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A pile of classified redacted documents

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The U.S. classifies far too many secrets, obstructing democracy.

Excessive government secrecy takes many forms, from agencies needlessly claiming documents are classified to ignoring information requests and destroying records — even when the documents show government fraud or illegal conduct. This hinders a free press, effective oversight, and the public’s ability to self govern.

We need to fight for systemic improvements, and we need the press to vigorously question the government every time it says something is classified.

Tell Congress to support the Presidential Records Act

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Edit this message so that it is unique to you: Dear [Senator/Representative], As your constituent, I am writing to urge you to ISSUE A STATEMENT explicitly reaffirming that the Presidential Records Act is constitutional and that any claims to the contrary are not lawful and threaten our democracy. This is necessary in response to the Department of Justice’s recent memo claiming the PRA is unconstitutional, arguing that a president’s records are private property. This is wrong and flips 50 years of transparency on its head. The law has required every president since Ronald Reagan to turn their records over to the government at the end of their term. This ensures that the “American story” belongs to the public, not just those who inhabit the White House. This transparency provided vital insights into Democratic and Republican administrations alike, on topics ranging from the Obama administration’s Iran nuclear deal and the George W. Bush administration’s response to Hurricane Katrina. If this DOJ memo stands, every future president, Democrat or Republican, will operate in total darkness. This is a bipartisan emergency. I am asking you to PLEASE SPEAK OUT and use your influence to safeguard the PRA. Your efforts to ensure our government remains transparent will have major implications for the public’s faith in our democracy. Thank you. URLs are not allowed in this message.

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Join me in urging Congress to defend the Presidential Records Act, thus ensuring that the American story belongs to the public — not whoever is in the White House.

Featured Items

President Carter is 100. The CIA still keeps his Camp David records secret
Secrecy•Article
A fitting birthday present for President Carter would be the full declassifying of the CIA’s records on the 1978 Camp David Accords

Published Oct. 1, 2024 Lauren Harper
Prepublication review can’t improve while overclassification surges
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It’s too hard for former officials to write about their work. A new directive tries to help, but it won’t solve the real problem: The government thinks too many things are secret

Published Sept. 27, 2024 Lauren Harper
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It’s hurricane season, but the government is placing ‘trade secrets’ above public safety

Published Sept. 27, 2024 Lauren Harper
Declassify RT records so the public can vet administration's claims
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Letting the public see the actual documents would strengthen Biden administration's declassification efforts

Published Sept. 19, 2024 Lauren Harper
FPF talks government secrecy and national security reporting
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Interview with first Ellsberg Chair Lauren Harper highlights overclassification, whistleblowers, and national security reporting

Published Sept. 16, 2024 Freedom of the Press Foundation
Biden should declassify Senate report on CIA torture program
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Release would help counter growing evidence that the agency has become too powerful for oversight

Published Sept. 11, 2024 Lauren Harper
NY law will needlessly delay release of public records
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Requirement to notify government employees when their disciplinary records are requested is about secrecy, not privacy

Published Sept. 6, 2024 Seth Stern
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A World War I-era document containing a secret ink recipe that the CIA deemed worthy of classification for nearly 100 years

Published Aug. 28, 2024 Lauren Harper
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The government cannot silence its critics to save itself from embarrassment

Published July 31, 2024 Freedom of the Press Foundation
Copyright and public records don’t mix
Court access•Article
A new court decision using copyright law to deny release of public records from the Covenant School shooting investigation harms the public’s right to know

Published July 16, 2024 Caitlin Vogus