Browse Arkansas Code titles and sections
50 U.S.C. § 3355a — Public Interest Declassification Board
Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a) Establishment**
(1) There is established within the executive branch of the United States a board to be known as the “Public Interest Declassification Board” (in this subchapter referred to as the “Board”).
(2) The Board shall report directly to the President or, upon designation by the President, the Vice President, the Attorney General, or other designee of the President. The other designee of the President under this paragraph may not be an agency head or official authorized to classify information under Executive Order 13526, or any successor order.
**(b) Purposes** The purposes of the Board are as follows:
(1) To advise the President, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, and such other executive branch officials as the Board considers appropriate on the systematic, thorough, coordinated, and comprehensive identification, collection, review for declassification, and release to Congress, interested agencies, and the public of declassified records and materials (including donated historical materials) that are of archival value, including records and materials of extraordinary public interest.
(2) To promote the fullest possible public access to a thorough, accurate, and reliable documentary record of significant United States national security decisions and significant United States national security activities in order to—
(A) support the oversight and legislative functions of Congress;
(B) support the policymaking role of the executive branch;
(C) respond to the interest of the public in national security matters; and
(D) promote reliable historical analysis and new avenues of historical study in national security matters.
(3) To provide recommendations to the Pres
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 50 U.S.C. § 3355a
Stored review status: release_metadata_unconfirmed. A text match is a research starting point; applicability is not established.
Original supplied file — preserved unchanged
Download original Markdown file
File SHA-256: 6e0a4a8858d11963abf9537074650bf6af306273b0a7e4cacb6ab624c142d2f2. The original may include catalog metadata, neighboring provisions, or embedded records outside this collection's scope. Search shows only the selected federal record. Historical editions and unverified snapshots are not a statement of current law.
Authority boundary: historical or unconfirmed source not current law verified.
Open the recorded source website ↗
Record provenance
Stable record: federal_law:legal_authorities:record_usc_57864fa0197bf4ff497c3eeb
Source file: Laws/federal/codes/united-states-code/title-50/section-3355a-public-interest-declassification-board--37e18286aa.md
Pages: Not recorded – Not recorded
Passage SHA-256: a9c839e6b838418daefba34a9e2b0183a3f17a68542a925225dd0bf01a4345f8
Source location: Title 50, Chapter 45, § 3355a; chapter-045-miscellaneous-intelligence-community-authorities.md
Stored source content
**(a) Establishment**
(1) There is established within the executive branch of the United States a board to be known as the “Public Interest Declassification Board” (in this subchapter referred to as the “Board”).
(2) The Board shall report directly to the President or, upon designation by the President, the Vice President, the Attorney General, or other designee of the President. The other designee of the President under this paragraph may not be an agency head or official authorized to classify information under Executive Order 13526, or any successor order.
**(b) Purposes** The purposes of the Board are as follows:
(1) To advise the President, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, and such other executive branch officials as the Board considers appropriate on the systematic, thorough, coordinated, and comprehensive identification, collection, review for declassification, and release to Congress, interested agencies, and the public of declassified records and materials (including donated historical materials) that are of archival value, including records and materials of extraordinary public interest.
(2) To promote the fullest possible public access to a thorough, accurate, and reliable documentary record of significant United States national security decisions and significant United States national security activities in order to—
(A) support the oversight and legislative functions of Congress;
(B) support the policymaking role of the executive branch;
(C) respond to the interest of the public in national security matters; and
(D) promote reliable historical analysis and new avenues of historical study in national security matters.
(3) To provide recommendations to the President for the identification, collection, and review for declassification of information of extraordinary public interest that does not undermine the national security of the United States, to be undertaken in accordance with a declassification program that has been established or may be established by the President by Executive order.
(4) To advise the President, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, and such other executive branch officials as the Board considers appropriate on policies deriving from the issuance by the President of Executive orders regarding the classification and declassification of national security information.
(5) To review and make recommendations to the President in a timely manner with respect to any congressional request, made by the committee of jurisdiction or by a member of the committee of jurisdiction, to declassify certain records, to evaluate the proper classification of certain records, or to reconsider a declination to declassify specific records.
