Statement of Administration Policy: S. 1324 - Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 1990 and 1991

(Boren (D) Oklahoma)

The Administration opposes the enactment of S. 1324 unless the provision to establish a statutory Inspector General (IG) at CIA is deleted.

The establishment of a statutory IG is unnecessary and could undermine the effective inspection and investigation process now in place at the CIA. An independent IG may create the impression that the Director of Central Intelligence will be unable to protect intelligence sources and methods, thereby affecting adversely the willingness of human sources and foreign liaison services to cooperate with the CIA. In addition, other IG-related provisions would interfere unconstitutionally with the President's ability to discharge his constitutional responsibility to appoint and remove officials.

The Administration also has reservations about the following provisions in S. 1324 and urges their deletion:

• Section 601 which would expand the demonstration project authorizing pay supplements to FBI agents assigned from other locations to the high-cost New York City area. The expansion would apply the pay supplement to all FBI employees in New York. This would be inconsistent with the intent of the demonstration project, which was to address the difficulties of attracting certain FBI personnel to accept assignments requiring a move to New York. Rather than paying a supplement, recruiting and retention problems for employees already living in New York may be better addressed by using other pay authorities, such as special rates.
  
  
• Section 603 which would make the FBI responsible for conducting all investigations of violations of U.S. espionage laws by persons employed by, or assigned to, U.S. diplomatic missions. Such a statutory requirement is unduly restrictive. The Executive branch should retain the discretion and flexibility to determine how best to investigate such legal violations.

The Administration will also seek to have certain program authorization levels reallocated to make them consistent with the Administration's request. Specifically, the Administration urges that enhancements for arms control verification be authorized as requested.