[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 159 (Wednesday, October 4, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6322-S6323]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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  SENATE RESOLUTION 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

  Mr. GRASSLEY (for himself and Mr. Leahy) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security 
and Governmental Affairs:
  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I request unanimous consent that the 
text of the 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, be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the resolution was ordered to 
be printed in the Record, as follows:

                              S. Res. 281

       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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