It involves lots of coordination with other agencies and governments. But the bottom line is that some of the most sensitive and closely held records are included in the series, ensuring an accurate record of American foreign affairs commitments. The series continues because of a statute adopted by Congress in 1991, which defines the standards for preparing this historical record, including a 30-year deadline for publishing the results. It also mandates an accurate and complete record of the planning and execution of foreign policy, a document of the necessary records of all agencies involved in foreign policy and standards for the declassification review of documents proposed for publication. The 1991 statute also established a historical advisory committee whose nine non-federal members oversee and advise staff on preparing the Foreign Relations series.
Members come from national historical associations and academia.
The historian's office has been working closely with the committee to develop a modern Foreign Relations series that meets the needs and expectations of the American and international scholarly community and those of government policymakers and the public. Soon the series will be expanded to include more documents and will be posted on the Internet. In addition, research guides will help students, scholars and others navigate the maze of diplomacy and foreign affairs records. At the same time, the internationally respected volumes will continue to be published, including six this year. The historian's office occasionally prepares reports on the evolution of American policy studies for Department and government policy makers.