POGO and Allies Caution Congress on Anti-Leaks Legislation
To:
- Chair Dianne Feinstein
- Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
- 211 Hart Senate Office Building
- Washington DC 20510
- Chair Mike Rogers
- House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
- Capitol Visitor Center HVC-304 Washington, DC 20515
- Vice Chair Saxby Chambliss
- Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
- 211 Hart Senate Office Building
- Washington DC 20510
- Ranking Member Dutch Ruppersberger
- House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
- Capitol Visitor Center HVC-304 Washington, DC 20515
Dear Chair Feinstein, Vice-Chair Chambliss, Chair Rogers, and Ranking Member Ruppersberger,
The undersigned organizations, concerned with government openness and accountability, write to urge you to protect the interests of an open government and informed public in any legislation to address the leaks of highly classified information. Congress’ goal of protecting the United States’ legitimate secrets is honorable, but it would be unwise to accelerate the process without due consideration to the range of issues entangled in addressing the leak issue.
The legislation will necessarily touch on a number of delicate issues that merit careful consideration. These issues include the balance between reducing security clearances and rightful disclosure, as well as ensuring that classified systems are not clogged with information that does not need rigorous protections. Additionally, the legislation must protect people who blow the whistle on waste, fraud and abuse in the federal government. Seeking input from the public and experts in the field will help Congress ensure that any legislation intended to stop leaks of classified national security information appropriately addresses the potential ramifications of language to address the unauthorized disclosures of highly classified information.
We understand you intend to attach your legislation to the Fiscal Year (FY) FY 2013 Intelligence Authorization Bill. While we recognize that leaks of appropriately and properly classified information are a serious problem, the American public requires access to some information about government conduct in order to foster an informed and meaningful national discussion, particularly about such issues as the use of drones to kill American citizens and other persons. We ask Congress to address these leaks with the most serious of consideration and widest possible public input. We strongly urge you to not rush such important legislation even if the needed careful consideration is not possible before the FY 2013 Intelligence Authorization bill must be passed.
We thank you for your consideration and urge you to address the leaks of highly classified information with the widest possible public input into any legislation and with the most open process possible.
Signed by:
- American Civil Liberties Union
- American Library Association
- Article 19
- Bill of Rights Defense Committee
- Brennan Center for Justice
- Brown Center for Public Policy
- Center for Media and Democracy
- The Center for Financial Privacy and Human Rights
- Common Cause
- The Constitution Project
- Defending Dissent
- Electronic Frontier Foundation
- Electronic Privacy Information Coalition
- Federation of American Scientists
- Government Accountability Project
- iSolon.org
- Liberty Coalition
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- National Freedom of Information Coalition
- National Security Archive
- National Whistleblowers Center
- No More Guantanamos
- OpenTheGovernment.org
- Project On Government Oversight
- Progressive Librarians Guild
- Society of American Archivists
- Society of Professional Journalists
- Sunlight Foundation
- Utah Foundation for Open Government
- Washington Coalition for Open Government
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