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Bush Administration Documents
on Secrecy Policy

Bush Executive Order on Classified National Security Information, to amend executive order 12958, signed March 25, 2003 (Edited Version reflecting changes made to EO 12958.)

Presidential Documents

• Provision of Atomic Information to Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia, January 12, 2009
• Designation and Sharing of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), May 7, 2008
• President Orders Review of Recommendations from the Public Interest Declassification Board, January 29, 2008
• White House Asserts Executive Privilege on Rove Testimony, letter from WH Counsel Fred Fielding, August 1, 2007.
• White House Says Vice President's Office Not Subject to Classification Oversight, letter to Sen. Brownback, July 12, 2007
• Communication to Congress on President's Assertion of Executive Privilege, letter from White House Counsel Fred Fielding, July 9, 2007
• President Asserts Executive Privilege, letter to Congress from White House Counsel Fred Fielding, June 28, 2007 (and a related letter to the President from the Solicitor General, June 27, 2007)
• President Bush Comments on the National Intelligence Estimate on Trends in Terrorism, September 26, 2006. "I told the DNI to declassify this document. You can read it for yourself."
• President Bush Signs Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act, White House news release, September 26, 2006. "We believe that the more transparency there is in the system, the better the system functions on behalf of the American people." (White House Fact Sheet)
• Implementation of the President's Executive Order "Improving Agency Disclosure of Information", OMB Memorandum, December 30, 2005
• Message to the Congress of the United States on Information Sharing, December 16, 2005
• Improving Agency Disclosure of Information, executive order 13392, December 14, 2005
• Strengthening Processes Relating to Determining Eligibility for Access to Classified National Security Information, June 27, 2005
• President Authorizes Director of National Intelligence to Classify at Top Secret Level, administrative order, April 21, 2005
• Statement by the President on Signing the 2005 Defense Appropriations Bill, August 5, 2004
• Agreement for National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice to Testify before 9-11 Commission, letter from White House Counsel Alberto R. Gonzales, March 30, 2004
• Order Granting Top Secret Classification Authority to Director of OSTP, September 17, 2003
• Renewal of Groom Lake Environmental Exemption, September 16, 2003
• White House Guidance on Safeguarding WMD Information and Sensitive Homeland Security Documents, memo from WH Chief of Staff Andrew Card, March 19, 2002.
• Order Granting Original Classification Authority to Secretary of Agriculture, September 30, 2002.
• Order Granting Original Classification Authority to Administrator of EPA, May 6, 2002.
• President Rejects Limitations on Establishment of Special Access Programs, signing statement on FY 2002 Defense Appropriations Act, January 10.
• On declassification of information concerning American deaths abroad., signing statement on FY 2002 Foreign Operations Act, January 10.
• President Reserves Right to Withhold Intelligence Information from Congress, statement on the Intelligence Authorization Act for FY 2002, December 28, 2001
• Bush Asserts Executive Privilege, memo to the Attorney General, December 12, 2001
• Order Granting Original Classification Authority to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, December 10, 2001
• Military Order on Detention, Treatment, and Trial of Certain Non-Citizens in the War Against Terrorism, November 13, 2001
• Further Implementation of the Presidential Records Act, Executive Order 13233, November 1, 2001
• Bush Moves to Limit Disclosures to Congress, Presidential memorandum dated October 5, 2001
• Groom Lake Exempted from Disclosure Requirements, Presidential Determination, September 18, 2001