**(c) Membership**
(1) The Board shall be composed of nine individuals appointed from among citizens of the United States who are preeminent in the fields of history, national security, foreign policy, intelligence policy, social science, law, or archives, including individuals who have served in Congress or otherwise in the Federal Government or have otherwise engaged in research, scholarship, or publication in such fields on matters relating to the national security of the United States, of whom—
(A) five shall be appointed by the President;
(B) one shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
(C) one shall be appointed by the majority leader of the Senate;
(D) one shall be appointed by the minority leader of the Senate; and
(E) one shall be appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives.
(2)
(A) Of the members initially appointed to the Board by the President—
(i) three shall be appointed for a term of 4 years;
(ii) one shall be appointed for a term of 3 years; and
(iii) one shall be appointed for a term of 2 years.
(B) The members initially appointed to the Board by the Speaker of the House of Representatives or by the majority leader of the Senate shall be appointed for a term of 3 years.
(C) The members initially appointed to the Board by the minority leader of the House of Representatives or the Senate shall be appointed for a term of 2 years.
(D) Any subsequent appointment to the Board shall be for a term of 3 years from the date of the appointment.
(3) A vacancy in the Board shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
(4) A member of the Board may be appointed to a new term on the Board upon the expiration of the member’s term on the Board, except that no member may serve more than three full terms on the Board.
(5) A member of the Board whose term has expired may continue to serve until the earlier of—
(A) the date that a successor is appointed and sworn in; and
(B) the date that is 1 year after the date of the expiration of the term.
(6) Not later than 30 days after the date on which the term of a member of the Board ends, the appointing authority of the member shall submit to Congress a plan to appoint a successor.
**(d) Chairperson; Executive Secretary**
(1)
(A) The President shall designate one of the members of the Board as the Chairperson of the Board.
(B) The term of service as Chairperson of the Board shall be 2 years.
(C) A member serving as Chairperson of the Board may be redesignated as Chairperson of the Board upon the expiration of the member’s term as Chairperson of the Board, except that no member shall serve as Chairperson of the Board for more than 6 years.
(2) The Director of the Information Security Oversight Office shall serve as the Executive Secretary of the Board.
**(e) Meetings** The Board shall meet as needed to accomplish its mission, consistent with the availability of funds, but shall meet in person not less frequently than on a quarterly basis. A majority of the members of the Board shall constitute a quorum.
**(f) Staff**
(1) Any employee of the Federal Government may be detailed to the Board, with the agreement of and without reimbursement to the detailing agency, and such detail shall be without interruption or loss of civil, military, or foreign service status or privilege.
(2) In addition to any employees detailed to the Board under paragraph (1), the Board may, subject to the availability of funds, hire not more than 12 staff members.
**(g) Security**
(1) The members and staff of the Board shall, as a condition of appointment to or employment with the Board, hold appropriate security clearances for access to the classified records and materials to be reviewed by the Board or its staff, and shall follow the guidance and practices on security under applicable Executive orders and Presidential or agency directives.
(2) The head of an agency shall, as a condition of granting access to a member of the Board, the Executive Secretary of the Board, or a member of the staff of the Board to classified records or materials of the agency under this subchapter, require the member, the Executive Secretary, or the member of the staff, as the case may be, to—
(A) execute an agreement regarding the security of such records or materials that is approved by the head of the agency; and
(B) hold an appropriate security clearance granted or recognized under the standard procedures and eligibility criteria of the agency, including any special access approval required for access to such records or materials.
(3) The members of the Board, the Executive Secretary of the Board, and the members of the staff of the Board may not use any information acquired in the course of their official activities on the Board for nonofficial purposes.
(4) For purposes of any law or regulation governing access to classified information that pertains to the national security of the United States, and subject to any limitations on access arising under [section 3355d(b) of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title50-section3355d/b&num=0&edition=prelim), and to facilitate the advisory functions of the Board under this subchapter, a member of the Board seeking access to a record or material under this subchapter shall be deemed for purposes of this subsection to have a need to know the contents of the record or material.
**(h) Compensation**
(1) Each member of the Board shall receive compensation at a rate not to exceed the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay payable for positions at ES–1 of the Senior Executive Service under [section 5382 of title 5](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title5-section5382&num=0&edition=prelim) for each day such member is engaged in the actual performance of duties of the Board.
(2) Members of the Board shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence at rates authorized for employees of agencies under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, while away from their homes or regular places of business in the performance of the duties of the Board.
