Statement on Signing the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001

Statement on Signing the Intelligence Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2001

December 27, 2000

Today I have signed into law H.R. 5630, the ``Intelligence
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001.'' I am pleased that the Act no
longer contains the badly flawed provision that would have made a felony
of unauthorized disclosures of classified information, and that was the
basis for my veto of a previous version of this legislation. I thank the
Congress for working with me to produce a bill that I can sign.
I appreciate the inclusion of section 308 concerning the
applicability of Federal laws implementing international treaties and
other international agreements to United States intelligence activities.
Section 308 applies only to intelligence activities of the United States
and addresses particular concerns regarding the potential application of
future United States domestic laws implementing international agreements
to otherwise lawful and appropriately authorized intelligence
activities. This provision does not in any way address the proper
interpretation of preexisting implementing legislation or other United
States statutes, nor does it in any way address other United States
Government activities.
Title VIII of the Act sets forth requirements governing the
declassification and disclosure of Japanese Imperial Army records, as
defined by the Act. The executive branch has previously been
declassifying United States Government records related to Japanese war
crimes under the provisions of the Nazi War Crimes Disclosure Act,
Public Law 105-246; consequently, I understand that title VIII does not
apply to records undergoing declassification pursuant to the Nazi War
Crimes Disclosure Act.
Finally, I acknowledge the efforts of the Congress to bring about a
more capable, secure, and effective Diplomatic Telecommunications
System. I am concerned, however, that the proposed changes for the
Diplomatic Telecommunications Service Program Office do not yet
represent the best methods for improving the management of

this system. As the executive branch implements this legislation, I
encourage the Congress to work with the executive branch to consider
alternatives for further improvements.
William J. Clinton
The White House,
December 27, 2000.