Public Interest Declassification Board Reauthorization Act of 2012

Mr. Speaker, due to a family matter requiring my presence in New Mexico, I was not able to be present for a number of votes on the House floor this week.

Had I been present for rollcall vote No. 627, on motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 4606, to authorize the issuance of right-of-way permits for natural gas pipelines in Glacier National Park, and for other purposes, as amended, I would have voted ``aye.''

Had I been present for rollcall vote No. 628, on motion to suspend the rules and pass S. 3193, the Barona Band of Mission Indians Land Transfer Clarification Act of 2012, I would have voted ``aye.''

Had I been present for rollcall vote No. 629, on motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 6504, the Small Business Investment Company Modernization Act of 2012, I would have voted ``aye.''

Had I been present for rollcall vote No. 630, on motion to suspend the rules and agree to the Senate Amendment on H.R. 3783, an act to provide for a comprehensive strategy to counter Iran's growing hostile presence and activity in the Western Hemisphere, and for other purposes, I would have voted ``aye.''

Had I been present for rollcall vote No. 631, on motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 6621, to correct and improve certain provisions of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act and title 35, United States Code, as amended, I would have voted ``aye.''

Had I been present for rollcall vote No. 632, on motion to suspend the rules and pass S. 3642, the Theft of Trade Secrets Clarification Act, I would have voted ``aye.''

Had I been present for rollcall vote No. 633, on motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 6672, to reauthorize certain programs under the Public Health Service Act and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response and for other purposes, I would have voted ``aye.''

Had I been present for rollcall vote No. 634, on motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 1845, the Medicare IVIG Access Act, I would have voted ``aye.''

Had I been present for rollcall vote No. 635, on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 668, to refer H.R. 5862, a bill making congressional reference to the United States Court of Federal Claims pursuant to sections 1492 and 2509 of title 28, United States Code, the Indian trust-related claims of the Quapaw Tribe of Oklahoma as well as its individual members, as amended, I would have voted ``aye.''

Had I been present for rollcall vote No. 636, on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 6655, the Protect Our Kids Act, I would have voted ``aye.''

Had I been present for rollcall vote No. 637, on the motion to suspend the rules and pass S. 3564, the Public Interest Declassification Board Reauthorization Act, I would have voted ``aye.''

Had I been present for rollcall vote No. 638, on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 6016, the Government Employee Accountability Act, as amended, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 3564) to extend the Public Interest Declassification Act of 2000 until 2014 and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

S. 3564, the Public Interest Declassification Board Act, reauthorizes the Public Interest Declassification Board, or PIDB, for an additional 2 years. Without congressional action, the PIDB will sunset on December 31, 2012.

The PIDB is an advisory committee tasked with improving and modernizing the process used to classify and declassify government information. The volume of classified information has skyrocketed in recent years, due to the rapid increase in electronic communications, as well as an institutional bias that prefers overclassification as a risk-avoidance strategy. Over classification can unduly hinder much- needed public transparency and the ability to rapidly share information across the government.

The chief goals of the PIDB are to help develop effective modern standards and processes for classification and declassification to address the problems by overclassification and promote the fullest possible public access to national security records through efficient and timely declassification systems. S. 3564 will further the cause of transparency by maintaining an expert advisory group to ensure the executive branch is classifying and declassifying records in a timely and responsible manner.

I reserve the balance of my time.

As we've heard, this bill promotes bipartisan- supported transparency in the government. I urge my colleagues to support the passage of the Public Interest Declassification Board Reauthorization Act of 2012, S. 3564, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise in support of this important legislation. This bill renews the authorization of the Public Interest Declassification Board. The PIDB is an advisory committee whose purpose is to promote the fullest possible public access to significant national security decisions and activities. The PIDB advises the President on policies related to classification and declassification of national security information. The Board also advises the President on the declassification and release of classified records with historical value. The authorization for the PIDB is set to expire at the end of this month. It is important that we reauthorize the authority for this panel so that their important work is not jeopardized.

Just last month, the PIDB issued a report to the President, titled ``Transforming the Security Classification System.'' The report made a number of recommendations for improving the classification system. The report criticized our current system. It stated:

We believe the current classification and declassification

systems are outdated and incapable of dealing adequately with

the large volumes of classified information generated in an

era of digital communication and information systems.

Overcoming the entrenched practices that no longer serve the

purpose of protecting our national security will prove

difficult.

Transparency and access to information are essential tools for effective oversight of the executive branch. Outdated systems for managing classified information must be modernized to provide greater public access to information about the Federal Government's policies and activities. Reauthorizing the PIDB is critical to that effort, and I support this bill. I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. 3564 and the Senate proceed to its consideration.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Lieberman substitute amendment which is at the desk be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be read three times and passed, the Lieberman title amendment which is at the desk be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and any related statements be printed in the Record.