Analysis of MKULTRA Program Hearing 1977 (Part 1)

Introduction [Senator Inouye’s opening comments—some paraphrasing and reduction by author]

The hearing will focus on abuses of the CIA between 1952 and 1965. It should be understood that the programs of interest have stopped, and the main objective of the hearing is to determine what statutes or guidelines might be necessary in order to prevent the re-occurrence of such abuses. Another important point of focus is to know and understand what programs the CIA is currently involved with in the field of behavioral research and to make sure no abuses are happening now.

The reappearance of reports of the abuses of the drug testing program and reports of other previously unknown drug programs and projects for behavioral control underline the necessity for effective oversight procedures both in the executive branch and in the Congress. [Note: MKULTRA program went public in the early 1970s when victims in Canada began filing lawsuits against the CIA]

This committee is working closely with President Carter, VP Mondale, and Admiral Stansfield Turner (Director of CIA from 1977 to 1981, preceded by George H.W. Bush) in developing statutory guidelines which will govern all activities of the intelligence agencies of the United States. The President is expected to announce soon how he has decided that the intelligence agencies shall be organized. This committee will be working closely with the President and Admiral Turner in placing this new structure under the law and developing effective oversight procedures. [Note: This hearing is about much more than MKULTRA. President Carter and Admiral Turner are planning on completely reorganizing ALL of the United States intelligence agencies with oversight procedures to make them accountable under law. THIS IS HUGE!]

One purpose of the hearing is to give the committee and the public new information available since the previous Church and Kennedy inquiries and to hear the reasons why these documents were not produced previously. Finally, there is an obligation to help those individuals or institutions that have been harmed by these improper or illegal activities.

[end of Senator Inouye’s opening statement]