[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 191 (Tuesday, October 3, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51773-51774]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-24507]



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ASSASSINATION RECORDS REVIEW BOARD


Freedom of Information Act Statement of Organizations, Functions, 
and Authority Delegations

AGENCY: Assassination Records Review Board.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Assassination Records Review Board (Review Board) is 
issuing the following notice in accordance with the affirmative 
disclosure provisions of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The 
FOIA requires each Federal agency to publish in the Federal Register a 
statement of its organizations and functions.
    This notice provides a brief history of the Review Board, describes 
the organization of the Review Board, and identifies the primary 
responsibilities of the Review Board.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
T. Jeremy Gunn, Acting General Counsel, Assassination Records Review 
Board, 600 E Street, NW., 2nd Floor, Washington, DC. 20530.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Congress conceived of the Assassination 
Records Review Board (Review Board) as an independent Federal agency to 
oversee the identification and release of records related to the 
assassination of President John F. Kennedy. President Bush signed into 
law The President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act 
of 1992, 44 U.S.C. 2107 (1992) (JFK Act) in October, 1992, and 
President Clinton appointed the five members of the Review Board. The 
Review Board members were sworn in on April 11, 1994, after 
confirmation by the Senate.
    The JFK Act gives the Review Board the authority to identify, 
secure, and make available all records related to the assassination of 
President Kennedy. The Act provides that ``[a]ll Government records 
concerning the assassination of President John F. Kennedy should carry 
a presumption of immediate disclosure.'' The Act mandates that all 
assassination records be housed in a single collection at the National 
Archives and Records Administration (NARA).
    The Review Board oversees a larger process of agency record review 
and release established by the JFK Act. The Act requires all Federal 
agencies to identify records in their possession that may relate to the 
assassination and to determine whether such records may be disclosed 
immediately or whether the agency will ask the Review Board to postpone 
release of the information. The Review Board then evaluates all agency 
decisions to postpone the release of records. The Act allows the Review 
Board to sustain Federal agencies' requests for postponements only if 
the information at issue falls into defined categories, such as 
national security, intelligence gathering, and privacy, provided the 
agency provides the Review Board ``clear and convincing evidence'' of 
some harm that outweighs the public interest in disclosure. Once the 
Review Board completes its review of agency recommendations for 
postponement, all records, including those that have postponed release 
dates, will be transferred to the National Archives for inclusion in 
the John F. Kennedy Assassination Record Collection. The JFK Act 
requires that all 

[[Page 51774]]
assassination records be released by the year 2017, with the exception 
of records that the President of the United States certifies for 
continued postponement after that point.
    The Review Board will seek to identify and secure assassination 
records held by Federal, state, and local governments as well as 
records held by private entities.
    The Senate report on the JFK Act states that ``the underlying 
principles guiding the legislation are independence, public confidence, 
efficiency, and cost effectiveness.'' In order to achieve these 
objectives, the Act gives the Review Board the specific powers to: (1) 
Direct Government offices to provide identification aids and organize 
assassination records; (2) direct Government offices to transmit 
assassination records to the National Archives; (3) obtain 
assassination records that have been identified and organized by a 
Government office; (4) direct Government offices to investigate the 
facts, additional information, records, or testimony from individuals 
which the Review Board has reason to believe is required; (5) request 
the Attorney General to subpoena private persons to compel testimony, 
records, and other relevant information; (6) require any Government 
office to account in writing for the destruction of any records 
relating to the assassination of President Kennedy; (7) receive 
information from the public regarding the identification and public 
disclosure of assassination records; and (8) hold hearings, administer 
oaths, and subpoena witnesses and documents.
    The Review Board is currently supported by a senior staff 
consisting of an Executive Director, an Associate Director for 
Communications, an Associate Director for Administration, and an 
Associate Director for Research and Analysis, who is also serving as 
Acting General Counsel. In addition to the senior staff, the Review 
Board has hired a Chief Investigator, fourteen analysts, five 
administrative support personnel, an investigator, and a part-time 
computer specialist.
    Activities of the Review Board are carried out through the 
operation of a central office located in Washington, D.C. The Review 
Board's office is located at 600 E Street NW., 2nd Floor, Washington, 
DC 20530.
    The Review Board has until October 1, 1996, to fulfill its mandate, 
plus an additional year at the Review Board's discretion to complete 
its responsibilities.
    The Review Board issues this notice in accordance with the 
affirmative disclosure provisions of the FOIA, at 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(1).

    Dated: September 27, 1995.
David G. Marwell,
Executive Director.
[FR Doc. 95-24507 Filed 10-2-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6118-01-M