PIDB member John Tierney will testify at an open hearing on declassification policy and the prospects for reform, to be held by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) tomorrow, Wednesday, September 9, 2020, from 3:00-4:30 p.m. EST. The hearing will be shown on the SSCI’s website, and televised live on C-SPAN.
Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), a member of the SSCI, and Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS) have cosponsored the proposed “Declassification Reform Act of 2020,” which aligns with recommendations of the PIDB’s latest report to the President, A Vision for the Digital Age: Modernization of the U.S, National Security Classification and Declassification System (May 2020). In an Opinion-Editorial appearing today on the website Just Security, Senators Wyden and Moran present their case for legislative reform to address the challenges of outmoded systems for classification and declassification.
At the hearing tomorrow, Mr. Tierney will discuss how the PIDB recommendations present a vision for a uniform, integrated, and modernized security classification system that appropriately defends national security interests, instills confidence in the American people, and maintains sustainability in the digital environment. Greg Koch, Acting Director of the Information Management Office for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, will also testify at the hearing.
The PIDB welcomes the opportunity to speak before the SSCI and looks forward to discussing the need for reform with the Senators.
After the hearing, the PIDB will post a copy of Mr. Tierney’s prepared testimony on its website and on this blog.