</s>104-0428-10081 SUBJECT: Mark ALLEN Case, F81-0351: Status of CIA's Review of Sequestered Material: CIA HISTORICAL REVIEW PROGRAM A. HISTorical SUMMARY - HSCA Committee CIA Historical REVIEW PROGRAM RELEASE IN FULL 1998 A.HISTORIAL SUMMAY - HCSA Committee 1. The House Select Committee on Assassinations was established in 1. THE House Select Commission 1540, 9th Congress, 2nd Session. The September 1976 by House Resolution 1540. 94th Congress was established. The 09-18-98-Scenciled Committee on Assassinations created by House Resolution 1540 offi- of-18.98-SCencilary Expired as the 94th Congressional ended its item on 3 January 1977. RELEASED 2. On 4 January 1977, a unanimous consent request was introduced to consider House Resolution 9, a resolution to Reconciliation the committee. An objection was heard, however, and House Resolution 7 was not brought to and immediate vote on the floor of the House. It was instead referred to the Rules Committee, which began hearings on on 25 January 1977 . House Resolution 9, as amended, was favorably reported by the Rules Committee as House Resolution 222 on 1 February 1977. 3. The creation of a congressional committee to investigate assassi- nations as well as issues concerning the nature and cost of the proposed investigations, created considerable controversy. House Resolution 222 prospectations, to constitute the committee for only an additional 2 months, to the end of March 1977, so that these issues could be more closely examined. On 2 February 1977, House Resolution 22 was considered by the House of Representatives as the Committee of the Whole, so so that amendments could be offered from the floor and Members given an opportunity to express objections. House Resolution 222 authorized and directed the committee to: ... conduct a full and complete investigation and study of the cir- curstrances surrounding the assassination and death of President John F. Kennedy and the assassination of death and Martin Luther King, Jr ., and of any other persons the select committee shall deter- mine might be related to either death in order to ascertain (1) whether the existing laws of the United States, including but not limited to laws relating to the safety and protection of the President of the Unified States, the safety of the President of the United States; deprivation of civil rights, and conspiracies

Summary:  
The House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) was established by House Resolution 1540 in September 1976 during the 94th Congress. The committee’s mandate included investigating the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., as well as assessing the adequacy of U.S. laws and agencies’ responses to such events. The HSCA was initially authorized for two months but later extended until March 1979. Key figures included Representative Louis Stokes (chairman) and subcommittee chairs Walter E. Fauntroy (MLK assassination) and Richardson Preyer (JFK assassination). The committee’s investigation focused on four main issues: identifying the assassins, determining if conspiracies existed, evaluating agencies’ performance in protecting targets and conducting investigations, and recommending legislative changes. The HSCA requested 174 written inquiries from the CIA, which were processed through the Office of Legislative Liaison (OLC). Sequestered materials, including microfilm and classified documents, were stored in 64 boxes and reviewed for public release. The review process involved identifying and assessing CIA-originated documents, with estimates of costs and personnel hours required to complete the task.  

Key People:  
- Louis Stokes (chairman of HSCA)  
- Walter E. Fauntroy (subcommittee chair on MLK assassination)  
- G. Robert Blakey (chief counsel)  
- Russell B. Holmes (CIA official overseeing review process)  

Key Locations:  
- Washington, D.C. (Congressional and CIA headquarters)  
- Agency archives (storage for sequestered materials)  

Key Events:  
- Establishment of HSCA via House Resolution 1540 (September 1976)  
- Extension of HSCA’s mandate to the 95th Congress (March 1979)  
- Review and classification of CIA documents related to MLK assassination investigation  
- Development of sequestered material storage and access protocols  

Key Organizations:  
- House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA)  
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)  
- Office of Legislative Liaison (OLC, predecessor to OLL)  
- Directorate of Operations (DO)  
- Inspector General, Office of the General Counsel, and other CIA components

MLK Declassified Files

00360967_mark_allen_case_f81-0351_104-10428-10081.pdf

Document Summary

Try AI Search