VETERANS' EDUCATION APPEALS BOARD Answer to questionnaire submitted to Federal executive departments and independent agencies by Government Information Subcommittee of the House Government Operations Committee Hon. JOHN E. Moss, Chairman, Government Information Subcommittee House Office Building, Washington, D. C. DEAR MR. MOSs: The questionnaire enclosed with your letter of August 8, 1955, is not readily adaptable to this agency because of our unique nature and the field within which we function. The information which we possess is, in general, of interest only to persons directly or indirectly involved in proceedings before this Board; and our policy has always been one of full and willing disclosure. We have no security classifications, or other restrictions on imparting information. We hold no press conferences, and have no employees assigned to public informational functions. Our security cost is nil, and our cost of making information available is limited to a mailing, approximately monthly, of copies of Board decisions to attorneys, libraries, and Veterans' Administration offices. Preparation of Board decisions for publication in book form is in progress. On the very few occasions when Board activity has been of general public interest, we have utilized the facilities of the Veterans' Administration for making news releases. In a period of greater activity, we had frequent visits from representatives of the Army Times, and freely gave them the data desired for their publications. Occasional inquiries from Members of Congress have been answered promptly. We have experienced no difficulty in obtaining information which we have desired from other agencies. It is believed that this brief explanation of our policy regarding availability of information will better suit your purpose than would a setp-by-step reply to the questionnaire. Should further information be desired, we shall be happy to furnish it. Sincerely yours, CHARLES M. THOMPSON, Chairman. 527 ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON WEATHER CONTROL Answer to questionnaire submitted to Federal executive departments and independent agencies by Government Information Subcommittee of the House Government Operations Committee Hon. JOHN E. Moss, AUGUST 26, 1955. Chairman, Government Information Subcommittee, MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: Thank you for your letter of August 8 with which you enclosed a questionnaire having to do with the release and withholding of information in the possession of Government agencies. Your survey should prove interesting and helpful. We hope the answers given to your questions are adequate. If they appear sketchy you must remember that ours is a very small agency, with only 13 permanent employees. We have no special arrangements for providing the public with information about our work for two reasons: First, our legislation provides we shall submit reports to the President for submission to the Congress and therefore we are more directly responsible to the President and the Congress than to the public, and, second, our appropriation is so small we must confine our activities to our program of scientific evaluation and only the absolutely essential administrative functions. However, we are always accessible to the press and do not consciously withhold information except for that falling in 1 of 2 categories: (a) That the release of which would mean violating the law, and (b) that which would prejudice the value and authenticity of our final report to the President. To explain (a) let me call attention to section 9 (d) (4) of Public Law 256, 83d Congress, 1st session (the act establishing the Advisory Committee): (4) Information obtained under this act which the Committee deems confidential for purposes of national security or other reasons or with reference to which a request for confidential treatment is made by the person or agency furnishing such information, shall not be published or disclosed unless the Committee determines that the withholding thereof is contrary to the purposes of this act, and any member or employee of the Committee willfully violating this provision shall, upon conviction, be fined not more than $5,000. On (b) above we sometimes have difficulties. Let me explain the general situation by stating that we are undertaking to evaluate all, or at least a very large number of, experiments designed to modify weather. The evaluation of one or a few experiments might show one result; the evalution of another or a few other experiments might (and often does) show a contrary result. The significant answer will come only after all, or a large number of experiments, have been evaluated. We are sometimes pressed to give tentative results of our work but obviously any piecemeal release of information would prove mis leading and inconclusive. We hope the Congress and the public will understand this situation so we can proceed uninterrupted with our work, in the short time allowed us, and submit a valid and worthwhile final report (due no later than June 30, 1956). We have a special problem in that we are dealing with a subject which intrigues the mind and stirs up the imagination. People who come in contact with the subject briefly, and this includes some newspaper reporters, have an understandable tendency to stress the spectacular aspects. They get, and sometimes give, the impression that a high degree of control over weather is realizable in the near future. This is unfortunate since it raises false hopes and detracts from the real and substantial benefits which seem realizable from weather