ATTORNEY GENERAL RENO, FBI DIRECTOR FREEH, AND DCI TENET APPEAR BEFORE SENATE SELECT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE TO DISCUSS THE COMMITTEE'S LEAK PROVISION
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence held a closed hearing with the Attorney General, Director of the FBI and the Director of Central Intelligence to discuss the Committee's leak provision that is in the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001. The provision fills gaps in existing law by giving the Justice Department new authority to protect all classified information from unauthorized disclosures. Section 303 of the Intelligence bill creates a basis in law for prosecuting the knowing and willful unauthorized disclosure of classified information to a person not authorized to receive it. The penalty for such disclosure could include a fine up to $10,000 and three years in prison.
Sen. Richard C. Shelby (R-Ala.), the Committee Chairman, stated, "I am very pleased that the Attorney General, FBI Director and Director of Central Intelligence agree with the Committee that leaks of classified information are not only chronic, but an immediate threat to the national security of the United States. We all agree that something must be done. I am encouraged that the Attorney General volunteered to work with the Committee to fill the gaps in the law and give them a necessary tool in our collective fight to plug the leaks."
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