[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 281 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 281

Urging the President of the United States to allow for the full public 
  release of all remaining records pertaining to the assassination of 
 President John F. Kennedy that are held by the National Archives and 
   Records Administration and to reject any claims for the continued 
       postponement of the full public release of those records.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 4, 2017

   Mr. Grassley (for himself and Mr. Leahy) submitted the following 
 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security 
                        and Governmental Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Urging the President of the United States to allow for the full public 
  release of all remaining records pertaining to the assassination of 
 President John F. Kennedy that are held by the National Archives and 
   Records Administration and to reject any claims for the continued 
       postponement of the full public release of those records.

Whereas May 29, 2017, marked the 100th anniversary of the birth of President 
        John F. Kennedy;
Whereas nearly 54 years have passed since the tragic assassination of President 
        Kennedy on November 22, 1963;
Whereas the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 
        1992 (44 U.S.C. 2107 note; Public Law 102-526) (referred to in this 
        preamble as the ``Records Collection Act''), directed all Federal 
        agencies to transmit to the National Archives and Records Administration 
        all records in their custody related to the assassination of President 
        Kennedy;
Whereas former President and ninth Director of Central Intelligence George H.W. 
        Bush declared in his signing statement for the Records Collection Act 
        that ``[b]ecause of legitimate historical interest in this tragic event, 
        all documents about the assassination should now be disclosed'';
Whereas the Records Collection Act established the Assassination Records Review 
        Board to ensure that Federal agencies complied with the law;
Whereas the Records Collection Act established a deadline 25 years after 
        enactment for the full public disclosure of all assassination records 
        whose disclosure was postponed or that were subject to redaction;
Whereas the 25-year deadline for the full public disclosure of all remaining 
        assassination records is October 26, 2017;
Whereas the Assassination Records Review Board uncovered records that were 
        withheld from the staff of the President's Commission on the 
        Assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the House Select Committee 
        on Assassinations, and other Government entities;
Whereas the former Chairman of the Assassination Records Review Board has 
        publicly commented that records held by the National Archives and 
        Records Administration should be made public;
Whereas the National Archives and Records Administration holds approximately 
        3,100 fully redacted records and approximately 31,000 partially redacted 
        records concerning the assassination of President Kennedy;
Whereas Congress declared in the Records Collection Act that all Government 
        records related to the assassination should be preserved for historical 
        and governmental purposes and eventually disclosed to enable the public 
        to become fully informed about the history surrounding the 
        assassination;
Whereas Congress declared in the Records Collection Act that legislation was 
        necessary because the implementation of the Freedom of Information Act 
        (section 552 of title 5, United States Code) by the executive branch 
        prevented the timely public disclosure of records relating to the 
        assassination of President Kennedy;
Whereas public opinion surveys suggest that a large majority of the American 
        public supports the full release of all remaining assassination records;
Whereas Congress recently reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, 
        accountability, and the public disclosure of Government records by 
        enacting the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016 (Public Law 114-185; 130 Stat. 
        538), which codifies a presumption of openness;
Whereas there is legitimate interest from the academic community, historical 
        researchers, and the general public in having access to withheld records 
        for research purposes and general knowledge; and
Whereas the National Archives and Records Administration was formed to preserve 
        and document Government and historical records and to increase public 
        access to those documents: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate urges the President of the United States 
to--
            (1) allow for the full public release of all remaining 
        records pertaining to the assassination of President John F. 
        Kennedy that are held by the National Archives and Records 
        Administration; and
            (2) reject any claims for the continued postponement of the 
        full public release of those records.
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