**(i) Guidance; annual budget**
(1) On behalf of the President, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs shall provide guidance on policy to the Board.
(2) The Executive Secretary of the Board, under the direction of the Chairperson of the Board and the Board, and acting in consultation with the Archivist of the United States, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, shall prepare the annual budget of the Board.
**(j) Support** The Information Security Oversight Office may support the activities of the Board under this subchapter. Such support shall be provided on a reimbursable basis.
**(k) Public availability of records and reports**
(1) The Board shall make available for public inspection records of its proceedings and reports prepared in the course of its activities under this subchapter to the extent such records and reports are not classified and would not be exempt from release under the provisions of [section 552 of title 5](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title5-section552&num=0&edition=prelim).
(2) In making records and reports available under paragraph (1), the Board shall coordinate the release of such records and reports with appropriate officials from agencies with expertise in classified information in order to ensure that such records and reports do not inadvertently contain classified information.
**(l) Applicability of certain administrative laws** The provisions of chapter 10 of title 5 shall not apply to the activities of the Board under this subchapter. However, the records of the Board shall be governed by the provisions of the Federal Records Act of 1950.
Cross-references
Connections may be documented source relationships, shared citations or nearby passages. Each explains its basis; a connection alone does not establish applicability to your situation.
Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a)** Each agency shall make available to the public information as follows:
(1) Each agency shall separately state and currently publish in the Federal Register for the guidance of the public—
(A) descriptions of its central and field organization and the established places at which, the employees (and in the case of a uniformed service, the members) from whom, and the methods whereby, the public may obtain information, make submittals or requests, or obtain decisions;
(B) statements of the general course and method by which its functions are channeled and determined, including the nature and requirements of all formal and informal procedures available;
(C) rules of procedure, descriptions of forms available or the places at which forms may be obtained, and instructions as to the scope and contents of all papers, reports, or examinations;
(D) substantive rules of general applicability adopted as authorized by law, and statements of general policy or interpretations of general applicability formulated and adopted by the agency; and
(E) each amendment, revision, or repeal of the foregoing.
Except to the extent that a person has actual and timely notice of the terms thereof, a person may not in any manner be required to resort to, or be adversely affected by, a matter required to be published in the Federal Register and not so published. For the purpose of this paragraph, matter reasonably available to the class of persons affected thereby is deemed published in the Federal Register when incorporated by reference therein with the approval of the Director of the Federal Register.
(2) Each agency, in accordance with published rules, shall make available for public inspection in an electronic format—
(A) final opinions, including concurring and dissen
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 5 U.S.C. § 552
Stored review status: release_metadata_unconfirmed. Explicit cross-reference supplied in source Markdown; currentness and applicability require review.
Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a)** Subject to regulations prescribed by the Office of Personnel Management, there shall be established a range of rates of basic pay for the Senior Executive Service, and each senior executive shall be paid at one of the rates within the range, based on individual performance, contribution to the agency’s performance, or both, as determined under a rigorous performance management system. The lowest rate of the range shall not be less than the minimum rate of basic pay payable under section 5376, and the highest rate, for any position under this system or an equivalent system as determined by the President’s Pay Agent designated under section 5304(d), shall not exceed the rate for level III of the Executive Schedule. The payment of the rates shall not be subject to the pay limitation of section 5306(e) or 5373.
**(b)** Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), the applicable maximum shall be level II of the Executive Schedule for any agency that is certified under section 5307 as having a performance appraisal system which, as designed and applied, makes meaningful distinctions based on relative performance.
**(c)** No employee may suffer a reduction in pay by reason of transfer from an agency with an applicable maximum rate of pay prescribed under subsection (b) to an agency with an applicable maximum rate of pay prescribed under subsection (a).
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 5 U.S.C. § 5382
Stored review status: release_metadata_unconfirmed. Explicit cross-reference supplied in source Markdown; currentness and applicability require review.
Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a) Exemption by Director of Central Intelligence Agency** The Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, with the coordination of the Director of National Intelligence, may exempt operational files of the Central Intelligence Agency from the provisions of [section 552 of title 5](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title5-section552&num=0&edition=prelim) (Freedom of Information Act) which require publication or disclosure, or search or review in connection therewith.
