•HRES 556 IH 
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 Admin-
istration all records in their custody related to the assas-
sination of President Kennedy; 
Whereas former President and ninth Director of Central In-
telligence 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 dis-
closed’’; 
Whereas the Records Collection Act established the Assas-
sination 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 Presi-
dent’s Commission on the Assassination of President 
John F. Kennedy, the House Select Committee on Assas-
sinations, 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; 
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•HRES 556 IH 
Whereas the National Archives and Records Administration 
holds approximately 3,100 fully redacted records and ap-
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 pur-
poses and eventually disclosed to enable the public to be-
come 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 as-
sassination of President Kennedy; 
Whereas public opinion surveys suggest that a large majority 
of the American public supports the full release of all re-
maining 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 com-
munity, 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 
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•HRES 556 IH 
historical records and to increase public access to those 
documents: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives urges 
the President of the United States to— 
(1) allow for the full public release of all re-
maining records pertaining to the assassination of 
President John F. Kennedy that are held by the Na-
tional Archives and Records Administration; and 
(2) reject any claims for the continued post-
ponement of the full public release of those records. 
Æ 
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