H.R. 35: Presidential Records Act Amendments of 2009

H.R. 35: Presidential Records Act Amendments of 2009

To amend chapter 22 of title 44, United States Code, popularly known as the Presidential Records Act, to establish procedures for the consideration of claims of constitutionally based privilege against disclosure of Presidential records.

Introduced Jan 6, 2009 BY Rep. Edolphus Towns [D-NY]

Rep. Brad Sherman [D-CA]
Rep. William Clay [D-MO]
Rep. Darrell Issa [R-CA]
Rep. Dan Burton [R-IN]
Rep. Henry Waxman [D-CA]

Passed House Jan 7, 2009 12:27PM (Vote #5 in 2009 - Yea:359 - Nay:58 - Not Voting:12)

Full Text
excerpt:

Executive Order No. 13233, dated November 1, 2001 (66 Fed. Reg. 56025), shall have no force or effect.

Last Action: Jan 8, 2009: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Please note: NAY votes & "not voting" are bad representatives that are NOT doing what's in the people's best interest. 60 bad "representatives" total for this bill.

excerpt:

The Presidential Records Act of 1978 established that the records of the President belong to the American people, not to the President. It also ensured that these records would be released to historians and to the public in a timely manner.

In an executive order issued in November 2001, President Bush reversed the presumption of disclosure in the Presidential Records Act. The order gave Presidents and former Presidents the ability to delay the public release of records even long after their own deaths. For the first time, it gave former Presidents the ability to assert privilege over their own records.

Today's legislation restores the intent of the Presidential Records Act.
~Rep. Edolphus Towns [D-NY]

From: Floor Speeches