FAS | Secrecy | CRS Reports |||

Note: This archive of CRS reports is no longer actively maintained.
For new and updated reports, see the public website of the Congressional Research Service.

Congressional Research Service Reports
on Secrecy and Information Policy

• Presidential Transitions: Security Clearance Background Investigations, CRS In Focus, December 3, 2024
• The Classified Information Procedures Act (CIPA), CRS In Focus, November 6, 2024
• Stealing Trade Secrets and Economic Espionage: An Overview of the Economic Espionage Act, updated October 29, 2024
• Stealing Trade Secrets and Economic Espionage: An Abridged Overview, updated October 29, 2024
• The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA): A Legal Overview, updated June 27, 2024
• The Hur Tapes and the President's Claim of Executive Privilege, CRS Legal Sidebar, May 29, 2024
• The Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA): Overview and Considerations for Congress, March 26, 2024
• The Accessibility of Federal Information and Data: A Brief Overview of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, CRS In Focus, updated March 20, 2024
• Archival Records of Congress: Frequently Asked Questions, updated March 11, 2024
• Military Service Records, Awards, and Unit Histories: A Guide to Locating Sources, updated January 2, 2024
• The Freedom of Information Act: An Introduction, CRS In Focus, updated December 22, 2023
• Access to Government Information: An Overview, updated December 18, 2023
• The Presidential Records Act: An Overview, updated December 18, 2023
• The Privacy Act of 1974: Overview and Issues for Congress, December 7, 2023
• Congressional Displacement of the State Secrets Privilege and Article II, CRS Legal Sidebar, December 5, 2023
• Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA): Committee Establishment and Termination, CRS In Focus, updated October 19, 2023
• Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA): Meeting Requirements, CRS In Focus, updated October 19, 2023
• Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA): Membership, CRS In Focus, October 18, 2023
• Security Clearance Process: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions, updated October 5, 2023
• Taylor v. McDonough: Veterans Disability Benefits and Secret Military Programs, CRS Legal Sidebar, August 31, 2023
• Procedures for Declassifying Intelligence of Public Interest, CRS In Focus, updated August 10, 2023
• Managing Electronic Messages from High-Level Officials Through Capstone, CRS In Focus, June 15, 2023
• Criminal Prohibitions on Leaks and Other Disclosures of Classified Defense Information, updated May 11, 2023
• First Amendment Limitations on Disclosure Requirements, CRS In Focus, April 26, 2023
• Rules and Statutes Relevant to Safeguarding Classified Materials, CRS In Focus, February 3, 2023
• The Protection of Classified Information: The Legal Framework, updated February 2, 2023
• An Introduction to Trade Secrets Law in the United States, CRS In Focus, January 27, 2023
• Free Speech: When and Why Content-Based Laws Are Presumptively Unconstitutional, CRS In Focus, January 10, 2023
• Congress and the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), CRS In Focus, January 9, 2023
• The OPEN Government Data Act: A Primer, CRS In Focus, updated December 29, 2022
• FBI v. Fazaga: Supreme Court Unanimously Holds That FISA Does Not Displace the State Secrets Privilege, CRS Legal Sidebar, September 1, 2022
• Presidential Records Management: Preservation and Disposal, CRS In Focus, updated August 9, 2022
• Modernizing Access to Military Service Records: Frequently Asked Questions, August 8, 2022
• Beyond January 6th: White House Confidentiality and Congressional Investigations, CRS Legal Sidebar, August 5, 2002
• False Speech and the First Amendment: Constitutional Limits on Regulating Misinformation, CRS In Focus, August 1, 2022
• Information Access for Congressional Advisory Commissions, July 7, 2022
• Freedom of Information Act Fees for Government Information, CRS In Focus, updated June 29, 2022
• Abu Zubaydah and the State Secrets Doctrine, CRS Legal Sidebar, June 16, 2022
• Free Speech Challenges to Florida and Texas Social Media Laws, CRS Legal Sidebar, updated June 1, 2022
• Online Content Moderation and Government Coercion, CRS Legal Sidebar, May 13, 2022
• Executive Privilege and Presidential Communications: Judicial Principles, May 12, 2022
• Is Unauthorized Dissemination of a Draft Supreme Court Opinion a Federal Crime?, CRS Legal Sidebar, May 10, 2022
• The State Secrets Privilege: National Security Information in Civil Litigation, April 28, 2022
• Legislative and Judicial Developments Affecting Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER), CRS Legal Sidebar, February 1, 2022
• FBI v. Fazaga: Supreme Court Examines Interplay of State Secrets Privilege and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, CRS Legal Sidebar, January 12, 2022
• Freedom of Information Act Requests in FY2020: By the Numbers, CRS In Focus, October 26, 2021
• COVID-19 Impact on Access to Military Service Records, CRS In Focus, October 20, 2021
• Executive Privilege and the January 6 Investigations: The Presidential Records Act and Relevant Judicial Considerations, CRS Legal Sidebar, September 20, 2021
