119th (2025–2027)
H.R. 7220
H.R. 7220 requires the federal government to publicly disclose all records related to COINTELPRO, the FBI's controversial domestic surveillance program from the 1950s and 1960s, within six months with only limited exceptions for records that would cause clear and demonstrable harm. The bill establishes a centralized COINTELPRO Records Collection at the National Archives and creates an independent, five-member Review Board with subpoena power and broad investigative authority to assess contested documents and recommend disclosure to the public. The Review Board, composed of distinguished professionals including historians and attorneys, will operate for up to four years (with a possible one-year extension) and can access sealed court and grand jury records relevant to COINTELPRO investigations. Any records withheld after 25 years must have written justification approved by the Archivist and relevant branch leaders, with ultimate override authority held by the President, Chief Justice, or Congressional leadership depending on the record's location. The bill also renames the J. Edgar Hoover Federal Building to the FBI Federal Building and gives this disclosure law priority over most other secrecy statutes while preserving existing Freedom of Information Act and judicial review rights.