</s>104-1047-10003 A HISTORICAL REVIEW PROGRAMS RELEASE IN FULL 1998 Mark ALLEN CASE, F81-0351: Status of CIA's Review of Sequestered Material. JFK ACT HISTORIC SUMMARY - HSCA Committee 04-18-99 HISTorical SUMMAY - HCSA Committee 1. The House Select Committee on Assassinations was established in RELEASE September 1976 by House Resolution 1540, 94th Congress, 2d Session. The Select Committee on Assassinations created by House Resolution 1540 offi- cially expired as the 94th Congressional ended its term on 3 January 1977. 2. On 4 January 1977, a unanimous consent request was introduced to considered House Resolution 9, a resolution to recognise the committee. An objection was heard, however, and House Resolution 91 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 as issues concerning the nature and cost of the proposed investigations, created considerable controversy. House Resolution 222 proposed 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 or Members given an opportunity to express objections. House Resolation 222 authorized and directed the committee to: ... conduct a full and complete investigation and study of the cir- custances 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 in the select committee shall deter- 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 -1-

Summary:  
The House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) was established in 1976 via House Resolution 1540 to investigate the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as well as other related deaths. The committee operated until 1979, with subcommittees focusing on each case. Key tasks included assessing U.S. laws for presidential protection, evaluating agency coordination during prior investigations, and determining legislative reforms. The HSCA requested extensive documentation from federal agencies, including the CIA, FBI, and others, leading to a review of classified materials. The CIA processed over 1058 individual requests, resulting in the sequestration of approximately 324,000 pages of documents across 64 records boxes and 72 reels of microfilm. Review delays occurred due to operational sensitivities, with some files exempt from public release. The HSCA’s final report was submitted for agency review, balancing transparency and national security concerns.  

Key People:  
- **Walter E. Fountry**: Chairman of the subcommittee on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination.  
- **G. Robert Blakey**: Appointed chief counsel of the HSCA in 1977.  
- **Representative Louis Stokes**: Named chairman of the full committee in 1977.  
- **Russell B. Holmes**: Author of the document discussing the CIA’s review process and access restrictions.  

Key Locations:  
- Washington, D.C. (headquarters for HSCA and related agencies).  
- Agency archives (location unspecified but implied to be central to document storage).  

Key Events:  
- **1976**: Establishment of the HSCA via House Resolution 1540.  
- **1977**: Creation of subcommittees for JFK and MLK investigations; appointment of G. Robert Blakey as chief counsel.  
- **1978–1979**: Concentrated investigation phase, including review of classified materials and coordination with federal agencies.  
- **1983–1984**: Ongoing CIA review of HSCA-related documents, highlighting delays in processing due to operational sensitivities.  

Key Organizations:  
- **House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA)**: Led the investigation into JFK and MLK assassinations.  
- **Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)**: Managed classified materials requested by the HSCA, including 64 records boxes and 72 reels of microfilm.  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Referral of documents to the CIA for review under FOIA requests.  
- **Office of Legislative Liaison (OLC)**: Served as a central point for communication between agencies and the HSCA.

MLK Declassified Files

00378735_mark_allen_case_f81-0351_104-10427-10003.pdf

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