Related White House Press Briefings

• Another White House Press Briefing on VP's Handling of Classified Information, June 25, 2007. "Is the President satisfied that Alberto Gonzales has not responded yet, after five, six months of a request by this office to have this issue mediated?"
• Briefing on VP's Handling of Classified Information, June 22, 2007. "Do you agree with the contention that the Office of the Vice President is not part of the executive branch?"
• Aboard Air Force One En Route to Roswell, New Mexico, press gaggle with Scott McClellan, January 22, 2004. "Now, when we land today there are certain things that we may ask you not to report, that you may see."
• White House Press Gaggle: Excerpts on Status of CIA Leak Investigation, January 5, 2004. "I would remind you that the President has directed the White House to cooperate fully with the career officials who are leading this investigation."
• President Bush: Remarks on 9/11 and the President's Daily Brief / Leaks, press conference, October 28, 2003. "It's important for the writers of the presidential daily brief to feel comfortable that the documents will never be politicized and/or unnecessarily exposed for public purview."
• White House Press Briefing on the White House Leak Investigation with Scott McClellan, October 7, 2003. "The President has made it very clear that the leaking of classified information is a serious matter, and he takes it very seriously."
• Remarks by President Bush: Excerpts on the White House Leak Investigation, October 7, 2003. "This is a town of -- where a lot of people leak. And I've constantly expressed my displeasure with leaks, particularly leaks of classified information."
• Remarks by President Bush: Excerpts on the White House Leak Investigation, October 6, 2003. "This is a very serious matter, and our administration takes it seriously."
• White House Press Briefing: Excerpts on the White House Leak Investigation with Scott McClellan, October 2, 2003. "What we are focused on is getting to the bottom of this investigation. That's what the President wants to happen."
• White House Press Briefing on the White House Leak Investigation with Scott McClellan, October 1, 2003. "The President has directed the White House to cooperate fully, that message was sent as soon as he learned of the investigation."
• Remarks by the President on the White House Leak Investigation, September 30, 2003.
• Excerpts on the Leaks of NSA Material, press briefing, June 20, 2002. "The President was deeply concerned about these leaks. We do not know who did it."
• Excerpts on Congressional Oversight of Homeland Security, press briefing, March 20, 2002. "I think what you really have here is a classic executive/legislative struggle over information."
• Excerpts on Homeland Security, Congress, White House press briefing, March 19, 2002. "The point I'm making is we have a system of checks and balances that is based on bipartisanship and on sharing of information."
• Excerpts on Nuclear Posture Review, GAO Lawsuit, White House press briefing, March 14, 2002. "I think from the President's point of view, he takes classified documents seriously. Classified documents were meant to remain classified."
• Remarks by the President on Executive Branch Prerogatives, White House press conference, March 13, 2002. "I'm not going to let Congress erode the power of the Executive Branch. I have a duty to protect the Executive Branch from legislative encroachment."
• Fleischer: Refusal to Disclose Enron Information is Matter of Principle, White House press briefing, January 17, 2002
• President Asserts Executive Privilege, press briefing, December 13, 2001
• President Comments on Access to Presidential Records, press availability, November 2, 2001
• Access to Presidential Records, press availability, November 2, 2001
• White House Revisits Restrictions on Congressional Access, press briefing, October 10, 2001
• Restrictions on Congressional Access to Certain Classified Information, press briefing, October 9, 2001
• President's Comments on Congressional Leaks, press availability, October 9, 2001
• On Secrecy and Disclosure of Bin Laden Evidence, press briefing, September 24, 2001

