CIA's relationship with the United States Congress
May 08, 2024
There have been various arrangements to handle the Central Intelligence Agency's relationship with the United States Congress.
The formal liaison began some time before the 1960s, with a single position named the 'legislative liaison'. This later became the 'legislative counsel'. In the 1960s, an actual office was created for this purpose - the Office of Legislative Counsel.
In the 1980s, there were several reorganizations and renaming of the office. Near the end of the 1980s, the office was renamed the Office of Congressional Affairs and has kept that name, as of 2009.[1]
In the early 2000s (decade), the relationship became more intense, with debates about the Global war on terror and controversies surrounding it. For example, the CIA planned a secret program in 2001 but did not inform congress until much later.[2]
This section is in list format but may read better as prose. You can help by converting this section, if appropriate. Editing help is available.(April 2022)
This time line is based on information found in Snider, The Agency and the Hill, Chapter 4 (available online, see below under 'sources'). It lists the liaison, or the head of the liaison office, along with brief mentions of some significant events, reorganizations, and name changes.
1946 – one liaison person, part of the Office of General Counsel (OGC)
1946–1955 Walter Pforzheimer
1956–1957 Norman Paul
1957–1966 John Warner
1966 – new office created – Office of Legislative Counsel (OLC)
1981 – OLC and Office of Public Affairs combined into the Office of External Affairs, with a 'Legislative Liaison Division'
1981–1982 J William "Billy" Doswell
1982 – Office of External Affairs ended. Office of Legislative Liaison created.
1982–1984 Clair E. George
1984–1986 Charles Briggs
1986–1988 David D. Gries
1980s – the Iran–Contra affair pits the Democratic party House of Representatives against the Reagan Doctrine as practiced in Central America by the CIA. It would lead to a number of prosecutions and the cutting of congressional funding to CIA's Contra program.[4]
198? – Office of Legislative Liaison is renamed to Office of Congressional Affairs (OCA)
1988–1989 John Helgerson
1989–1991 E. Norbert Garrett
1991–1994 Stan Moskowitz
1994–1996 Joanne Isham
1996–2001 John H. Moseman
2001–2004 Stan Moskowitz
1980s and Charlie Wilsonedit
During much of the 1980s a unique and unusual relationship evolved between Congress and the CIA in the person of Texas congressman Charlie Wilson from Texas's 2nd congressional district. Using his position on various House appropriations committees, and in partnership with CIA agent Gust Avrakotos, Wilson was able to increase CIA's funding the Afghan Mujahideen to several hundred million dollars a year during the Soviet–Afghan War. Author George Crile would describe Wilson as eventually becoming the "Agency's station chief on the Hill". He eventually got a position on the Intelligence Committee and was supposed to be overseeing the CIA.[4]
^ abGeorge Crile, Charlie Wilson’s War: the Extraordinary Story on the Largest Covert Operation in History (New York: Grove Press, 2004), 25-6.
External linksedit
L. Britt Snider (2008). The Agency and the Hill, CIA's Relationship with Congress, 1946-2004. Washington, D.C.: Center for the Study of Intelligence, CIA. ISBN978-1-929667-17-8.
. CIA.gov. Central Intelligence Agency. 2009-08-02. Archived from the original on 2009-08-04.
. kansaspress.ku.edu. University Press of Kansas. Archived from the original on 2010-02-20.
May 08, 2024
relationship, with, united, states, congress, there, have, been, various, arrangements, handle, central, intelligence, agency, relationship, with, united, states, congress, formal, liaison, began, some, time, before, 1960s, with, single, position, named, legis. There have been various arrangements to handle the Central Intelligence Agency s relationship with the United States Congress The formal liaison began some time before the 1960s with a single position named the legislative liaison This later became the legislative counsel In the 1960s an actual office was created for this purpose the Office of Legislative Counsel In the 1970s the Central Intelligence Agency CIA ramped up its congressional liaison staff to deal with the large number of investigations coming from the Congress It was the era of the Rockefeller Commission the Church Committee and the Pike Committee all of which requested large amounts of information from the agency In the 1980s there were several reorganizations and renaming of the office Near the end of the 1980s the office was renamed the Office of Congressional Affairs and has kept that name as of 2009 1 In the early 2000s decade the relationship became more intense with debates about the Global war on terror and controversies surrounding it For example the CIA planned a secret program in 2001 but did not inform congress until much later 2 Contents 1 Timeline 2 1980s and Charlie Wilson 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksTimeline editThis section is in list format but may read better as prose You can help by converting this section if appropriate Editing help is available April 2022 This time line is based on information found in Snider The Agency and the Hill Chapter 4 available online see below under sources It lists the liaison or the head of the liaison office along with brief mentions of some significant events reorganizations and name changes 1946 one liaison person part of the Office of General Counsel OGC 1946 1955 Walter Pforzheimer 1956 1957 Norman Paul 1957 1966 John Warner 1966 new office created Office of Legislative Counsel OLC 1966 1968 John Warner 1968 1974 John Maury 1974 1977 George Cary 1970s ad hoc Review Staff operated alongside OLC to respond to large number of congressional inquiries due to the Rockefeller Commission the Church Committee and the Pike Committee 3 1978 OLC grows to 28 people 1978 1981 Fred Hitz 1981 OLC and Office of Public Affairs combined into the Office of External Affairs with a Legislative Liaison Division 1981 1982 J William Billy Doswell 1982 Office of External Affairs ended Office of Legislative Liaison created 1982 1984 Clair E George 1984 1986 Charles Briggs 1986 1988 David D Gries 1980s the Iran Contra affair pits the Democratic party House of Representatives against the Reagan Doctrine as practiced in Central America by the CIA It would lead to a number of prosecutions and the cutting of congressional funding to CIA s Contra program 4 198 Office of Legislative Liaison is renamed to Office of Congressional Affairs OCA 1988 1989 John Helgerson 1989 1991 E Norbert Garrett 1991 1994 Stan Moskowitz 1994 1996 Joanne Isham 1996 2001 John H Moseman 2001 2004 Stan Moskowitz1980s and Charlie Wilson editDuring much of the 1980s a unique and unusual relationship evolved between Congress and the CIA in the person of Texas congressman Charlie Wilson from Texas s 2nd congressional district Using his position on various House appropriations committees and in partnership with CIA agent Gust Avrakotos Wilson was able to increase CIA s funding the Afghan Mujahideen to several hundred million dollars a year during the Soviet Afghan War Author George Crile would describe Wilson as eventually becoming the Agency s station chief on the Hill He eventually got a position on the Intelligence Committee and was supposed to be overseeing the CIA 4 See also editCentral Intelligence Agency Office of Inspector GeneralReferences edit Snider The Agency and the Hill Chapter 4 Karl Jonathan 2009 07 20 Investigation of Secret CIA Program Turns into Political Brawl ABC News Archived from the original on 2009 07 20 Snider Chapter 4 a b George Crile Charlie Wilson s War the Extraordinary Story on the Largest Covert Operation in History New York Grove Press 2004 25 6 External links editL Britt Snider 2008 The Agency and the Hill CIA s Relationship with Congress 1946 2004 Washington D C Center for the Study of Intelligence CIA ISBN 978 1 929667 17 8 Congress and the CIA Time to Move On CIA gov Central Intelligence Agency 2009 08 02 Archived from the original on 2009 08 04 The CIA and Congress kansaspress ku edu University Press of Kansas Archived from the original on 2010 02 20 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title CIA 27s relationship with the United States Congress amp oldid 1221010366, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
