October 20, 1998

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

                               THE WHITE HOUSE

                        Office of the Press Secretary
  For Immediate Release                                            October
  20, 1998


                         STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT


       Today I have signed into law H.R. 3694, the "Intelligence
  Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999."  The Act authorizes Fiscal Year
  1999 appropriations for U.S. intelligence and intelligence-related
  activities.

       The Act is the product of the dedication and effort of many people
  in the Congress and my Administration.  I believe that the Act will help
  our Nation maintain a strong intelligence capability and preserve the
  safety and security of our country.

       I am pleased that the Act provides enhanced protective authority for
  CIA personnel and family members.  This is extremely important given the
  continuing terrorist threat against U.S. citizens and interests.  I also
  note that the Act names the CIA Headquarters Compound in Langley,
  Virginia, the "George Bush Center for Intelligence."  This is an
  appropriate and well-deserved tribute to former President Bush.

       Sections 601 and 602 of the Act enhance significantly our ability to
  conduct effective counterintelligence and international terrorism
  investigations.  In addition, section 604 expands the Government's
  ability to conduct wiretaps when investigating a broad range of Federal
  felonies.  The Attorney General will develop comprehensive guidelines and
  minimization procedures for the use of this expanded authority and will
  amend procedures currently contained in the manual for United States
  Attorneys to provide appropriate protection for the rights of Americans.
  Until such guidelines and procedures are finalized, the Government will
  conduct wiretaps in accor-dance with the standards provided under current
  law.  The Department of Justice will include statistics on the use of the
  expanded authority in its annual wiretap report to the Congress.

       Finally, I am satisfied that this Act contains an acceptable
  whistleblower protection provision, free of the constitutional
  infirmities evident in the Senate-passed version of this legislation.
  The Act does not constrain my constitutional authority to review and, if
  appropriate, control disclosure of certain classified information to the
  Congress.  I note that the Act's legislative history makes clear that the
  Congress, although disagreeing with the executive branch regarding the
  operative constitutional principles, does not intend to foreclose the
  exercise of my constitutional authority in this area.

       The Constitution vests the President with authority to control
  disclosure of information when necessary for the discharge of his
  constitutional responsi-bilities.  Nothing in this Act purports to change
  this principle.  I anticipate that this authority will be exercised only
  in exceptional circumstances and that when agency heads decide that they
  must defer, limit, or preclude the disclosure of sensitive information,
  they will contact the appropriate congressional committees promptly to
  begin the accommodation process that has traditionally been followed with
  respect to disclosure of sensitive information.


                                WILLIAM J. CLINTON


  THE WHITE HOUSE,
      October 20, 1998.

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