FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 4, 1998
SEN. SHELBY COMMENTS ON FIRST DAY OF HEARINGS INTO TECHNOLOGY TRANSFERS TO CHINA & ALLEGATIONS THAT CHINA TRIED TO INFLUENCE U. S. POLICY
WASHINGTON, D. C. --- U. S. Sen. Richard C. Shelby (R-Ala.), Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, chaired the first day of hearings to investigate technology transfers to China, and allegations that China tried to influence U. S. Policy. Appearing before the Intelligence Committee today was Director of Central Intelligence George Tenet. Hearings will continue tomorrow, Friday, June 5, 1998 at 9 a.m. ET with Attorney General Janet Reno and FBI Director Louis Freeh who are scheduled to appear before the Committee.
Sen. Shelby said, "We made progress this morning, but there is a great deal of ground to cover. We're going to have to get the facts because we have a lot of unanswered questions, and many questions that were not answered today. Our inquiry is obviously very technical in nature.
In our briefing today, I was disturbed to learn that the Director of Central Intelligence was ready to share information with the Committee about possible technology transfers from Loral to the Chinese, but that Attorney General Reno had directed him not to share that information. The DCI has a legal and statutory duty to provide the committee with this information, which is central to our investigation. We plan to discuss this issue with the Attorney General in closed session tomorrow. For us to have a thorough investigation we are going to have to have cooperation from the Administration. Certainly, the Attorney General plays an important role, and her cooperation is critical.
I have every hope that the Administration will do what it has said it will do and cooperate with our investigation. I don't want to believe that the Attorney General's actions are a sign that the Administration plans not to cooperate with our committee. I certainly hope that is not the case, but we will talk with her about that.
Other than that, we are off to a good start. I am pleased with the amount of cooperation and participation I am receiving from members of the committee. The issue of national security is something we are all very concerned about.
Tomorrow, we' re going to have Attorney General Reno and FBI Director Freeh before our Committee at 9 a.m."
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