[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 136 (Friday, September 27, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1766]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SUPPORT FREEDOM OF INFORMATION--PERMIT RELEASE OF GOVERNMENT FILES ON 
                           NAZI WAR CRIMINALS

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                        HON. CHARLES E. SCHUMER

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 27, 1996

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. Speaker, it is a disgrace that 50 years after the 
end of World War II and the tragedy of the Holocaust that U.S. 
intelligence files remain closed on Nazi war criminals.
  The War Crimes Disclosure Act attempts to remedy this black out by 
improving the public's access to information. The bill expands the 
Freedom of Information Act and, specifically, prevents Government 
agencies from concealing information about people who are on the 
Immigration and Naturalization Service ``Watch List'' for their wartime 
activities.
  Rather than take this opportunity to shed light on the activities of 
those commiting wartime atrocities, the CIA is electing to protract the 
information blackout. It has attempted to stall this legislation, 
demanding repeated iterations in its development. It has attempted to 
weaken the legislation, attenuating the language of legislation to 
reduce its potency.
  Why is the CIA thwarting this legislation? Only the CIA knows. 
Regardless of their rationale, they should reconsider their opposition, 
recognizing the value of public trust engendered by disclosure. Case in 
point, public outrage over CIA foreknowledge of the nefarious wartime 
activities of Kurt Waldheim. Had the public access to information that 
this bill would allow, the past of Kurt Waldheim may have been brought 
to the light of public debate, rather than shrouded in the veiled 
secrecy of intelligence files.
  Recognizing the value of information to a democratic public, the 
Soviet Union has begun to open its Nazi era records. On this issue of 
critical importance to a democratic nation, the United States is not a 
leader. Unfortunately, we haven't even decided if we're followers.

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