Ask AI
S. 1379Became Law

Nazi War Crimes Disclosure Act

Nazi War Crimes Disclosure Act - Establishes the Nazi War Criminal Records Interagency Working Group to locate, identify, inventory, recommend for declassification, and make available to the public at the National Archives and Records Administration, all classified Nazi war criminal records of the United States. Requires that: (1) Group members include the Director of the Holocaust Museum, the Historian of the Department of State, and the Archivist of the United States; and (2) the Group submit a report to the Congress describing all such records, their disposition, and the Interagency Group's activities. Authorizes appropriations.

Requires such records to be released in their entirety, except that an agency head may exempt from release specific information that would compromise privacy, national security, or U.S. foreign policy, as specified. States that in applying the exemptions there shall be a presumption that the public interest in the release of Nazi war criminal records will be served by disclosure and release of the records. Permits assertion of such exemption only when the agency head determines that disclosure and release would be harmful to a specific interest identified. Requires such a determination to be promptly reported to the appropriate congressional committees, including the Senate Committee on the Judiciary and the House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight. Subjects such exemptions to the same standard of review that applies to records withheld under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) for matters that are specifically authorized by an executive order to be kept secret in the interest of national defense or foreign policy. Provides an additional exception from disclosure for records: (1) related to or supporting any investigation, inquiry, or prosecution by the Office of Special Investigations of the Department of Justice; or (2) solely in the possession or control of that office.

Amends the National Security Act of 1947 to provide that the exemption from public disclosure authorized under such Act for operational files of the Central Intelligence Agency shall not apply to information regarding any operational file, or portion of any operational file, that constitutes a Nazi war criminal record.

Provides for expedited processing of FOIA requests for Nazi war criminal records.

Became Public Law No: 105-246.

Sen. DeWine, Mike [R-OH](R-OH)Sponsor
22 cosponsors10 D12 R
22cosponsors2committees24actions1amendments1related bills43subjects
  1. PresidentE40000

    Became Public Law No: 105-246.

  2. BecameLaw36000

    Became Public Law No: 105-246.

  3. PresidentE30000

    Signed by President.

  4. BecameLaw36000

    Signed by President.

  5. FloorE20000

    Presented to President.

  6. President28000

    Presented to President.

  7. FloorH38310

    Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

  8. FloorH37100

    On passage Passed without objection.

  9. Floor8000

    Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed without objection.

  10. FloorH30000

    Considered by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR H7295-7297)

  11. FloorH30200

    Mr. Horn asked unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table and consider.

  12. FloorH15000

    Held at the desk.

  13. Floor

    Message on Senate action sent to the House.

  14. FloorH14000

    Received in the House.

  15. Floor

    Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

  16. Floor17000

    Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

  17. Floor

    Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S6724-6730)

  18. Calendars

    Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 323.

  19. Committee

    Committee on Judiciary. Reported to Senate by Senator Hatch with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.

    Judiciary Committee
  20. Committee14000

    Committee on Judiciary. Reported to Senate by Senator Hatch with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.

    Judiciary Committee
  21. Committee

    Committee on Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

    Judiciary Committee
  22. IntroReferral

    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

    Judiciary Committee
  23. IntroReferralB00100

    Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S11772-11773)

  24. IntroReferral10000

    Introduced in Senate

Jun 19, 199835

Nazi War Crimes Disclosure Act - Establishes the Nazi War Criminal Records Interagency Working Group to locate, identify, inventory, recommend for declassification, and make available to the public at the National Archives and Records Administration, all classified Nazi war criminal records of the United States. Requires that: (1) Group members include the Director of the Holocaust Museum, the Historian of the Department of State, and the Archivist of the United States; and (2) the Group submit a report to the Congress describing all such records, their disposition, and the Interagency Group's activities. Authorizes appropriations.

