[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 52 (Monday, January 1, 2001)]
[Pages 3184-3185]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
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

[[Page 3185]]

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.

  Note:  H.R. 5630, approved December 27, was assigned Public Law No. 
106-567.