• Executive Privilege and Former Presidents: Constitutional Principles and Current Application, CRS Legal Sidebar, September 20, 2021
• Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Processing Changes Due to COVID-19: In Brief, March 27, 2020
• Grand Jury Secrecy and Impeachment: Implications of D.C. Circuit Ruling on the Special Counsel's Report, CRS Legal Sidebar, March 20, 2020
• Executive Privilege and Individuals outside the Executive Branch, CRS Insight, October 9, 2019
• Congressional Access to the President's Federal Tax Returns, CRS Legal Sidebar, updated July 2, 2019
• Executive Order to Reduce the Number of Federal Advisory Committees, CRS Insight, June 27, 2019
• When Does the Government Have to Disclose Private Business Information in its Possession?, CRS Legal Sidebar, updated June 25, 2019
• Frequently Asked Questions about the Julian Assange Charges, CRS Legal Sidebar, updated June 7, 2019
• Electronic Messaging Recordkeeping Requirements, CRS In Focus, May 21, 2019
• Do Courts Have Inherent Authority to Release Secret Grand Jury Materials?, CRS Legal Sidebar, updated April 9, 2019
• Federal Records: Types and Treatments, CRS In Focus, February 26, 2019
• Federal Grand Jury Secrecy: Legal Principles and Implications for Congressional Oversight, January 10, 2019
• Executive Branch Ethics and Financial Conflicts of Interest: Disclosure, CRS Legal Sidebar, January 2, 2019
• Records, Papers, Decisions: Kavanaugh Records and the Presidential Records Act, CRS Insight, August 27, 2018
• Does Executive Privilege Apply to the Communications of a President-elect?, CRS Legal Sidebar, March 8, 2018
• Resolutions of Inquiry: An Analysis of Their Use in the House, 1947-2017, November 9, 2017
• President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection: Toward Final Disclosure of Withheld Records in October 2017, CRS Insight, May 26, 2017
• Presidential Authority to Permit Access to National Security Information, CRS Legal Sidebar, May 17, 2017
• Lobbying Registration and Disclosure: The Role of the Clerk of the House and the Secretary of the Senate, April 19, 2017
• The Law and Leaks to the Press, CRS Legal Sidebar, February 22, 2017
• Federal Advisory Committees: An Introduction and Overview, October 27, 2016
• The Freedom of Information Act Turns Fifty & Is Revised, CRS Legal Sidebar, July 1, 2016
• Protection of Trade Secrets: Overview of Current Law and Legislation, April 22, 2016
• Freedom of Information Act Legislation in the 114th Congress: Issue Summary and Side-by-Side Analysis, April 21, 2016
• Access to Government Information In the United States: A Primer, March 18, 2016
• The Federal Advisory Committee Act: Analysis of Operations and Costs, October 27, 2015
• The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA): Background, Legislation, and Policy Issues, updated August 14, 2015
• The Presidential Libraries Act and the Establishment of Presidential Libraries, February 6, 2015
• Common Questions About Federal Records and Related Agency Requirements, February 2, 2015
• The Presidential Records Act: Background and Recent Issues for Congress, December 31, 2014
• Secret Sessions of the House and Senate: Authority, Confidentiality, and Frequency, December 30, 2014
• Presidential Claims of Executive Privilege: History, Law, Practice, and Recent Developments, December 15, 2014
• Disclosure of FISA Opinions--Select Legal Issues, February 24, 2014
• The Role of Trade Secrets in Innovation Policy, January 15, 2014
• Publishing Scientific Papers with Potential Security Risks: Issues for Congress, March 18, 2013
• Public Access to Data from Federally Funded Research: Provisions in OMB Circular A-110, March 1, 2013
• Government Transparency and Secrecy: An Examination of Meaning and Its Use in the Executive Branch, November 14, 2012
• U.S. Public Diplomacy: Legislative Proposals to Amend Prohibitions on Disseminating Materials to Domestic Audiences, September 21, 2012
• Protecting Classified Information and the Rights of Criminal Defendants: The Classified Information Procedures Act, April 2, 2012
• Congressional Lawmaking: A Perspective On Secrecy and Transparency, November 30, 2011
• Protection of Classified Information by Congress: Practices and Proposals, August 31, 2011
• The State Secrets Privilege: Preventing the Disclosure of Sensitive National Security Information During Civil Litigation, August 16, 2011
• The Obama Administration's Open Government Initiative: Issues for Congress, January 28, 2011
• Journalists' Privilege: Overview of the Law and Legislation in the 110th and 111th Congresses, January 19, 2011
• Classified Information Policy and Executive Order 13526, December 10, 2010
• The Freedom of Information Act and Nondisclosure Provisions in Other Federal Laws, September 24, 2010
• Freedom of Information Act (FOIA): Issues for the 111th Congress, March 11, 2010
• Federal Information Security and Data Breach Notification Laws, January 28, 2010
• Security Classification Policy and Procedure: E.O. 12958, as Amended, December 31, 2009
• The Unified Agenda: Implications for Rulemaking Transparency and Participation, July 20, 2009
• The Export Administration Act: Evolution, Provisions, and Debate, updated July 15, 2009
• House Resolutions of Inquiry, June 17, 2009