Other Official Documents on Bush Administration Secrecy Policy

• Attorney General Advises President to Assert Executive Privilege in Plame Matter, July 15, 2008
• Attorney General Advises That President May Assert Executive Privilege Regarding Environmental Protection Agency Communications, June 19, 2008
• Report on President Bush's Assertion of Executive Privilege Regarding Attorney General Mukasey, report of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, December 15, 2008
• Report on Resolutions Finding Joshua Bolten and Karl Rove in Contempt of Congress (pdf), Senate Judiciary Committee, November 19, 2008
• On Whether Karl Rove Can Be Compelled to Testify by Congressional Subpoena (pdf), Office of Legal Counsel, Department of Justice, August 1, 2007
• Immunity of Former Counsel to the President from Compelled Congressional Testimony (pdf), Office of Legal Counsel, Department of Justice, July 10, 2007
• Attorney General Mukasey Declines to Provide Records on CIA Videotape Destruction to Congress (pdf), December 14, 2007
• Office of Vice President Defends Exemption from Oversight, letter from David Addington to Sen. Kerry, June 26, 2007. "The executive order on classified national security information -- Executive Order 12958 as amended in 2003 -- makes it clear that the Vice President is treated like the President and distinguishes the two of them from 'agencies'."
• DoD Orders "No Comment" on BRAC Recommendations, memo from Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England, August 23, 2005.
• Rumsfeld "Snowflake" on US Secrecy Policy, November 2, 2005
• Rumsfeld "Snowflake" on Reducing Classification, August 9, 2005
• HHS Asks National Academy Not to Publish Paper on Bioterrorism, May 27, 2005
• Secretary Rumsfeld on DoD Information Security Program, memo to all commands, 16 September 2004.
• Secretary Rumsfeld on Stovepipes, Leaks, Overclassification, press conference, August 26, 2004. "Our country has forgotten how to keep a secret. We have such a hemorrhaging of information that's classified."
• Rep. Henry Waxman on Inconsistencies in Leak Investigations, letter to Condoleezza Rice, January 14.
• Attorney General Ashcroft Recuses Himself from CIA Leak Investigation, Justice Dept press briefing, December 30, 2003.
• White House Memos on Wilson/Plame Leak Investigation, ordering preservation of related materials, September 30-October 7, 2003.
• Rumsfeld Wants More DoD Information Removed from Web, Department of Defense, January 14, 2003.
• Unauthorized Disclosures of Classified Information, Attorney General's task force report to Congress, October 22, 2002.
• Army Warns Against Leaks (PDF), memo from Army Secretary Thomas White and Army Chief of Staff Eric Shinseki, August 2, 2002.
• Rumsfeld Comments on Leak Investigation, Pentagon press briefing (excerpts), July 22, 2002.
• The Impact of Leaking Classified Information, memo from Defense Secretary Rumsfeld, with attached CIA memorandum, July 12, 2002.
• Statement of Administration Policy on the Homeland Security Information Sharing Act (HR 4598), June 26, 2002.
• Justice Department Statement on GAO Lawsuit Against the White House, DoJ press release, May 22, 2002. "In order to protect the President's exercise of his exclusive Executive powers, the Justice Department filed a motion to dismiss the unprecedented lawsuit brought by the General Accounting Office."
• White House Guidance on Safeguarding WMD Information and Sensitive Homeland Security Documents, memo from WH Chief of Staff Andrew Card, March 19, 2002.
• Additional Reagan Presidential Materials to be Released, NARA press release, March 12, 2002. "Presidents Reagan and Bush decided not to assert any constitutionally based privilege with respect to these records."
• Committee to Review Justice Department Documents, House Reform Committee press release, February 27, 2002. "Today, the Justice Department agreed to provide the Committee with access to subpoenaed documents over which the President had originally claimed executive privilege."
• Rumsfeld: Leaks Have Impeded Bin Laden Manhunt, Pentagon press briefing, January 15.
• Some Previously Withheld Reagan Presidential Materials to be Released, NARA press release, December 20, 2001
• Interagency Task Force to Review Ways to Combat Leaks of Classified Information, Justice Department release, December 14, 2001.
• Media Coverage Issues Concerning the War in Afghanistan (PDF), memo from Assistant Secretary of Defense Clarke to media bureau chiefs, December 6, 2001.
• NatSecAdviser Condoleezza Rice on Export Controls, NSDD-189, letter dated November 1, 2001
• Secretary Rumsfeld on Press Leaks, press briefing, October 22, 2001
• Operations Security Throughout the Department of Defense, memo from Deputy Defense Secretary Wolfowitz, October 18, 2001
• Attorney General Ashcroft on New FOIA Policy, October 12, 2001
• Pentagon Acquisition Chief Prohibits Discussions with the Media, October 4, 2001
• UnderSecretary Aldridge Calls for Industry "Discretion", letter of October 2, 2001
• Rumsfeld: Pentagon Will Not Lie, press briefing, September 25, 2001
• Rumsfeld on Leaks of Classified Information, press briefing, September 12, 2001
• White House Delays Release of Reagan-Era Presidential Records, letters from White House counsel Gonzalez, March-August, 2001
• Prospective Revision of Executive Order 12958, as described in the DOE newsletter Communique, August 2001

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Maintained by Steven Aftergood
Last updated July 14, 2011