America’s Secrets: Classified Information and our Democracy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Conference Featuring Keynotes from Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines and Texas Senator John Cornyn

Thursday, January 16 | Friday, January 27

(AUSTIN, TX) - On Thursday, January 26th, the Public Interest Declassification Board (PIDB) will host its first public meeting of 2023 in the 10th Floor Atrium of the LBJ Presidential Library. The PIDB will consider the critical need for modernization of the federal system for classification and declassification. PIDB members will discuss challenges that electronic government records pose for declassification and government transparency, review the PIDB's initiatives over the past year, and plan for the year ahead.

Following the hearing, the conference continues in the Lady Bird Johnson Auditorium for "An Evening with Avril Haines." Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines will give keynote remarks, followed by a fireside chat with Adam Klein, Director of the Strauss Center for International Security and Law at The University of Texas at Austin.

Friday, January 27th focuses a full-day conference on the role of document declassification in transparency, oversight, education, and public trust in our national security institutions. Hear from scholars, members of the media and tech field, government historians, and archivists for their perspectives. Senator John Cornyn will give keynote remarks and sit down for a conversation with Will Inboden, Clements Center Executive Director. 

News Media: All sessions are open to the news media.
                       Registration for each session is required.

Media Registration: Thursday, January 26
                    4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Public Interest Declassification Board (PIDB)
                    10th Floor Atrium, LBJ Presidential Library
                    In-person and Virtual Registration
                    This program will be recorded and an unedited video will be posted on the National Archives YouTube on January 27.

Thursday, January 26
                  6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. An Evening With Avril Haines, Director of National Intelligence
                  Lady Bird Johnson Auditorium, LBJ Presidential Library
                  In-person Registration
                  This program will be recorded and an unedited video will be posted on the LBJ Library YouTube on January 27.

Friday, January 27
                8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. | “America’s Secrets: Classified Information and our Democracy” Conference
                10th Floor Atrium, LBJ Presidential Library
                In-person Registration
                These discussions will be recorded and posted at a later date on the LBJ Library YouTube, Clements Center YouTube, and National Archives YouTube channels.

The Clements Center for National Security, Strauss Center for International Security and Law, the Clements-Strauss Intelligence Studies Project, the LBJ Presidential Library, the LBJ School of Public Affairs, and the Public Interest Declassification Board (PDIB) are hosting the two-day conference.

Public: This two-day event is free and open to the public. Advance registration is required for each session.

All bags are subject to inspection upon entry to the LBJ Library. Learn more about our guidelines here.

Media contact:

Anne Wheeler
Communications Director
LBJ Library and Foundation
awheeler@lbjfoundation.org
Cell: (512) 731-2351 Call or Text
www.lbjlibrary.org