steps have been taken by your agency to insure that procedures for restricting information are not being abused?

Answer. Every employee is given a thorough indoctrination in the protection of classified information and warned against the abuse of these restrictions. Each office head is responsible for preventing the abuse of security restrictions in his or her office. Further, agency security regulations provide, "It shall be the responsibility and obligation of every official to keep classified information in his custody constantly under review, and to initiate action toward downgrading or declassification as soon as conditions warrant."

(d) What persons in your agency are authorized to apply restrictions on imparting information in the first instance? Answer. Branch chiefs or higher authority.

(e) What provisions are made for review of the decisions of these persons?

Answer. Review provided for by office directors and higher authorities.

(f) Who reviews the initial restrictions placed on imparting information?

Answer. See section (e) above.

(g) How often does your agency review information to which restrictions have been applied to determine whether the restrictions should be removed?

Answer. In the regular process of clearance of memoranda and outgoing communications, classification is reviewed. In addition, in the preparation of either formal or informal reports to Congress or individual Congressmen, the preparation of reports to be made public, or in response to specific requests for information, a review is made.

(h) Who removes the restrictions?

Answer. Branch chiefs or higher authority.