Final answer:
True, Special Access Programs establish a specific class of classified information with additional safeguarding and access requirements, enhancing security measures for particularly sensitive information beyond the standard classification levels.
Step-by-step explanation:
Special Access Programs (SAP) do indeed establish a specific class of classified information that imposes additional safeguarding and access requirements, making the statement true. These programs are designed to control access, distribution, and to provide protection for sensitive information that goes beyond normal security protocols. Typically related to national security or defense, SAPs are used to close the circle of individuals who have access to such information even tighter than that of standard classified information.
Under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), there are nine exemptions that allow the government to withhold information from the public, relating to areas such as national security, trade secrets, and personal privacy. Besides, the Sunshine Act also permits exceptions for matters such as meetings where classified information is discussed, aligning with the additional safeguards of SAPs. However, the FOIA does encourage transparency by compelling agencies to regularly post certain types of information, balancing the need for secrecy with the principle of open government.
The Supreme Court has also recognized that while there is a right for the press to print classified material, it is partial, meaning that the press should refrain from publishing information that could potentially compromise military operations or covert operatives, reflecting the seriousness with which classified information, including that within SAPs, is treated.