The Public Interest Declassification Board (PIDB) is an advisory committee established by the United States Congress with the official mandate of promoting the fullest possible public access to a thorough, accurate, and reliable documentary record of significant U.S. national security decisions and activities.
2856), the board advises the President of the United States regarding issues pertaining to national classification and declassification policy.
In December 2020, President Donald Trump appointed Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence Ezra Cohen to chair the Public Interest Declassification Board.
The Executive Secretary shall record and retain such votes in a documentary form and immediately report the results to the chairperson and other members.
Article VIII sets forth the procedures for considering a proper request under the Act from a committee of jurisdiction in the Congress for the Board to make a recommendation to the President regarding the declassification of certain records.
A recommendation to declassify a record in whole or in part requires a determination by the Board, after careful consideration of the views of the original classifying authority, that declassification is in the public interest.
Any classified information contained in the request file shall be handled and protected in accordance with the Order and its implementing directives.
Information that is subject to a request for declassification under this section shall remain classified unless and until a final decision is made by the President or by the agency head responsible for the record(s) to declassify it.
The Public Interest Declassification Board has sent a letter and a summary of the comments to the National Security Advisor.