FAS

Public Input Sought on Classification Reform

06.25.09 | 1 min read | Text by Steven Aftergood

At the request of the National Security Advisor, a public meeting has been scheduled for July 8 to solicit public comments and recommendations concerning proposed revisions to executive branch classification and declassification policies.  The meeting was announced in a June 23 Federal Register notice.

The Public Interest Declassification Board, which is hosting the July 8 meeting, will also launch a new blog next week to solicit public recommendations online.  The blog will sequentially consider four areas: declassification policy, creation of a National Declassification Center, classification policy, and technology challenges and opportunities.  Discussion of each topic will continue for three days, before moving to the next topic.

Meanwhile, an experimental and somewhat erratic White House process for gathering public input on transparency and openness has entered its third phase, intended to draft “constructive proposals” for advancing open government.

publications
See all publications
Global Risk
Blog
The Pentagon’s (Slimmed Down) 2025 China Military Power Report

On Tuesday, December 23rd, the Department of Defense released its annual congressionally-mandated report on China’s military developments, also known as the “China Military Power Report,” or “CMPR.” The report is typically a valuable injection of information into the open source landscape, and represents a useful barometer for how the Pentagon assesses both the intentions and […]

01.09.26 | 7 min read
read more
Global Risk
Report
On the Precipice: Artificial Intelligence and the Climb to Modernize Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications

Successful NC3 modernization must do more than update hardware and software: it must integrate emerging technologies in ways that enhance resilience, ensure meaningful human control, and preserve strategic stability.

01.08.26 | 2 min read
read more
Global Risk
Blog
What’s New for Nukes in the New NDAA?

The FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) paints a picture of a Congress that is working to both protect and accelerate nuclear modernization programs while simultaneously lacking trust in the Pentagon and the Department of Energy to execute them.

12.18.25 | 5 min read
read more
FAS
Blog
“I’ve always been around people who make a living by caring”: an interview with Impact Fellow John Whitmer

For Impact Fellow John Whitmer, working in public service was natural. “I’ve always been around people who make a living by caring.”

12.18.25 | 3 min read
read more