Title 50 — War and National DefenseRelease 119-73
§3355 Findings
Title 50 › Chapter CHAPTER 45— - MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY AUTHORITIES › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER III–A— - PUBLIC INTEREST DECLASSIFICATIONS › § 3355
Summary
Create a coordinated, cost-effective system to collect, keep, review, and share records about public-interest topics, as long as sharing won't harm U.S. national security. Make information that no longer needs protection available to Congress, executive branch policymakers, and the public to balance necessary secrecy with openness.
Full Legal Text
Title 50, §3355
War and National Defense — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Congress makes the following findings:
(1)It is in the national interest to establish an effective, coordinated, and cost-effective means by which records on specific subjects of extraordinary public interest that do not undermine the national security interests of the United States may be collected, retained, reviewed, and disseminated to Congress, policymakers in the executive branch, and the public.
(2)Ensuring, through such measures, public access to information that does not require continued protection to maintain the national security interests of the United States is a key to striking the balance between secrecy essential to national security and the openness that is central to the proper functioning of the political institutions of the United States.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Codification Section was formerly set out in a note under section 3161 of this title.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Pub. L. 106–567, title VII, § 710, Dec. 27, 2000, 114 Stat. 2864, as amended by Pub. L. 108–458, title I, § 1102(f), Dec. 17, 2004, 118 Stat. 3700; Pub. L. 110–53, title VI, § 602(4), Aug. 3, 2007, 121 Stat. 336; Pub. L. 112–235, § 2(c), Dec. 28, 2012, 126 Stat. 1626; Pub. L. 113–126, title III, § 311, July 7, 2014, 128 Stat. 1399; Pub. L. 116–92, div. E, title LXVII, § 6741(b), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 2239, provided that:“This title [enacting this subchapter] shall take effect on the date that is 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 27, 2000].”
Short Title
For
Short Title
of title VII of Pub. L. 106–567, which enacted this subchapter, as the “Public Interest Declassification Act of 2000”, see section 701 of Pub. L. 106–567, set out as a note under section 3301 of this title. Status of Board Pub. L. 116–92, div. E, title LXVII, § 6741(c), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 2239, provided that: “Notwithstanding section 710(b) of the Public Interest Declassification Act of 2000 (Public Law 106–567; 50 U.S.C. 3161 note) as in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 20, 2019]— “(1) the Public Interest Declassification Board shall be deemed to not have terminated for purposes of the appointment of members to the Board; “(2) section 703(h) of such Act [50 U.S.C. 3355a(h)] shall not apply with respect to the period beginning on
December 31, 2018, and ending on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act; and “(3) the length of the terms of the members serving on the Board as of
December 30, 2018, shall be calculated by not counting the period specified in paragraph (2).” [Prior to being struck out by Pub. L. 116–92, div. E, title LXVII, § 6741(b)(1), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 2239, section 710(b) of the Public Interest Declassification Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 106–567, title VII), referred to in the introductory provisions of section 6741(c) of Pub. L. 116–92, set out above, provided that: “The provisions of this title shall expire on
December 31, 2018.” section 710 of the Act was formerly set out in a note under section 3161 of this title, and was editorially transferred and is now set out as an
Effective Date
note above.]
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
50 U.S.C. § 3355
Title 50 — War and National Defense
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73