The Public Interest Declassification Board (PIDB) is pleased to announce its Fall Public Meeting, which will take place on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The PIDB Public Meeting will be held in the Senate Visitor Center, located within the Capitol Visitor Center in Washington, DC.
The Fall Public Meeting will focus on the substantial body of records concerning the September 11 terrorist attacks approaching their 25-year mandatory declassification deadline and the continuing need for greater transparency across the Intelligence Community. PIDB Chair, Mark Angelson emphasized, “The historical issue of over-classification persists to this day, across the eighteen separate components of the Intelligence Community. The public deserves a more centralized and modern approach.”
For nearly two decades, the PIDB has advocated for the prioritization and release of 9/11 records, formally recommending declassification of the 9/11 Commission records in 2021. The PIDB’s advocacy contributed to the release of significant 9/11 documents, such as the declassification of interview summaries with former President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.
Underscoring the importance of further declassification of 9/11-related records, PIDB Vice-Chair Ezra Cohen stated, “The 9/11 records are not just about the past—they are about accountability and lessons learned. The American people deserve the fullest possible understanding of those events, and our system should deliver it without unnecessary delay.”
PIDB Vice-Chair Carter Burwell added, “The problems we have with the current classification system – both on the front-end of over-classification and the back-end of delayed declassification – are harmful to U.S. national security and the faith and trust of the American people in our government. Based on sheer numbers, a smaller and smaller percentage of classified records being created are going to find their way to public release. The trend is going in absolutely the wrong direction.”
PIDB member Alissa Starzak noted, “We need to modernize our systems for both classification and declassification so that the government can identify relevant records and ensure that they are released to the public.”
The PIDB is committed to drawing attention to these systemic deficiencies, with particular emphasis on the challenges surrounding the timely release of 9/11 records. The PIDB seeks to use its Fall Public Meeting on Capitol Hill to foster conversations and promote collaboration in its pursuit of greater access for the American people.
Additional details about in-person and virtual attendance at the PIDB Public Meeting are forthcoming. Keep track of updates via the PIDB’s Transforming Classification blog and by following the PIDB on X.
About the PIDB: Established by Congress, the PIDB is an independent advisory board that advises the President and executive branch on the identification, review, and release of historically significant records, with a mission to advance transparency while safeguarding national security. The PIDB’s work also directly informs executive and legislative branch efforts to modernize the national security classification system—a goal that strengthens public access, democratic accountability, and national security.