Ford UFO Files

NATIONAL REPUBLICAN CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE • 312. CONGRESSIONAL HOTEL • WASHINGTON 3 0 C Ll
. . . • NCOLN 4-3010
Script No. 16 May 2, 1966
THE RIGHT TO KNOW
This is Congressman reporting to you from Washington.
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When the House Government Operations Committee approved the so-called Freedom
of Information bill the other day, it marked another important step in the battle to retum to every
American citizen a right which has been morally his since the founding of this country--the right
to examine records of the Federal Government.
I believe the Freedom of Information bill is one of the most important pieces of legisla-
tion to be considered by Congress in years. I support its enactment one hundred per cent.
This legislation would require Federal agencies to "make all records promptly avail-
able" to the public, with the exception, of course, of certain specified categories, such cs those
involving the country1s Nationcl security. And--this is most importCint--it provides, for the first
time, court action to guarantee such a right. The bill has already been passed by the Senate anJ
will come before the House shortly.
The present Administration's manipulation of news is only too well known to all Amert-
cans. Defense Secretary McNamara's inforrnCitional acrobatics,for instance, his now-you-see
victory, now-you-don't-political sleight-of-hand has awakened the country to the increasing au-o
of secrecy in Its government•s operations. Americans are beginning to realize how little they
really know of what goes on behind the scenes.
Take a case in point. The Post Office Deportment refused to disclose the names of
hundreds of part-time employees it hired last summer. This certainly wasn't sensitive informatk..n.
It was information that the general public had every right to know. After all, their tax money
was paying the employees' salaries. Why, then, were the names withheld? For one main reason:
to keep from the press and the public the 11pork-barrel politics .. involved in these appointments--
to hide the fact that friends and relatives of the high-ranl<ing Democrats had been added onto the
Government's payroll.
There is a law which has been on the boo ks for some time that deals with th,- tight~
the public to obtain information. This law limits information which government cge~ies can re-
lease "to persons properly and directly concerned." Why all Americans aren't considered pers.Qhs
properly and directly concerned, it is hard to say. But this piece of technical phrasing has been
-more-