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CMLawLibraryBlog

The CM Law Library Blog seeks to inform the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law community about key legal education, research, practice, and law library news, with a particular focus on Cuyahoga County and Ohio as well as faculty research interests.

President declassifies part of the April National Intelligence Estimate

Schuyler M. Cook | September 27, 2006 - 12:33

Over the weekend, major news sources published articles quoting confidential sources describing portions of a National Intelligence Council's April classified report, known as a National Intelligence Estimate (NIE).

Yesterday, September 26, 2006, President Bush declassified 4 pages of the April 2006 National Intelligence Estimate (NIE). The NIE is alleged to total 511 pages.

The Bush Administration announced the declassification with a news release from the web site whitehouse.gov.


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How to find the info to which Westlaw's Graphical Statutes doesn't link?

Schuyler M. Cook | September 27, 2006 - 12:24

You just tried out Westlaw's new Graphical Statutes feature after reading a description in one of their flyers. Your topic was the much in the news original Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) of 1978; more specifically 50 USC 1802. After you check out all the bells and whistles, you quickly realize that most of the congressional reports related to the Public Law are not linked. You realize that your Law Librarian was right when s/he repeated those words to live by, "Everything is NOT on the internet!"

So, what to do? Where to go? Surely the Law Library can hook me up with these desperately desired reports. Yes, we can - and we really wish you wouldn't call us Shirley.

The reports are found on microfiche and the Congressional Information Source (CIS) Index is the first step on the treasure map (once you find the Index shelves on the Base Level of the Law Library just to the east of the microform drawers). Since we know the Act was passed in 1978, open the CIS Four Year Cumulative Index 1975-1978, Subject Index R-Z, Supplemental Indexes volume and look in the back for the heading Index of Report #'s. The first report listed from the page you printed reads, "SENATE REPORTS (JUDICIARY COMMITTEE) NO. 95-604 (I AND II) NOV. 15, 1977." That means you are searching for the 604th report of the 95th Congress. Find the listings for the Senate Reports from the 95th Congress and let your finger do the sliding. You find yourself stopping on page 3334 and the fiche number for Part I is 77 S523-44 and for Part II is 77 S523-45. Walking over to the microform drawers and look at the content postings. You find you'll want to open Drawer J2, locate S523 on the index card and pull the 1 fiche for -44, Part I and the 13 fiche for -45, Part II. Walk over to the reader printers with the warm and fuzzy feeling that the information in this format is projected to last at least 1000 years.

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