III 

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; 


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•SRES 281 IS 

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 apVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:17 Oct 05, 2017 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR281.IS SR281

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•SRES 281 IS 

proximately 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 


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•SRES 281 IS 

1 Resolved, That the Senate urges the President of the 

2 United States to— 

3 (1) allow for the full public release of all re4 maining records pertaining to the assassination of 

5 President John F. Kennedy that are held by the Na6 tional Archives and Records Administration; and 

7 (2) reject any claims for the continued post8 ponement of the full public release of those records. 

Æ 


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