Requires such records to be released in their entirety, except that an agency head may exempt from release specific information that would compromise privacy, national security, or U.S. foreign policy, as specified. States that in applying the exemptions there shall be a presumption that the public interest in the release of Nazi war criminal records will be served by disclosure and release of the records. Permits assertion of such exemption only when the agency head determines that disclosure and release would be harmful to a specific interest identified. Requires such a determination to be promptly reported to the appropriate congressional committees, including the Senate Committee on the Judiciary and the House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight. Subjects such exemptions to the same standard of review that applies to records withheld under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) for matters that are specifically authorized by an executive order to be kept secret in the interest of national defense or foreign policy. Provides an additional exception from disclosure for records: (1) related to or supporting any investigation, inquiry, or prosecution by the Office of Special Investigations of the Department of Justice; or (2) solely in the possession or control of that office.

Amends the National Security Act of 1947 to provide that the exemption from public disclosure authorized under such Act for operational files of the Central Intelligence Agency shall not apply to information regarding any operational file, or portion of any operational file, that constitutes a Nazi war criminal record.

Provides for expedited processing of FOIA requests for Nazi war criminal records.

Mar 5, 199801

Nazi War Crimes Disclosure Act - Establishes the Nazi War Criminal Records Interagency Working Group to locate, identify, inventory, recommend for declassification, and make available to the public at the National Archives and Records Administration, all Nazi war criminal records of the United States.

Requires such records to be released in their entirety, subject to disclosure exceptions. Provides disclosure exceptions for the release of specific information which should be expected to reveal, among other things: (1) the identity of a confidential human source, or information about the application of an intelligence source or method, or the identity of a human intelligence source when the unauthorized disclosure of that source would damage the national security of the United States; (2) information that would assist in the development or use of weapons of mass destruction; and (3) information that would seriously impair relations between the United States and a foreign government, or seriously undermine ongoing diplomatic activities of the United States. States that in applying the exemptions there shall be a presumption that the public interest in the release of Nazi war criminal records will be served by disclosure and release of the records. Permits assertion of such exemption to only be made when the agency head determines that disclosure and release would be harmful to a specific interest identified in the exemption. Requires such a determination to be promptly reported to the appropriate congressional committees, including the Senate Judiciary Committee. Prohibits applying the exception to records: (1) related to or supporting any investigation, inquiry, or prosecution by the Office of Special Investigations of the Department of Justice; or (2) solely in the possession or control of that office.

Amends the National Security Act of 1947 to provide that the exemption from public disclosure authorized under such Act for operational files of the Central Intelligence Agency shall not apply to information regarding any operational file, or portion of any operational file, that constitutes a Nazi war criminal record.

Provides for expedited processing of Freedom of Information Act requests for Nazi war criminal records.

Nov 5, 199700

Nazi War Crimes Disclosure Act - Amends the Freedom of Information Act to redefine the term "Nazi war criminal records."

Requires such records to be released in their entirety, subject to disclosure exceptions. Provides disclosure exceptions for the release of specific information which should be expected to reveal, among other things: (1) the identity of a confidential human source, or information about the application of an intelligence source or method, or the identity of a human intelligence source when the unauthorized disclosure of that source would damage the national security of the United States; (2) information that would assist in the development or use of weapons of mass destruction; and (3) information that would seriously impair relations between the United States and a foreign government, or seriously undermine ongoing diplomatic activities of the United States. Prohibits applying the exception to records: (1) related to or supporting any investigation, inquiry, or prosecution by the Office of Special Investigations of the Department of Justice; or (2) in the possession or control of that office.

Amends the National Security Act of 1947 to provide that the exemption from public disclosure authorized under such Act for operational files of the Central Intelligence Agency shall not apply to information regarding any operational file, or portion of any operational file, that constitutes a Nazi war criminal record.

Establishes the Nazi War Criminal Records Interagency Working Group to locate, identify, inventory, recommend for declassification, and make available to the public at the National Archives and Records Administration, all Nazi war criminal records of the United States.

Provides for expedited processing of requests for Nazi war criminal records.