US Department of State Case No Doc No a s'sooss' Date 09 12 2017 - 1 Ll5sl'u r - 'fwII - J '33 Fri-February 5 - -- - I twig0-- one-- II a I 2 34' dl - - 010 IICM'k-d'va-szgv '3 r n' - u' nrh' '5 31 35 173 uatit i'gg nthDirector of Planning and Coordination - n's - - Rom 72a6 - - - - - rDepartnent ofsStata - Washingto'n D s 20520 - g H a of as Dear Sirwould like to request official guidance through Department of State regulations in regards to overseas visits or correspondence by Congress- men or Congresegonal Committees Hy personal experience is limited but I have consulted with others in positions similar to mine and find that Congressional requests can on the of 5atg _ Requests can be unathical Pbrsonally distasteful or evenmiflegal The present situation is confusing as there are_no official instructions and posts seen to operate so as to avoid any possible repercussions or inquiries by either the Department of State or the United States Congress As an example of problems involving personal integrity or job integrity 1 offer the case of a v 5 Congressman using a U S Government leased airplane to visit a resort island off the coast of Honduras without proper travel orders Use of the leased airplane was authorized at post only because there did not seen to be other alternatives Problens that developed later when the bill for the use of the airplane was analyzed were also resolved at post with the attitude that it had happened and the post must accept its responsibilities Another example indicates that posts seem to be intimidated even by the correspondence from 0 5 Congressmen As an example a U S Senator nailed united States currency through the diplozatic pouch for the purchase of contraband gemstones The gemstones were purchased by a 0 8 Government ezployce and returned to the Senator through the diplomatic pouch This exauple is blatantly illegal with currency carried by the diplomatic pouch and gemstones being illegally imported into the United States by-passing customs I would not think such misuse of the pouch is cannon but nothing has changed from the view- point of the post to prevent another Congressman from using the pouch for similar personal profit I UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2016-07743 Doc No 017980099 Date 09121201 UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F- 2016- 07743 Doc No 017980099 Date 0911212017 an 3 11din-err- 1 aura mrth we Tpp v 3' in 238' 72 If 51 13 53 513333 ark 5 -- The more cannon problem cache-sting employees at post 'irill not involve - legal questions but rather questions of ethics or taste _ I refer-'3' 9 nun H primarily to the colic iting of female companionship for the visitingj -- Congressmen or Stafle71 5' - n mEE nah hat I have described are instance which I would find unethical Sr f illegel All are requests which I _uould consider an improper conduct-r hy an elected member of Congress or for that matter anyone I see- n- the problem as challenging the integrity of an escort officer or 'certifz ing officer who finds himself in an undesirable position of acceptance of status guo nnd blind compliance uith requests Even the meaning of political service or tribute changes here so that it does not apply 'to- the situation Hy examples are given Only to provide background on chug type of problems could be directed at Foreign Service employees The impetus for my request is that such things can happen and from vation are sometimes actually anticipated and accepted hat I seek _is a reporting mechanism established within the Department Of Stat_el which would _allou_ decisions relevant to congressiOnal requests to be node by the Department of State and 'not by 'the individual Precept -- for use of such a reporting system should be minimal 'The objective is to let the Department of State assume the responsibility for those decisions which have been determined by someone close to the situation as having legal or ethical complications The post at present- -doex not have a uorking capability to question let alone refuse a Congressman' a request It is not adequate to permit one' supervisor or other person to handle the problem unless the initial protest or query is properly answered by the Department of State I therefore request the