Public Interest Declassification Board (PIDB)

News and Notices

  • new The PIDB re-opened its blog, Transforming Classification, on Monday, November 21, 2012 to post summaries of some of the key recommendations in its upcoming Report to the President.
  • The PIDB currently focuses on responding to the President's request for assistance in identifying potential solutions for classification and declassification challenges in the digital age and producing a vision for a new system.
  • The PIDB continues its research into using technology to improve classification and declassification, and in 2011, began drafting a report to the President.
  • Press Release 05/09/11 - Public Interest Declassification Board Blog Challenges the Public on Secrecy Suggestions

Public Interest Declassification Board (PIDB)

New ANNOUNCEMENT: The Public Interest Declassification Board Announces its December 6, 2012 Meeting

The Public Interest Declassification Board will host an open meeting on Thursday, December 6, 2012 to discuss its recommendations to the President on Transforming the Security Classification System. The full Report to the President will be published online on December 6th at http://www.archives.gov/declassification/pidb/. The meeting will focus on the Board’s fourteen recommendations. The recommendations center on the need for new policies for classifying information, new processes for declassifying information, and the imperative for using and integrating technology into these processes.  Press and media are welcome to attend.

When: December 6, 2012 from 9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Doors Open: 8:45 a.m.
Where: The Archivist’s Reception Room, Room 105 in the National Archives Building
Address: 700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC
            (Note:  Attendees must enter through the Pennsylvania Avenue entrance.)

RSVP: pidb@nara.gov

Space is limited and attendees must register via pidb@nara.gov; provide your name and professional affiliation (if applicable). You will receive a confirmation e-mail from the Public Interest Declassification Board staff confirming your reservation. Please note that a Government-issued photo identification (e.g. driver’s license) is required to gain admittance.

In anticipation of the report’s release, today the Board will re-engage its followers by re-opening its blog, Transforming Classification, where it will post summaries of some of the key recommendations in the report. Be sure to stay connected to the Board’s activities and look for more information about the Board on its website: http://www.archives.gov/declassification/pidb/.

The Public Interest Declassification Board (PIDB) is an advisory committee established by Congress 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 President appointed Nancy Soderberg as chair of the Board and Martin C. Faga, William H. Leary, and Elizabeth Rindskopf Parker as members. The Minority Leader of the House appointed David Skaggs. The Speaker of the House appointed William O. Studeman and the Majority Leader of the Senate appointed Sanford Ungar.

The Director of the Information Security Oversight Office (ISOO), serves as the PIDB Executive Secretary, and the ISOO staff provides staff support on a reimbursable basis.

Background:

Section 1102 of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 extended and modified the PIDB as established by the Public Interest Declassification Act of 2000 [PDF document] (P.L. 106-567, title VII, Dec. 27, 2000, 114 Stat. 2856).

Functions:

  • Advises and provides recommendations to the President and other executive branch officials on the systematic, thorough, coordinated, and comprehensive identification, collection, review for declassification, and release of declassified records and materials of archival value, including records and materials of extraordinary public interest.
  • Promotes the fullest possible public access to a thorough, accurate, and reliable documentary record of significant U.S. national security decisions and activities in order to: support the oversight and legislative functions of Congress; support the policymaking role of the executive branch; respond to the public interest on national security matters; and promote reliable historical analysis and new avenues of historical study in national security matters.
  • Advises the President and other executive branch officials on policies deriving from Executive Orders regarding the classification and declassification of national security information.
  • Reviews and makes recommendations to the President with respect to any Congressional request, made by the committee of jurisdiction, to declassify certain records or to reconsider a rejection to declassify specific records.

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