H.R. 239: Justice for Kennedy Act of 2025

This bill, known as the Justice for Kennedy Act of 2025, aims to mandate the public disclosure of all records and information related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

Key Provisions

• Disclosure Requirement: Within 30 days after the bill is enacted, certain federal officials are required to publicly disclose any assassination records that they possess. These records must be unclassified and unredacted.
• Covered Federal Officials: The officials required to disclose the records include:
  • The Archivist of the United States
  • The Commissioner of Internal Revenue
  • The Director of the Central Intelligence Agency
  • The Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
  • The Secretary of Defense
  • The Secretary of State
• Exceptions to Disclosure: The disclosure must occur despite any conflicting laws or prior directives, including a Presidential Memorandum from December 2022.
• Petitions for Court-Sealed Records: The Attorney General is also required to petition any court for the public disclosure of assassination records that are currently under seal. This petition must occur within 30 days of the bill's enactment.
• Showing of Need: The Attorney General will show a particularized need for the disclosure of records from sealed sources, which will allow the request to proceed under the applicable rules of procedure.

Definitions

The bill establishes definitions to clarify its terms, specifically defining what constitutes an "assassination record" and outlining what federal officials are considered "covered" under this law.

Relation to Existing Laws

Throughout the bill, there are references to existing laws and acts, most notably the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992, stating that this new bill will take precedence over conflicting provisions.

Objective

The primary goal of this legislation is to promote transparency regarding the events surrounding the assassination of President Kennedy, which occurred in 1963. By disclosing these records, the bill seeks to provide the public with more complete information regarding this historical event.

Relevant Companies

None found