Category: Declassification

On August 21, 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) posted to its OpenNet system the multi-volume history of the Manhattan Project, titled The Manhattan District History.  Commissioned in 1944 by General Leslie Groves, head of the Manhattan Engineer District, the thirty-six volume history was "intended to describe, in simple terms, easily understood by the average … Continue reading Declassification of the Manhattan District History at the Department of Energy

The Boston Globe published an article yesterday titled, “U.S. lags in airing its old secrets.” It discusses the challenges facing the National Declassification Center (NDC) and the effect current declassification policies and practices have on providing timely access to historical records at the National Archives and Records Administration.  In the article, journalist Bryan Bender quotes … Continue reading “More Declassification Reform Needed,” says Boston Globe

At the recent conference on the Berlin Wall, the Director of the National Declassification Center (NDC) announced that the NDC completed the quality assurance review of the nearly 352 million pages that constitute the backlog of classified Federal records in the custody of the National Archives.  The backlog was a result of previous reviews of … Continue reading National Declassification Center Completes Quality Assurance of Backlog Final

On Friday, the President issued the Second Open Government National Action Plan (NAP) as part of the Open Government Partnership, a cornerstone of his administration.  I am very happy to report that the NAP contains the specific initiative, “Transform the Security Classification System.”  Under this initiative, the President pledges to implement reforms that will keep … Continue reading PIDB Initiatives Included in the President’s Second Open Government National Action Plan

The Director of National Intelligence (DNI) declassified and publicly released documents relating to intelligence collection under sections 501 and 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).  The DNI has now declassified nearly 2,000 pages of documents since June.  The declassified documents include Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court opinions and orders, reports to Congress on FISA … Continue reading DNI General Clapper Declassifies Additional IC Documents About Collection Under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act

The National Archives and Records Administration will host a “Grand Challenge to Industry” in an effort to support all Government agencies as they meet the requirements of the Managing Government Records Directive, particularly directive Goal A3.1.  The goal of the industry day is for agency officials and industry leaders to collaborate in laying the “groundwork … Continue reading Supporting Records and Information Management: Invitation to Industry at the National Archives

Today, Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Jim Risch (R-ID) introduced new legislation, the "Preserving American Access to Information Act," aimed at reforming the security classification system.  The bipartisan bill focuses on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the system while increasing transparency for users of the system and the public.  In introducing the bill, Senator … Continue reading PIDB Recommendations Included in Bi-Partisan Legislation Designed to Transform Classification

The Public Interest Declassification Board congratulates the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and its member nations for its work in declassifying the Cold War historical retrospectives of the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) and posting them on its website.  The histories detail the origins of SHAPE and document its activities and decisions as a … Continue reading PIDB Congratulates NATO for Declassifying Cold War historical retrospectives of the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE)

The Public Interest Declassification Board received recognition at a recent academic conference titled The Legal and Civil Policy Implications of “Leaks” at the American University Washington College of Law.  A panel focusing on the legislative response to “leaks” discussed what impact over-classification and the current state of the security classification system have on the prevalence … Continue reading Support for the PIDB’s Recommendations Continues to Grow

Sunshine Week is an annual initiative, which coincides with national Freedom of Information Day and James Madison’s birthday (March 16), designed to raise awareness of the importance of citizen access to Government records. As we commemorate Sunshine Week, we reaffirm the principle of an Open Government.  The Public Interest Declassification Board believes that our democratic … Continue reading Public Interest Declassification Board Commemorates James Madison’s Birthday and Sunshine Week