Public Interest Declassification Board (PIDB)

“Please visit the PIDB’s blog: Transforming Classification, for more information about the PIDB’s activities.”

History:

The Public Interest Declassification Board (PIDB) is an advisory committee established by Congress in 2000, 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 Trevor W. Morrison as Chair, and James E. Baker , Laura A. DeBonis, William H. Leary, and Solomon B. Watson IV as members of the Board. The Majority Leader of the Senate appointed Sanford J. Ungar and the Minority Leader of the Senate appointed Kenneth L. Wainstein.

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 311 of the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014, Section 365 of the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010, Section 2 of the Public Interest Declassification Board Reauthorization Act of 2012, Section 602 of the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007, and 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 (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.