REF ID:A40696 

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[PUBLrc-N o. 37-73D 0oNGRES8] 

[R.R. 4220] 

AN ACT 

For the protection of Government records. 

Be it enacted by tM Senate and HOWJe of Repre8entatiuel3 of the 

Uniied States of America in Crmgress wise-rnbled, That whoever, by 

virtue of his employment by the United States, shall obtain from 

another or shall have custody of or access to, or shall have had custody 

of or access to, any official diplomatic code or any matter prepared 

in any such code, or which purports to have been prepared in any 

such code, and shall willfully, without authorization or competent 

authority, publish or furnish to another any such code or mattk'r, or 

any matter which wa" obtained while in the process of transmission 

between any :foreign government and its diplomatic mission in the 

United States, shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned not 

more than ten years, or both. 

Approved, June 10, 1933. 
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73D CONGRESS 

l 15T SESSION H. R. 4220 

IN THE HOUSE OF HEPRESENTA 1'IV1~8 

MARCH 27, 1[)33 

Mr. SuM:'\EHS of Texa" introdnce(l the following hill: whi<·h was referred to th!i' 

Committee on the ,Jmliriary arnl ordered to be printed 

A BILL 

For the protecti011 of ( ;overnment records. 

Re it cnoe!ed hy the Srnote nnd Honsr of Rcpresen/11-

'> tires of the United Stutes of .America in ()ongrcss assembled, 

8 Tlint whoever, h.v virtue of his crnployuwnt hy the United 

4 ~tates, hnving c·nsto<ly of. or m·c·(•ss to, ~my record, pro5 ceeding, map, hook, do('\lment, paper, or other thing shall, 

6 for any purpose prejudicial to the safet~T or interest of the 

7 rnited Stntes "\vnlfnlly ~ml unlawfnll_\' conceal, remove, 

8 mutilate, ohliternk, fo1sif:·, destro:·, or sell, any such record, 

9 proceeding, map, hook, document, paper, or thing, or any 

1 O information contnined therein, or a copy or copies thereof, 

11 shall be fined not more than $2,( )()() or imprisoned not more 
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1 than three years, or both, and moreover shall forfeit his 

2 office and be forever afterwards disqualified from holding any 

3 office under the Government of the United States. 

4 SEC. 2. Whoever shall willfully, without authorization 

5 of competent authority, publish or furnish to another any 

6 matter prepared in any official code; or whoever shall, for 

7 any purpose prejudicial to the safety or interest of the 

8 United States, willfully publish or furnish to another any 

9 matter obtained without authorization of competent author10 ity, from the custody of any officer or employee of the United 

11 States or any matter which was obtained while in process 

12 of transmission from one public office, executive department, 

13 or independent establishment of the United States or branch 

14 thereof to any other such public office, executive depart15 ment, or independent establishment of the United States or 

16 branch thereof or any matter which was in process of trans17 mission between any foreign government and its diplomatic 

18 mission in the United States; or wbo1wer shall for any pur19 pose prejudicial to the safety or interest of the United States, 

. 20 willfully, without authorization of competent authority, pub-

. 21 lish or furnish to another, facts or information purporting 

22 to be contained in any such matter. shall be fined not more 

23 than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than ten vears, or 

24 both. 
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1 SEC. 3. In any prosecution hereunder, proof of the 

2 commission of any of the acts described herein shall be prima 

.3 facie evidence of a purpose rrejudicial to the safety or 

4 interest of the United States. 
....... 

73D CONGRESS} 

1BT8m88ION H. R. 4220 

ABILL 

For the protection of Government records. 

By Mr. SUMNERS of Texas 

MARCH 27, 1933 

Referred to the Committee on tbe Jutliciary and 

ordered to be printed