US. Department of Justice
Office of Legislative Affairs

 

 

Of?ce of the Assistant Attorney General Washington, D. C. 205 30

The Honorable Charles E. Grassley

Chairman

Committee on the Judiciary DEC 7 2017
United States Senate

Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Dianne Feinstein
Ranking Member

Committee on the Judiciary
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Mr. Chairman and Senator Feinstein:

In December 2016, majority staff of the Senate Judiciary Committee prepared a report for
the Committee entitled, ?Human Fetal Tissue Research: Context and Controversy? (report). The
Chairman provided a link to this report, which contained redactions of selected information, in a
letter to the Attorney General and then?Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
dated April 24, 2017. In this letter, the Chairman asked that we contact the Committee in writing
if we determine that we need to seek access to unredacted copies of any of these records in order
to further investigate these matters.

The Department of Justice (Department) appreciates the offer of assistance in obtaining
these materials, and would like to request that the Committee provide unredacted copies of
records contained in the report in order to further the Department?s ability to conduct a thorough
and comprehensive assessment of that report based on the full range of information available. At
this point, the records are intended for investigative use only?we understand that a resolution
from the Senate may be required if the Department were to use any of the unredacted materials
in a formal legal proceeding, such as a grand jury.

Thank you for your time and assistance in this matter. The Department looks forward to
coordinating with the Committee to obtain the requested unredacted records. Please do not
hesitate to contact this of?ce if we may provide any additional information in furtherance of this
request.

  

. . . 
- Sistant Attorney General

U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Legislative Affairs

 

 

Office of the Assistant Attorney General Washington, D. C. 205 30

The Honorable Charles E. Grassley

Chairman

Committee on the Judiciary 7 ?17
United States Senate DEC 0 2
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Dianne Feinstein
Ranking Member

Committee on the Judiciary
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Mr. Chairman and Senator Feinstein:

In December 2016, majority staff of the Senate Judiciary Committee prepared a report for
the Committee entitled, ?Human Fetal Tissue Research: Context and Controversy? (report). The
Chairman provided a link to this report, which contained redactions of selected information, in a
letter to the Attorney General and then?Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
dated April 24, 2017. In this letter, the Chairman asked that we contact the Committee in writing
if we determine that we need to seek access to unredacted copies of any of these records in order
to further investigate these matters.

The Department of Justice (Department) appreciates the offer of assistance in obtaining
these materials, and would like to request that the Committee provide unredacted copies of
records contained in the report in order to further the Department?s ability to conduct a thorough
and comprehensive assessment of that report based on the full range of information available. At
this point, the records are intended for investigative use only?~we understand that a resolution
from the Senate may be required if the Department were to use any of the unredacted materials
in a formal legal proceeding, such as a grand jury.

Thank you for your time and assistance in this matter. The Department looks forward to
coordinating with the Committee to obtain the requested unredacted records. Please do not
hesitate to contact this of?ce if we may provide any additional information in furtherance of this
request.

  

Assistant Attorney General