Reading Classified Information On Congressional Floor

Ackerman is certainly correct that the speech or debate clause immunizes members of congress from prosecution for disclosing classified information on the floor or in committee hearings.

Reading classified information on congressional floor.

The house section the senate section the extensions of remarks and since the 1940s the daily digest. No congress members do not need security clearances to read classified information sources. As he also recognizes however members are not protected against congressional discipline up to and including. Practices and proposals congressional research service summary the protection of classified national security and other controlled information is of concern not only to the executive branch which for the most part determines what information is classified and controlled but also to congress.

Bruce ackerman suggests that members of congress ought to simply read classified information into the public record the moment of truth is now. A famous precendent is the case of senator mike gravel who in 1971 read the classified pentagon papers into the record of the senate subcommittee on public buildings and grounds. House of representatives introduction the honorable david dreier. The congressional record consists of four sections.

Congressional research service security clearance process. Citation needed at the back of each daily issue is the daily digest which summarizes the day s floor and committee activities and serves as a table of contents for each issue the house and senate sections contain proceedings. The clerk will then register the vote into the computer but the member should visually check the board to make sure the vote is recorded correctly. Answers to frequently asked questions.

Handed to the congressional. Both the house and senate have established procedures for releasing classified information. But congressional procedure maven michael stern argues that this is a little hasty. The us constitution s speech or debate clause generally protects members of congress from prosecution for anything they say as part of congressional debate or business.

The committee used to meet in a secretive fourth floor capitol room accessible by stair but after the attacks of 9 11 plans were drawn for a larger office suite in the cvc which was partly. Protection of classified information by congress. In addition congress codified its right to classified information in the intelligence oversight act of 1980 which explicitly requires that the president keep congressional intelligence.