
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 50USC422]

 
                   TITLE 50--WAR AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
 
                      CHAPTER 15--NATIONAL SECURITY
 
   SUBCHAPTER IV--PROTECTION OF CERTAIN NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION
 
Sec. 422. Defenses and exceptions


(a) Disclosure by United States of identity of covert agent

    It is a defense to a prosecution under section 421 of this title 
that before the commission of the offense with which the defendant is 
charged, the United States had publicly acknowledged or revealed the 
intelligence relationship to the United States of the individual the 
disclosure of whose intelligence relationship to the United States is 
the basis for the prosecution.

(b) Conspiracy, misprision of felony, aiding and abetting, etc.

    (1) Subject to paragraph (2), no person other than a person 
committing an offense under section 421 of this title shall be subject 
to prosecution under such section by virtue of section 2 or 4 of title 
18 or shall be subject to prosecution for conspiracy to commit an 
offense under such section.
    (2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply (A) in the case of a person who 
acted in the course of a pattern of activities intended to identify and 
expose covert agents and with reason to believe that such activities 
would impair or impede the foreign intelligence activities of the United 
States, or (B) in the case of a person who has authorized access to 
classified information.

(c) Disclosure to select Congressional committees on intelligence

    It shall not be an offense under section 421 of this title to 
transmit information described in such section directly to the Select 
Committee on Intelligence of the Senate or to the Permanent Select 
Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives.

(d) Disclosure by agent of own identity

    It shall not be an offense under section 421 of this title for an 
individual to disclose information that solely identifies himself as a 
covert agent.

(July 26, 1947, ch. 343, title VI, Sec. 602, as added Pub. L. 97-200, 
Sec. 2(a), June 23, 1982, 96 Stat. 122.)
