[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 89 (Tuesday, July 12, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: July 12, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
 PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS COLLECTION EXTENSION 
                              ACT OF 1994

  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 4569) to extend and make amendments to the President John F. 
Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 4569

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``President John F. Kennedy 
     Assassination Records Collection Extension Act of 1994''.

     SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF ACT.

       Section 7(o)(1) of the President John F. Kennedy 
     Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (44 U.S.C. 2107 
     note) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``2 years'' and inserting ``3 years''; and
       (2) by striking ``2-year'' and inserting ``3-year''.

     SEC. 3. AMENDMENTS RELATING TO REVIEW BOARD POWERS.

       Section 8(j)(1) of the President John F. Kennedy 
     Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (44 U.S.C. 2107 
     note) is amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (E) by striking ``and'' after the 
     semicolon;
       (2) in subparagraph (F) by striking the period and 
     inserting ``; and''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(G) use the Federal Supply Service in the same manner and 
     under the same conditions as other departments and agencies 
     of the United States; and
       ``(H) use the United States mails in the same manner and 
     under the same conditions as other departments and agencies 
     of the United States.''.

     SEC. 4. AMENDMENTS RELATING TO REVIEW BOARD PERSONNEL.

       (a) Security Clearance for Review Board Personnel.--Section 
     8 of the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records 
     Collection Act of 1992 (44 U.S.C. 2107 note) is amended by 
     adding at the end the following:
       ``(e) Security Clearance Required.--An individual employed 
     in any position by the Review Board (including an individual 
     appointed as Executive Director) shall be required to qualify 
     for any necessary security clearance prior to taking office 
     in that position, but may be offered the position before 
     qualifying for that clearance.''.
       (b) Appointment and Termination of Staff, Generally.--
     Section 8(b) of the President John F. Kennedy Assassination 
     Records Collection Act of 1992 (44 U.S.C. 2107 note) is 
     amended by striking ``(b) Staff.--'' and all that follows 
     through the end of paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
       ``(b) Staff.--(1) The Review Board, without regard to the 
     civil service laws, may appoint and terminate additional 
     personnel as are necessary to enable the Review Board and its 
     Executive Director to perform the duties of the Review 
     Board.''.
       (c) Review Board Administrative Staff.--Section 8(b)(2) of 
     the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records 
     Collection Act of 1992 (44 U.S.C. 2107 note) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``A person'' and inserting ``(A) Except as 
     provided in subparagraph (B), a person''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(B) An individual who is an employee of the Government 
     may be appointed to the staff of the Review Board if in the 
     position the individual will perform only administrative 
     functions.''.

     SEC. 5. TECHNICAL CORRECTION.

       Section 6(1) of the President John F. Kennedy Assassination 
     Records Collection Act of 1992 (44 U.S.C. 2107 note) is 
     amended in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) by inserting 
     ``record'' after ``the assassination''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Michigan [Mr. Conyers] will be recognized for 20 minutes, and the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Clinger] will be recognized for 20 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Conyers].

                              {time}  1830

  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. CONYERS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4569, makes four changes to Public Law 
102-524, the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection 
Act, which was passed 2 years ago to expedite the release of records 
related to that assassination. The Board, which is now in place, has 
requested these changes to correct some technical flaws in the initial 
act. Let me briefly describe the changes made by the bill.
  Section 2 extends the term of the Assassination Records Review Board 
for 1 additional year, so the Board can complete its work. This was 
requested to offset the 1-year delay in appointing the Board.
  Section 3 expedites the work of the Review Board by authorizing it to 
use the Federal Supply Service and the mails under the same conditions 
as other Government agencies.
  Section 4 expedites the appointment of an Executive Director and 
other Review Board staff by authorizing the Review Board to offer 
candidates a position before they formally qualify for a security 
clearance. Prior to taking office, however, all Review Board employees 
are still required to qualify for any necessary security clearance. In 
addition, the Review Board is authorized to appoint and terminate 
employees without regard for civil service laws, and to hire 
individuals who are currently employed by the Government solely to 
perform administrative functions. These changes conform to General 
Services Administration guidelines on boards and commissions.
  Section 5 corrects a technical error in the Assassination Records Act 
by inserting the word ``record,'' which was omitted from the section 6, 
subsection 1 of the act. This critical section of the act specifies the 
national security grounds for postponing disclosure of assassination 
records. This correction removes a potential source of ambiguity.
  I urge the adoption of H.R. 4569.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CLINGER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4569 is a noncontroversial bill designed to amend 
the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 
1992 by extending its life for 1 additional year and making several 
administrative changes designed to make it easier for the Review Board 
to hire staff and function more efficiency. These changes have been 
studied carefully by the Government Operation's Legislation and 
National Security Subcommittee and identified in their report titled 
``Further Legislation Needed for Release of Kennedy Assassination 
Records.''
  Specifically, the bill: First, extends the life of the Review Board 
by an additional year while authorizing no additional appropriations; 
second, authorizes the Review Board to use General Services 
Administration resources to purchase goods and services; third, 
authorizes the Review Board to use the U.S. Postal Services as though 
they are any other Government agency; fourth, allows the Review Board 
to offer a job to potential staff before they obtain proper security 
clearances; fifth, allows current Government employees to be hired by 
the Review Board, but only if they perform administrative functions; 
sixth, allows the Review Board to avoid Office of Personnel Management 
regulations. The Review Board was late in getting organized due to the 
change of administrations in 1993. The amendments would allow the Board 
to continue its work for an additional year while spending no 
additional moneys.
  I drafted this legislation along with Government Operations Committee 
Chairman Conyers and believe that it takes several useful steps to 
increase the efficiency of the JFK Records Review Board. The Review 
Board Chairman supports this bill and I join him in asking my 
colleagues to support its enactment.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I would take only 1 additional minute, that is, to 
commend my friend and ranking member of the committee, the gentleman 
from Pennsylvania [Mr. Clinger], for the excellent cooperation that we 
have had from all the members in the subcommittee and the full 
committee in the effort to pass this measure. It is not controversial 
but it is extremely important, and I appreciate my ranking member's 
continued cooperation.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Abercrombie). The question is on the 
motion offered by the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Conyers] that the 
House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4569, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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