Press/Journalists

National Archives to Host Public Interest Declassification Board Meeting on March 17
Media Alert · Monday, March 3, 2008

Washington, DC

WHAT: The Public Interest Declassification Board (PIDB) will hold an open meeting
to solicit public reaction to its recent Report, “Improving Declassification.” The meeting will provide an opportunity for individual members of the public to express their views on the Report and will include formal presentations by representatives of selected public interest organizations.

WHEN: Monday, March 17, 2008, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

WHERE: National Archives and Records Administration
Jefferson Conference Room
700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20408

This meeting is open to the public. However, due to space limitations and access procedures, individual reservations are required. Persons interested in attending must register by Wednesday, March 12, 2008 by providing their name and telephone number by either sending an e-mail to pidb@nara.gov or by calling the PIDB staff at the Information Security Oversight Office at (202) 357-5039. The PIDB staff will respond and provide additional instructions for attendees.

Background

The PIDB is an advisory committee established in order to promote the fullest possible public access to a thorough, accurate, and reliable documentary record of significant U.S. national security decisions and activities. The Board is composed of nine individuals, five appointed by the President and four by the Congressional leadership. For more information, see the PIDB web page.

In January of this year, the Board issued its first special report, “Improving Declassification.” The Board examined 15 issues and made 49 separate recommendations to improve the current declassification system. Among other issues, the Board recommended a more comprehensive approach to declassification within the Federal government and called for prioritizing the government’s declassification efforts to ensure a greater focus on "historically significant" records, especially presidential records, with greater involvement of historians and historical advisory panels in setting these priorities.

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For further information contact Lee Johnson, PIDB staff, at (202) 357-5039. For Press information, contact the National Archives Public Affairs staff at (202) 357-5300.

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