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
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The President Signs Legislation to Extend the PIDB to December 31, 2018
On July 7, 2014, the President signed into law S. 1681, “Fiscal 2014 Intelligence Authorization.” The Senate passed the bill on June 11, 2014 and the House of Representatives passed it by voice vote on June 24, 2014. The legislation included a section that amended Section 710(b) of the Public Interest Declassification Act of 2000 … Continue reading The President Signs Legislation to Extend the PIDB to December 31, 2018
PIDB Holds Congressional Briefing on Transforming the Security Classification System
On Friday, June 20, the Public Interest Declassification Board (PIDB) held a congressional briefing on the Report to the President on Transforming the Security Classification System, which offered fourteen key recommendations on how to reform the security classification system to better reflect the digital age. The need for increased transparency and improved public access to … Continue reading PIDB Holds Congressional Briefing on Transforming the Security Classification System
What We Heard and Learned at our June 19th Public Meeting
On behalf of the members of the Public Interest Declassification Board (PIDB), I want to thank all those who attended and participated in our public meeting on June 19, 2014. We wish to thank the Archivist of the United States, David S. Ferriero, and his staff for hosting the meeting at the National Archives and … Continue reading What We Heard and Learned at our June 19th Public Meeting
Registration Now Open for the PIDB Public Meeting on June 19, 2014
The Public Interest Declassification Board (PIDB) will host a public meeting to discuss the recommendations included in its Report to the President on Transforming the Security Classification System, and its recommendation to re-examine the classification status of obsolete and historical Formerly Restricted Data (FRD) information. The meeting will focus on new processes to support the … Continue reading Registration Now Open for the PIDB Public Meeting on June 19, 2014
Save-the-Date: Public Meeting of the Public Interest Declassification Board
The Public Interest Declassification Board will hold a public meeting the morning of Thursday, June 19, 2014. We will include more details about the agenda, location and time of the meeting, as well as information about how to register to attend in a future blog post. Please visit the PIDB’s website, http://www.archives.gov/declassification/pidb/, and continue to follow … Continue reading Save-the-Date: Public Meeting of the Public Interest Declassification Board
“More Declassification Reform Needed,” says Boston Globe
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
New Legislation Introduced to Extend the PIDB
We are pleased to announce that two bills were introduced this week that, if enacted, will extend the term of the PIDB. On May 19, 2014, Representative Darrell Issa (R-CA) introduced H.R. 4671, “To extend the Public Interest Declassification Act of 2000,” and on May 21, 2014, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform … Continue reading New Legislation Introduced to Extend the PIDB
Farewell to PIDB Member Elizabeth Rindskopf Parker
On behalf of the members of the Public Interest Declassification Board, I would like to thank Elizabeth Rindskopf Parker for her dedicated service to the PIDB and acknowledge her extensive contributions. Elizabeth concluded her third term as a member of the PIDB and we are lucky to have had her knowledge and expertise during her … Continue reading Farewell to PIDB Member Elizabeth Rindskopf Parker
What We Heard and Learned during Sunshine Week
The members and staff of the Public Interest Declassification Board attended and participated in many events last week to commemorate Sunshine Week. We thank the public and representatives from civil society and open government advocacy groups, Government agencies, the Congress and all attendees who participated in Sunshine Week activities. The Board wishes to thank the … Continue reading What We Heard and Learned during Sunshine Week