Central Intelligence Agency Act

Central Intelligence Agency Act
Great Seal of the United States
Other short titles CIA Act of 1949
Long title An Act to provide for the administration of the Central Intelligence Agency, established pursuant to section 102, National Security Act of 1947, and for other purposes.
Nicknames Central Intelligence Agency Act of 1949
Enacted by the 81st United States Congress
Effective June 20, 1949
Citations
Public Law 81-110
Statutes at Large 63 Stat. 208
Codification
Titles amended 50 U.S.C.: War and National Defense
U.S.C. sections created 50 U.S.C. ch. 15, subch. I § 403a
Legislative history
  • Introduced in the House as H.R. 2663 by Lansdale Ghiselin Sasscer (D-MD) on March 4, 1949
  • Passed the House on March 7, 1949 (348-4)
  • Passed the Senate on May 27, 1949 (passed)
  • Reported by the joint conference committee on June 2, 1949; agreed to by the Senate on June 6, 1949 (agreed) and by the House on June 7, 1949 (agreed)
  • Signed into law by President Harry S. Truman on June 20, 1949

The Central Intelligence Agency Act, Pub.L. 81–110, is a United States federal law enacted in 1949.

The Act, also called the "CIA Act of 1949" or "Public Law 110" permitted the Central Intelligence Agency to use confidential fiscal and administrative procedures and exempting it from many of the usual limitations on the use of federal funds. The act (Section 6) also exempted the CIA from having to disclose its "organization, functions, officials, titles, salaries, or numbers of personnel employed." It also created a program called "PL-110" to handle defectors and other "essential aliens" outside normal immigration procedures, as well as give those persons cover stories and economic support. It was passed by congress May 27.

The Act is codified at 50 U.S.C. § 403a.

Constitutional challenge

The Act's Constitutionality was challenged in 1972 in the Supreme Court case United States v. Richardson, on the basis that the Act conflicted with the penultimate clause of Article I, Section 9 of the United States Constitution, which states that "No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law; and a regular Statement and Account of Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published from time to time." The Supreme Court found that Richardson, as a taxpayer, lacked sufficient undifferentiated injury to enjoy standing to argue the case.[1]

References

  1. ↑ Association, American Bar (February 1976). ABA Journal. American Bar Association. pp. 257–. Retrieved 31 January 2013.

External links