Loose Lips Sink Ships is a phrase that my father, a WWII air force pilot, heard many times. It was a common and well-accepted attitude during a dangerous and chaotic time. And though our nation has come a long way since the horrors of a world at war, I find this phrase very relevant today.
Over the past several years, I have seen an alarming increase in not only the threats our country faces, but also with the number of leaks of classified information. My concerns have been exacerbated over the past year when seemingly every day there is another media article stating that “current and former Administration officials” have reportedly offered classified information to the press in order to score cheap political points at the expense of American security.
Leaks of highly classified information are not new. There were nine leaks of highly classified information over the course of President Obama’s administration. President Bush experienced eight. However, At this point in his administration, President Trump has had to deal with more than 60 episodes of the leaked classified information. These numbers are shocking, prompting even democratic leaders such as David Axelrod to describe certain leaks as a “terrible precedent.”
How could anyone justify or defend this type of behavior by those who have been entrusted with our national security?
I had the great privilege of serving in the United States Air Force, and now serve as a member of the House Intelligence Committee. I know firsthand the damage that the leaking of classified information can do to intelligence sources and methods. I also know that leaking classified information puts our brave men and women in uniform in danger. This is why I recently introduced H.R. 3448, the Classified Information Protection Act, which will close several critical gaps in the criminal code and add greater clarity – and clear penalties – for the deliberate leaking of classified information.
Contrary to a view recently put forward by this newspaper’s editorial board, some of the recent leaks have revealed highly classified information that does make protecting our own security more difficult. The most obvious example is the ability to intercept certain foreign communications, a critical tool in understanding our adversary’s intentions. One could imagine that, having read press reports that some of their communications are likely being monitored, our adversaries would then modify their behavior, make this type of intelligence collection much more difficult, and in some cases, impossible. Another example is the fact that details regarding our partnerships with other nations have been leaked, making them less likely to work with us or to share sensitive information in the future. There are other examples I could mention, but the simple fact is, many of these leaks do endanger our national security.
Some may argue that leaking classified information is necessary when an individual wants to highlight government misbehavior. I agree, which is why I have included whistleblower provisions in my bill. It’s also why I’ve always supported whistleblower protection provisions in previous Intelligence Authorization Acts. But in none of these recent cases did the leakers make any attempt to work within the framework of current whistleblower laws, neither did they attempt to highlight any misdeeds through their regular chain of command. No, most of these leaks appear to be purely politically motived, with the sole intent of harming the current administration.
Anonymous, illegal, and politically motivated leaking of classified information that harms U.S. national security is not an act of honor. It should not be rewarded, glorified, or admired. It is cowardly and illegal and can put American lives at risk. Such persons should be held to account.
My proposed legislation is a critical step in assuring the courageous men and women in our armed forces and Intelligence Community that the American people will no longer stand for such brazen disregard of their hard work and sacrifices.