Official Secrets Act [ OSA Homepage | The Issues | 2001 Attack | Congressional Letter | 2000 Attack | Links ] A Chronology of the 2000 Attack The links below were provided by the Project on Government Secrecy, directed by Steven Aftergood.

• In response to Section 303 of H.R. 4392, individuals of various organizations generated a sign-on letter in opposition.
• The anti-leak provision originally appeared in Section 303 of the Senate bill S.2507, Intelligence Authorization Act for FY 2001, on May 4, 2000. Two sentences of explanatory text appeared in the accompanying Senate report, S.Rep. 106-279
• "Senate Bill Aims to Curb News Leaks," by Vernon Loeb, The Washington Post, June 14, 2000 (possibly the first major press story)
• Attorney General Janet Reno's Weekly Press Briefing, excerpts on anti-leak provision, June 15, 2000
• "Plugging a Leak by Puncturing Freedom," a commentary by Paul McMasters, First Amendment Ombudsman, The Freedom Forum, June 16, 2000
• "The Pending 'Leak' Statute is Unconstitutional," an analysis by Kate Martin, Center for National Security Studies, September 27, 2000
• Defense Secretary Cohen comments on "leaks" of classified information, October 2, 2000
• The Administration issued a Statement of Administration Policy on S.2507 on October 2, 2000. It did not mention the anti-leak provision
• The Senate approved S.2507, its version of the Intelligence Authorization Act, on October 2, 2000
• A colloquy between Senators Levin and Bryan limiting (preventing) the application of the "classified" definition in Sec. 304 to other statutes where "classified" is defined differently (i.e. civil service statutes) occurred on October 3, 2000
• A colloquy between Senators Biden and Shelby on the anti-leak provision occurred on October 3, 2000
• Reps. Henry Hyde and John Conyers Protest "Leak" Provision, letter to House Intelligence Committee, October 10, 2000
• The (slightly) amended provision appeared as Section 304 of H.R.4392 in the Conference Report on the Intelligence Authorization Act for FY 2001 (H.Rep. 106-969) on October 11, 2000
• The House approved the conference version of H.R. 4392, despite outspoken criticism of the anti-leak statute by Reps. Barr, Pelosi, and Conyers, on October 12, 2000
• Reps. Hyde and Conyers Renew Protest Over "Leak" Provision, letter to House Appropriations Committee, October 25, 2000
• Senators Leahy, Grassley, and Schumer Urge Deferral of "Leak" Statute, letter to Senate Appropriations Committee, October 27, 2000
• Senator Schumer Urges Veto of "Leak" Provision, letter to President Clinton, October 27, 2000
• Pentagon Press Briefing, excerpts on "leak" provision, October 31, 2000
• Attorney General Janet Reno's weekly press briefing, excerpts on "leak" provision, November 2, 2000
• President Clinton's Veto Statement on the Intelligence Authorization Act, November 4, 2000
• CIA Press Statement on President's Veto of Intelligence Authorization Act, November 6, 2000
• Pentagon Press Briefing, excerpts on Veto of Intelligence Authorization Act, November 7, 2000
• The House adopted a revised version of the Intelligence Authorization Act (H.R. 5630), with the anti-leak provision deleted, on November 13, 2000
• The Senate adopted a modified, revised version of H.R. 5630, with Shelby comments on the vetoed "leak" provision, on December 6, 2000
• The House approved the Senate's version of H.R. 5630 on December 11, 2000