• The State Secrets Privilege and Other Limits on Litigation Involving Classified Information, May 28, 2009
• Classified Information Procedures Act (CIPA): An Overview, March 2, 1989
• Presidential Libraries: The Federal System and Related Legislation, updated November 26, 2008
• Reporting Requirements in the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, updated November 13, 2008
• The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act: Implementation and Proposed Amendments, October 22, 2008
• Freedom of Information Act Amendments: 110th Congress, updated July 21, 2008
• Reauthorization of the E-Government Act: A Brief Overview, May 14, 2008
• Federal Enterprise Architecture and E-Government: Issues for Information Technology Management, updated April 10, 2008
• Secret Sessions of Congress: A Brief Historical Overview, March 27, 2008
• Secret Sessions of the House and Senate, March 27, 2008
• Security Classified and Controlled Information: History, Status, and Emerging Management Issues, updated February 11, 2008
• Congress and the Internet: Highlights, August 29, 2007
• Does Price Transparency Improve Market Efficiency? Implications of Empirical Evidence in Other Markets for the Health Sector, July 24, 2007
• State E-Government Strategies: Identifying Best Practices and Applications, July 23, 2007
• Journalists' Privilege to Withhold Information in Judicial and Other Proceedings: State Shield Statutes, updated June 27, 2007
• Restructuring EPA's Libraries: Background and Issues for Congress, updated June 15, 2007
• Paperwork Reduction Act Reauthorization and Government Information Management Issues, updated January 4, 2007
• "Sensitive But Unclassified" Information and Other Controls: Policy and Options for Scientific and Technical Information, updated December 29, 2006
• Protection of National Security Information, updated December 26, 2006
• Open Access Publishing and Citation Archives: Background and Controversy, updated December 12, 2006
• Televising Supreme Court and Other Federal Court Proceedings: Legislation and Issues, updated November 8, 2006
• The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act: Background, Overview, and Implementation Issues, October 6, 2006
• Journalists' Privilege: Overview of the Law and 109th Congress Legislation, updated October 3, 2006
• Protection of Security-Related Information, September 27, 2006
• Disclosure of Security Classified Information, memorandum for Rep. Waxman, March 10, 2006
• Balancing Scientific Publication and National Security Concerns: Issues for Congress, updated February 2, 2006
• Tracking Current Federal Legislation and Regulations: A Guide to Basic Sources, updated January 13, 2005
• Interstate Travel: Constitutional Challenges to the Identification Requirement and Other Transportation Security Regulations, updated December 21, 2004
• Secrecy Versus Openness: New Proposed Arrangements for Balancing Competing Needs, updated October 12, 2004
• The Information Quality Act: OMB's Guidance and Initial Implementation, August 19, 2004
• Sensitive Security Information and Transportation Security: Issues and Congressional Options, June 9, 2004
• Privacy Protection: Mandating New Arrangements to Implement and Assess Federal Privacy Policy and Practice, May 27, 2004
• Legal Consequences of Efforts to Induce White House Staff to Waive "Newsman's Source" Protection in Connection with an Investigation of the Disclosure of an Individual's CIA Affiliation, CRS memo to the House Government Reform Committee, April 30, 2004, transmitted to the White House August 30, 2004
• On Whether an Agency May Prohibit a Federal Officer from Providing Accurate Cost Information to the U.S. Congress, memorandum for Rep. Charles Rangel, April 26, 2004
• "Sensitive But Unclassified" and Other Federal Security Controls on Scientific and Technical Information: History and Current Controversy, udpated February 20, 2004
• Sensitive Security Information, February 5, 2004
• High Performance Computers and Export Control Policy: Issues for Congress, updated February 10, 2003
• The Export Administration Act: Evolution, Provisions, and Debate, April 1, 2003
• A Primer on E-Government: Sectors, Stages, Opportunities, and Challenges of Online Governance, updated January 28, 2003
• Congressional Access to Executive Branch Information: Legislative Tools, May 17, 2001
• Government Secrecy and News Management by the Government, 1961-71: a Selected Bibliography, August 5, 1971

Continuity of Government

• National Continuity Policy: A Brief Overview, June 8, 2007
• Congressional Continuity of Operations (COOP): An Overview of Concepts and Challenges, updated September 9, 2005
• Emergency Preparedness and Continuity of Operations (COOP) Planning in the Federal Judiciary, updated September 8, 2005
• Legislative Initiatives to Temporarily Relocate Federal Courts Interrupted by Natural or Man-Made Disasters, 109th Congress, September 8, 2005
• Continuity of Government: Current Federal Arrangements and the Future, updated August 5, 2005
• Continuity of Operations (COOP) in the Executive Branch: Issues in the 109th Congress, January 31, 2005
• Martial Law and National Emergency, updated January 7, 2005
• Continuity of Operations (COOP) in the Executive Branch: Background and Issues for Congress, updated November 8, 2004