Thursday, June 21, 2007
Administration Oversight
The Oversight Committee has learned that over the objections of the
National Archives, Vice President Cheney exempted his office from the
presidential order that establishes government-wide procedures for
safeguarding classified national security information. The Vice
President asserts that his office is not an “entity within the
executive branch.”
As described in a letter from Chairman Waxman to the Vice
President, the National Archives protested the Vice President's
position in letters written in June 2006 and August 2006. When these
letters were ignored, the National Archives wrote to Attorney General
Alberto Gonzales in January 2007 to seek a resolution of the impasse.
The Vice President's staff responded by seeking to abolish the agency
within the Archives that is responsible for implementing the
President's executive order.
In his letter to the Vice President, Chairman Waxman writes:
"I question both the legality and wisdom of your actions. ... [I]t
would appear particularly irresponsible to give an office with your
history of security breaches an exemption from the safeguards that
apply to all other executive branch officials."
A fact sheet prepared by Chairman Waxman describes other
instances in which the Vice President's office has sought to avoid
oversight and accountability.
Administration Oversight
The Oversight Committee has learned that over the objections of the
National Archives, Vice President Cheney exempted his office from the
presidential order that establishes government-wide procedures for
safeguarding classified national security information. The Vice
President asserts that his office is not an “entity within the
executive branch.”
As described in a letter from Chairman Waxman to the Vice
President, the National Archives protested the Vice President's
position in letters written in June 2006 and August 2006. When these
letters were ignored, the National Archives wrote to Attorney General
Alberto Gonzales in January 2007 to seek a resolution of the impasse.
The Vice President's staff responded by seeking to abolish the agency
within the Archives that is responsible for implementing the
President's executive order.
In his letter to the Vice President, Chairman Waxman writes:
"I question both the legality and wisdom of your actions. ... [I]t
would appear particularly irresponsible to give an office with your
history of security breaches an exemption from the safeguards that
apply to all other executive branch officials."
A fact sheet prepared by Chairman Waxman describes other
instances in which the Vice President's office has sought to avoid
oversight and accountability.
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