THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release May 4, 1994
STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY
U.S. Counterintelligence Effectiveness
President Clinton signed today a Presidential Decision Directive
on U.S. counterintelligence effectiveness to foster increased
cooperation, coordination and accountability among all U.S.
counterintelligence agencies. The President has directed the creation
of a new national counterintelligence policy structure under the
auspices of the National Security Council. In addition, he has
directed the creation of a new National Counterintelligence Center,
initially to be led by a senior executive of the Federal Bureau of
Investigation. Finally, the President's Decision Directive requires
that exchange of senior managers between the CIA and the FBI to ensure
timely and close coordination between the intelligence and law
enforcement communities.
The President's decision to take these significant steps of
restructuring U.S. counterintelligence policy and interagency
coordination, followed a Presidential Review of U.S.
counterintelligence in the wake of the Aldrich Ames espionage
investigation. The President, in issuing this Directive, has taken
immediate steps to improve our ability to counter both traditional and
new threats to our nation's security in the post-Cold War era.
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FACT SHEET
U.S. Counterintelligence Effectiveness
Many threats to the national security of the United States have been
significantly reduced by the break-up of the Soviet Union and the end
of the Cold War. Core U.S. concepts -- democracy and market economics
-- are more broadly accepted around the world than ever before.
Nevertheless, recent events at home and abroad make clear that numerous
threats to our national interests --terrorism, proliferating weapons of
mass destruction, ethnic conflicts, sluggish economic growth --
continue to exist and must be effectively addressed. In this context,
it is critical that the U.S. maintain a highly effective and
coordinated counterintelligence capability.
A review of U.S. counterintelligence effectiveness in the wake of the
Ames case highlights the need for improvements in the coordination of
our counterintelligence (CI) activities. The recent DCI and Attorney
General Joint Task Force on Intelligence Community-Law Enforcement
Relations noted that changes to the basic underlying legal authorities
defining the relationship between the intelligence and law enforcement
communities are not required. Rather, the task force concluded that
what is needed..."is for the two communities to improve their
understanding of their respective needs and operating practices...to
cooperate earlier, more closely, and more consistently on matters in
which they both have a separate but parallel interest." This Directive
outlines specific steps which will be taken to achieve the objective of
improved cooperation.
Executive Order 12333 designates the National Security
Council (NSC) "as the highest Executive Branch entity
that provides review of, guidance for and direction to
the conduct of," among other things,
counterintelligence policies and programs. Consistent
with E.O. 12333, the President directed the creation of
a new CI structure, under the direction
of the NSC, for the coordination of CI policy matters
in order to integrate more fully government-wide
counterintelligence capabilities, to foster greater
cooperation among the various departments and agencies
with CI responsibilities and to establish greater
accountability for the creation of CI policy and its
execution. This new structure will ensure that all
relevant departments and agencies have a full and free
exchange of information necessary to achieve maximum
effectiveness of the U.S. counterintelligence effort,
consistent with U.S. law.
Nothing in this directive amends or changes the authorities and
responsibilities of the DCI, Secretary of Defense, Secretary of State,
Attorney General or Director of the FBI, as contained in the National
Security Act of 1947, other existing laws and E.O. 12333.
The following specific initiatives will be undertaken to improve U.S.
counterintelligence effectiveness:
National Counterintelligence Policy Coordination
o A National Counterintelligence Policy Board
(Policy Board) is hereby established and
directed to report to the President through
the Assistant to the President for National
Security Affairs. The existing CI policy and
coordination structure, the National Advisory
Group for Counterintelligence, is hereby
abolished and its CI functions transferred to
the Policy Board.
o The Policy Board will consist of one senior
executive representative each from DCI/CIA;
the FBI; the Departments of Defense, State,
and Justice; a Military Department CI
component; and the NSC, Special Assistant to
the President and Senior Director for
Intelligence Programs.
o The Chairman of the Policy Board will be
designated by the DCI in consultation with
the Assistant to the President for National
Security Affairs. The Chairman will serve
for a period of two years. The position of
Chairman of the Policy Board will be rotated
among the CIA, FBI, and Department of
Defense.
o The Policy Board will consider, develop and
recommend for implementation to the Assistant
to the President for National Security
Affairs policy and planning directives for
U.S. counterintelligence. The Policy Board
will be the principal mechanism for reviewing
and proposing to the NSC staff legislative
initiatives and executive orders pertaining
to U.S. counterintelligence. This Board will
coordinate the development of interagency
agreements and resolve conflicts that may
arise over the terms and implementation of
these agreements.
o A National Counterintelligence Operations
Board (Operations Board) will be established
under the Policy Board with senior CI
representatives from CIA, FBI, DOD, the
Military Department CI components, NSA,
State, Justice, and Chief of the National CI
Center established below.
o The Chairman of the Operations Board will be
appointed by the Policy Board from among the
CIA, FBI, or DOD, and rotated every two
years. The Chairmanship of the Policy Board
and the Operations Board will not be held by
the same agency at any one time. The
Operations Board will discuss and develop
from an operational perspective matters to be
considered or already under consideration by
the Policy Board. It will oversee all
coordinating subgroups, resolve specific
conflicts concerning CI operations and
investigations and identify potential CI
policy conflicts for referral to the Policy
Board.
Counterintelligence Integration and Cooperation
o The Policy Board, with the assistance of the
DCI and the cooperation of the Director of
the FBI, the Secretary of Defense, and the
Secretary of State, will establish a National
Counterintelligence Center within 90 days of
this directive.
o A senior FBI executive with CI operational
and management experience will serve as the
Chief of the National CI Center and a senior
Military Department CI component executive
will serve as the Deputy Chief of the
National CI Center. These agencies will hold
these positions for an initial period of 4
years, afterwhich, with the approval of the
National CI Policy Board and in consultation
with the Assistant to the President for
National Security Affairs, the leadership
positions will rotate, for 2 year terms,
among the FBI, DOD and CIA. At all such
times that the FBI does not hold the position
of Chief, it will hold the position of Deputy
Chief.
o The National Counterintelligence Center will
be located, staffed and initially structured
as recommended in PRD-44.
o The National Counterintelligence Center will
implement interagency CI activities as
described in PRD-44 and report to the Policy
Board.
o The National Counterintelligence Center will
serve as the interagency forum for
complementary activities among CI agencies.
The CIA's Counterintelligence Center will
serve as the CI component for the CIA and
execute on behalf of the DCI his authorities
to coordinate all U.S. counterintelligence
activities overseas.
o The Chief of the CIA's Counterintelligence
Center Counterespionage Group will be
permanently staffed by a senior executive
from the FBI.
o CIA counterintelligence officers will
permanently staff appropriate management
positions in the FBI's National Security
Division and/or FBI Field Offices.
The Policy Board will be responsible for the
regular monitoring and review of the integration
and coordination of U.S. counterintelligence
programs. The Policy Board will provide an annual
report to the Assistant to the President for
National Security Affairs and on US
counterintelligence effectiveness.
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