modification on a small and much less spectacular scale. The Nation looks to us for impartial and independent answers to the questions raised by recent experimentation designed to modify weather. At this stage of our study, when our knowledge is incomplete and our answers at best tentative, we must be very careful in our statements. We hope the Congress and the public will understand and appreciate this. If we can provide you with further information, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us again. Sincerely yours, HOWARD T. ORVILLE, Chairman. REPLIES TO QUESTIONNAIRE I. GENERAL 1. (a) Two categories, (a) that the release of which would mean violating the law, and (b) that which would prejudice the value and authenticity of our final report to the President. (b) The same, except that we have been willing to discuss with congressional committees information in category (b) on an off-therecord basis. (c) The same, except that we cooperate with other agencies (six are represented on our Committee membership) in doing some of our evaluation work. (d) The same. (e) The same, except that we hire a number of outstanding scientists as temporary employees or consultants. They become familiar with information in our possession, but are bound by the same requirements of law and policy as our permanent employees. 2. In category (a) on section 9 (d) (4) of Public Law 256, 83d Congress, 1st session (the act establishing the Advisory Committee), which reads: ((4) Information obtained under this Act which the Committee deems confidential for purposes of national security or other reasons or with reference to which a request for confidential treatment is made by the person or agency furnishing such information, shall not be published or disclosed unless the Committee determines that the withholding thereof is contrary to the purposes of this Act, and any member or employee of the Committee willfully violating this provision shall, upon conviction, be fined not more than $5,000.) In category (b), not on any specific regulation, directive, letter, or policy statement. The matter has simply been discussed on several occasions during Committee meetings so that the policy is quite well un derstood by Committee members and employees. There have been no court decisions relating to our agency. 3. We do not use any terms to describe restrictions placed on imparting information and do not have restrictions except those described generally in replies to questions 1 and 2. 4. No information from our agency is restricted on security grounds. 5. No annual cost to our agency in administering security provisions. 6. All categories and types of information about our agency in which they or the public has a legitimate interest are available to the organizations and individuals listed in question 1, except for the two categories listed in our reply to the question. 7. No organization within agency for making information available. 8. To the best of our knowledge no information possessed by our agency reaches groups or individuals not entitled to it by law, Executive order, regulation, or policy. 9. We receive from other agencies complete and timely information when requested. (a) We can cite no instance when information desired from other agencies was denied. (b) In no instance have we denied other agencies information. (c) The flow of information among Federal agencies can be improved by more informal contacts, including those on the working level. 10. As to how the job of making available timely, factual, and pertinent information on the affairs of our agency can be improved: Since our principal function is to provide information to the President and the Congress in the form of reports, and since our assignment is temporary, we have no special thoughts on this score. Occasionally we have issued press releases. Perhaps we could do this more frequently. II. PRESS 1. 1. Press conferences held by our agency from July 1, 1954, to July 1, 1955: Two. (a) Held by the Chairman. (b) Interested persons were invited; all who wished could attend without any requirements or restrictions. (c) Transcripts of press conferences not made. 2. No formal or informal background or briefing sessions held for the press during the last fiscal year. 3. No employees in our agency specifically designated to exercise public information functions. Limitations on all described in answer to question 1, section I of the questionnaire. 4. No specific restrictions or controls imposed by our agency over what is authorized for publication. 5. We have not denied any specific requests from the press for information. III. CONGRESS 1. Categories and types of information not furnished to individual Congressmen, committees on request or upon subpena: Only those listed in reply to question 1, section I. 2. Authority for refusal: Section 9 (d) (4), Public Law 256, 83d Congress, 1st session. 3. There have been no instances of our refusing information to individual Congressmen or congressional committees. 4. No instances where information was refused on the basis of the doctrine of executive communications. 5. Our agency transmits no information regularly to Congressmen, congressional committees, or to the Congress as a whole. Reports issued by the Committee are to be submitted to the President for submission to the Congress. 6. No employees of our agency have been specifically assigned the job of contacting or making information available to individual Congressmen or congressional committees. However, the chairman and the executive secretary are always available to provide such information when requested. |