Public reports that the current U.S. administration has failed to retain notes of the president’s meetings with foreign leaders raise concerns that President Donald J. Trump and the Executive Office of the President are in violation of their obligation to execute faithfully the Presidential Records Act and Federal Records Act.
In light of SHAFR’s interests in the creation and preservation of such records, SHAFR Council asks the membership to empower the Council, on a 2/3rds vote in favor with at least 80% of Council members voting, to take a public stand in favor of the accession and retention by the National Archives and Records Administration of records pertaining to meetings with foreign leaders. Such a stand may include issuing a public statement or statements, serving as one of the plaintiffs in a legal complaint, or taking other public steps, alone or in conjunction with organizations such as the American Historical Association, the Organization of American Historians, the Society of American Archivists, the National Security Archive, or the National Coalition for History, as Council may consider most effective for pursuing SHAFR's interests in this issue. No financial expense is anticipated.
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[The commenting and voting period have now passed. The resolution was approved].