piner@pur-phy.UUCP (Richard Piner) (11/17/86)
Posted: Fri Nov 14, 1986 3:28 PM EST Msg: BGIG-2417-1196 From: RPARK To: WHATSNEW WHAT'S NEW, Friday, 14 November 1986 Washington, DC 1. NEW RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS TO INFORMATION are contained in a memorandum issued by the President's National Security Advisor John Poindexter. Yes, this is the same John Poindexter who gave us the "disinformation policy" on Libya (WN 3 Oct 86) and who "masterminded" the supply of arms to Iran. When we attempted to obtain a copy of the memorandum from the White House we were told to request it in writing and they would respond when they could get around to it. Press reports describe the directive as creating what amounts to a new level of classification, termed "sensitive." It is intended to provide a little protection for a lot of information. The Department of Defense has for some time used "sensitive" to refer to information under their control that is unclassified but subject to export control restrictions. Concern that commercial computer data bases provide a conduit for the leakage of sensitive information to foreign governments seems to have prompted the new restrictions. There has been speculation for several months over the contents of a classified Air Force report recommending controls on access to data bases. By labeling information as "sensitive," it will be possible to keep it out of commercial data bases in the first place. The Information Industry Association is understandably alarmed. 2. THE CHAIRMANSHIPS OF SENATE COMMITTEES must be decided in the wake of the election victory by the Democrats. A caucus to resolve matters is scheduled for next week. The subcommittees will come later, but changes are expected in the subcommittee structure of both houses. o COMMERCE, SCIENCE AND TRANSPORTATION is likely to be headed by Ernest Hollings (SC), who opposed the appointment of William Graham as science advisor (WN 26 Sept 86). Donald Riegle (MI) is in line to head the Science Subcommittee, but it could be Albert Gore (TN), who also opposed Graham. Lloyd Bentsen (TX) wants to be on the Commerce Committee to protect the Johnson Space Flight Center. o LABOR AND HUMAN RESOURCES will be headed by Edward Kennedy (MA). Last year the Labor and Commerce committees agreed to share jurisdiction over the NSF, ending a dispute that had gone on for years, but Kennedy is said to be less willing to share power. o GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS will probably be headed by John Glenn (OH), who has a Department of Science and Technology on his agenda. o BUDGET will be headed by Lawton Chiles (FL), an outspoken skeptic on SDI. o ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES will be headed by Bennett Johnston (LA), who also has doubts about SDI. He has abandoned his effort to contest Robert Byrd (WV) for majority leader. Robert L. Park 202/232-0189 The American Physical Society