**(b) “Operational files” defined** In this section, the term “operational files” means—
(1) files of the National Clandestine Service which document the conduct of foreign intelligence or counterintelligence operations or intelligence or security liaison arrangements or information exchanges with foreign governments or their intelligence or security services;
(2) files of the Directorate for Science and Technology which document the means by which foreign intelligence or counterintelligence is collected through scientific and technical systems; and
(3) files of the Office of Personnel Security which document investigations conducted to determine the suitability of potential foreign intelligence or counterintelligence sources;
except that files which are the sole repository of disseminated intelligence are not operational files.
**(c) Search and review for information** Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, exempted operational files shall continue to be subject to search and review for information concerning—
(1) United States citizens or aliens lawfully admitted for permanent residence who have requested information on themselves pursuant to the provisions of [section 552 of title 5](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title5-section55
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 50 U.S.C. § 3161
Stored review status: release_metadata_unconfirmed. Explicit cross-reference supplied in source Markdown; currentness and applicability require review.
Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a) Annual submission of multiyear national intelligence program** The Director of National Intelligence shall submit to the congressional committees specified in subsection (d) each year a multiyear national intelligence program plan reflecting the estimated expenditures and proposed appropriations required to support that program. Any such multiyear national intelligence program plan shall cover the fiscal year with respect to which the budget is submitted and at least four succeeding fiscal years.
**(b) Time of submission** The Director of National Intelligence shall submit the report required by subsection (a) each year at or about the same time that the budget is submitted to Congress pursuant to [section 1105(a) of title 31](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title31-section1105/a&num=0&edition=prelim).
**(c) Consistency with budget estimates** The Director of National Intelligence and the Secretary of Defense shall ensure that the estimates referred to in subsection (a) are consistent with the budget estimates submitted to Congress pursuant to [section 1105(a) of title 31](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title31-section1105/a&num=0&edition=prelim) for the fiscal year concerned and with the estimated expenditures and proposed appropriations for the future-years defense program submitted pursuant to [section 221 of title 10](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title10-section221&num=0&edition=prelim).
**(d) Specified congressional committees** The congressional committees referred to in subsection (a) are the following:
(1) The Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Appropriations, and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate.
(2) The Committee on Armed Services,
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 50 U.S.C. § 3301
Stored review status: release_metadata_unconfirmed. Incoming connection: Explicit cross-reference supplied in source Markdown; currentness and applicability require review.
Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
Page 837
TITLE 50—WAR AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
§ 3355a
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
DEFINITIONS
For definitions of ‘‘intelligence community’’ and
‘‘congressional intelligence committees’’ as used in
this section, see section 7002 of Pub. L. 118–31, set out
as a note under section 3003 of this title.
SUBCHAPTER III–A—PUBLIC INTEREST
DECLASSIFICATIONS
§ 3355. Findings
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) It is in the national interest to establish
an effective, coordinated, and cost-effective
means by which records on specific subjects of
extraordinary public interest that do not un-
dermine the national security interests of the
United States may be collected, retained, re-
viewed, and disseminated to Congress, policy-
makers in the executive branch, and the pub-
lic.
(2) Ensuring, through such measures, public
access to information that does not require
continued protection to maintain the national
security interests of the United States is a key
to striking the balance between secrecy essen-
tial to national security and the openness that
is central to the proper functioning of the po-
litical institutions of the United States.
(Pub. L. 106–567, title VII, § 702, Dec. 27, 2000, 114
Stat. 2856.)
Editorial Notes
CODIFICATION
Section was formerly set out in a note under section
3161 of this title.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
EFFECTIVE DATE
Pub. L. 106–567, title VII, § 710, Dec. 27, 2000, 114 Stat.
2864, as amended by Pub. L. 108–458, title I, § 1102(f), Dec.
17, 2004, 118 Stat. 3700; Pub. L. 110–53, title VI, § 602(4),
Aug. 3, 2007, 121 Stat. 336; Pub. L. 112–235, § 2(c), Dec. 28,
2012, 126 Stat. 1626; Pub. L. 113–126, title III, § 311, July
7, 2014, 128 Stat. 1399; Pub. L. 116–92, div. E, title LXVII,
§ 6741(b)
Source: Supplied 2024 U.S. Code historical extraction · 50 U.S.C. § 3355a
Stored review status: historical_2024_not_currentness_verified. Same stored citation; legal effect and authority still require review.