Director of Planning and Coordination to propose official policy to give the responsibility for decisions related to the propriety of a Congres- sional request to the Department of State rather than the overseas post Yours trulv American Embassy Tegucigalpa UNCLASSIFIED US Department of State Case No F-2016-07743 Doc No 017980099 Date 09l12 2017 UNCLASSIFIED US Department of State Case No F-2016-07743 Doc No C17980101 Date 09 12 2017 5030 DEPUTY UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR MANAGEMENT WASHINGTON IN PART September 26 1974 MEMORANDUM T0 Mr DePree FROM - Donal Bouchard SUBJECT Dissent Channel Letter from BB After carefully reviewing letter BS this office believes that the current guidance to the field attached regarding Congressional travel is adequate In our uations such as those - described in letter can best be dealt BB with at post occaSional unethical request from an unscrupulous traveler can usually be handled in good amumnaum by a resourceful and moral Foreign Service employee To raise the question of unethical behavior on the part of CODELS in general guidelines to posts abroad would imply that such requests are common and could be a source of embarrasment to the Department Seeking Department guidance on a blow - basis as suggested in the last paragraph of 35 letter would only lead to confusion and misunderstanding It also suggests that the Department can approve illegal dealings which is of course untrue Prin- cipal Officers abroad should have the ability and inte rit to deal With issues such as those raised in Z ft fi 1etter without step-by step direction BS from Washington Incidentally I understand is working on an update of A-10315 Attachment Airgram No 10315 UNCLASSIFIED US Department of State Case No F-2016-07743 Doc No C17980101 Date 09 12 2017 UNCLASSIFIED US Department of State Case No F-2016-07743 Doc No 017980105 Date 09 12 2017 IN PART 36 LIMITED OFFICIAL use neatos STATE 23714 as De Dc nD aa-DL 684 a DHAFTED av APPROVED BY MIDBQUCHARD SIPIRBMITH DRAFT EIH555E 2935531 OCT 74 9 v gszzaswea r 9 I 3 Da LIMITED OFFICIAL U53 STATE 237143 DISSENT CHANNEL E o IIGEEINIA TAGDIDDEN or DEPARTMENT OF 1 THE DEPARTMENT 1TB navzew or YOUR DIBBENT CHANNEL MEDDADE TO THE or air CONCERNING coaanas- SIGNAL VISITS as THE ISSUEB you RAISED YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS wan aavzewao PERSONALLY av THE DEPUTY UNDER run MANADBMIMT AND KEY OFFICERS BUREAU OF 1 DFEIGE OF THE LEDAD AND THE PDLIDY PLANNING STAFF 2 CURRENT INGTRUCTIDNB FDR HANDLING EDNGRESBIDNAL ARE DDT FORTH IN DEPARTMENT CIRCULAR AIIDBIE or OCTOBER 15 1972 THE coursura AIRDRAM HAVE RECENTLY BEEN REVIEHED AND UPDATED AND ARE TD 35 PUBLISHED SHORTLY AD DEFIGIAE us I UNCLASSIFIED US Department of State Case NO F-2016-07743 Doc No 017980105 Date 09I12I2017 BS SSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2016- 07743 Doc No 017980105 Date LINITEO DFEICIAL UOE PAOE 52 STATE 33315 A NEN OEOTION Or THE AFFAIRO O OOEOTIONO TRAT ARIOE AT ROOT OVER THE LEOALITY OR ILLEOALITY 0F OUT A ARE 0F TO THE DEPARTMENT EVEN THOUGH THE OERARTRENT IO EAOER TO FACILITATE VIOITO ORDER NO OIROUNOTANOEO ONOULO TOREIOR IERVIOI QFEIDERB OR ANY REGUEBT THEY KNQN VIDLATEB DR LDCAL LAHB IF POETS ARE IN 00 A3 T0 THE LED DFA AREBUESTED THEY BHDULD FER THE MATTER DEPARTMENT FDR ADVICE THE DEFART HILL RESPOND AB POSSIBL LE THESE GUER 5% SEEN MADE BY OONOREOOMEN OR NENO OELEOA 1'10 g3 THAT ENOAOOY PERSONNEL OONOIOER UNETNIOAL BUR NINRROPER THEY NEEO NOT FEEL OONPELLEO TO HONOR THERE Ea OFFICERS RAVE OAIO NO IN THE RAOTT NO DOUBT NAT 4 NO IA TNE FLTURE SOME OF THERE ILL NOT OE EAOT 5 HDT EVER TO REFER THESE OEOIRION TO NAOHINOTON Is NOT ONLY 1 3 E-A '31 of RE OUT OININIENEO THE REORONEIOILITY NRIOH THE OEPARTNENT ERREO OFFIOERE TO EAEROIOE IN THE EVENT OFFICERS HAVE OO ETO NRETNER OR NOT TO COMPLY NITR THERE THEY OROOLO OONROLT NITN THEIR OORERVIOOR OR THE RRINEIPAL OFFICER AT 5 NE VERY NOON APRREOIATE YOUR TNE FDR NANOLINO V13 ORANNEL NAs OREATEO FOR THE PURPOSE NE ARE THAT TOO FOREIGN SERVICE REROONNEL ARE INOREAEINOLT us a ONANNEL TO ORINO YOUR OONOERNO TO THE OERARTN ATTENTION INOEROOLL LIMITED OTRIOIAL UBE ulI ARENA UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2016-07743 Doc No C17980105 Date 09 12 2017