PREFACE Information is a major resource in a democracy, for government by the people must rest upon the premise that the people and their elected representatives are well informed about the activities of their government. Is the public's right to know being honored by the Federal Government? The Special Subcommittee on Government Information was given the duty of determining the answer to that question. In a letter setting up the subcommittee, Hon. William L. Dawson, chairman of the House Committee on Government Operations, stated: Charges have been made that Government agencies have denied or withheld pertinent and timely information from those who are entitled to receive it. These charges include the denial of such information to the newspapers, to radio and television broadcasters, magazines, and other communication media, to trained and qualified research experts, and to the Congress. An informed public makes the difference between mob rule and democratic government. If the pertinent and necessary information on governmental activities is denied the public, the result is a weakening of the democratic process and the ultimate atrophy of our form of government. Accordingly, I am asking your subcommittee to make such an investigation as will verify or refute these charges. In making such investigation you are requested to study the operation of the agencies and officials in the executive branch of the Government at all levels with a view to determining the efficiency and economy of such operation in the field of information both intragovernmental and extragovernmental. With this guiding purpose your subcommittee will ascertain the trend in the availability of Government information and will scrutinize the information practices of executive agencies and officials in the light of their propriety, fitness, and legality. As part of the study of the question, the subcommittee sent questionnaires to all Federal executive and independent agencies. This report includes a copy of the questionnaire and the initial replies from the agencies. The replies have not been evaluated nor have there been discussions with the agencies about their answers to the various questions. Exhibits to which nearly all of the agencies referred are included in the appendix. All other exhibits are available for public inspection in the subcommittee offices. JOHN E. Moss, Chairman, Special Subcommittee on Government Information, House of Representatives. III CONTENTS Preface__. Questionnaire submitted to Federal executive and independent agencies Replies from Federal agencies to questionnaire submitted by Government Information Subcommittee of House Government Operations Com- Executive Order No. 10501-Safeguarding official information in the interests of the defense of the United States__ Memorandum from President Dwight D. Eisenhower, to heads of all departments and agencies, November 5, 1953. Memorandum from former President Harry S. Truman (confidential status of employee loyalty records), to all officers and employees in the executive branch of the Government, March 13, 1948. Letter from Donald S. Dawson, administrative assistant to the President, to the heads of executive departments and agencies, August 5, 1948---- Letter from President Dwight D. Eisenhower, to the Secretary of Defense, [Committee Print] QUESTIONNAIRE SUBMITTED TO FEDERAL EXECUTIVE AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES BY GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SUBCOMMITTEE OF HOUSE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE 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? (b) The Congress? (c) Other Federal agencies? (d) Business, trade and other groups with an economic interest in the information? (e) Research specialists, scientists, public-affairs organizations and similar groups or individuals? 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. 3. What terms do you use to describe restrictions placed on imparting information? (a) Please define each term to indicate the type of informational material which it includes, to what group or individuals it applies, and what exceptions are made in its application. (b) What proportion is withheld on each basis? (c) What steps have been taken by your agency to insure that procedures for restricting information are not being abused? (d) What persons in your agency are authorized to apply restrictions on imparting information in the first instance? (e) What provisions are made for review of the decisions of these persons? (f) Who reviews the initial restrictions placed on imparting information? (g) How often does your agency review information to which restrictions have been applied to determine whether the restrictions should be removed? (h) Who removes the restrictions? 4. If the information from your agency is restricted on security grounds, list the specific statutes, Presidential directives, or other bases for such action. (a) What steps have been taken by your agency to insure that security classification procedures are not being abused? |