(a)
(1) the papers and other historical materials of a President or former President of the United States, or other official or former official of the Government, and other papers relating to and contemporary with a President or former President of the United States, subject to restrictions agreeable to the Archivist as to their use; and
(2) recorded information (as such term is defined in section 3301(a)(2) of this title) from private sources that are appropriate for preservation by the Government as evidence of its organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, and transactions.
(b)
(
Based on 44 U.S. Code 1964 ed., §397(e) (June 30, 1949, ch. 288, title V, §507, as added Sept. 5, 1950, ch. 849, §6(d),
A prior section 2111 was renumbered section 2115 of this title.
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"(1) involve former President Richard M. Nixon or other individuals who, at the time of the conversation, were employed by the Federal Government;
"(2) were recorded in the White House or in the office of the President in the Executive Office Buildings located in Washington, District of Columbia; Camp David, Maryland; Key Biscayne, Florida; or San Clemente, California; and
"(3) were recorded during the period beginning January 20, 1969, and ending August 9, 1974.
"(b)(1) Notwithstanding any other law or any agreement or understanding made pursuant to section 2111 of title 44, United States Code, the Archivist shall receive, retain, or make reasonable efforts to obtain, complete possession and control of all papers, documents, memorandums, transcripts, and other objects and materials which constitute the Presidential historical materials of Richard M. Nixon, covering the period beginning January 20, 1969, and ending August 9, 1974.
"(2) For purposes of this subsection, the term 'historical materials' has the meaning given it by section 2101 of title 44, United States Code.
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"(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, any other law, or any agreement or understanding made pursuant to section 2111 of title 44, United States Code, the tape recordings and other materials referred to in section 101 shall, immediately upon the date of enactment of this title, be made available, subject to any rights, defenses, or privileges which the Federal Government or any person may invoke, for use in any judicial proceeding or otherwise subject to court subpena or other legal process. Any request by the Office of Watergate Special Prosecution Force, whether by court subpena or other lawful process, for access to such recordings or materials shall at all times have priority over any other request for such recordings or materials.
"(c) Richard M. Nixon, or any person whom he may designate in writing, shall at all times have access to the tape recordings and other materials referred to in section 101 for any purpose which is consistent with the provisions of this title, subsequent and subject to the regulations which the Archivist shall issue pursuant to section 103.
"(d) Any agency or department in the executive branch of the Federal Government shall at all times have access to the tape recordings and other materials referred to in section 101 for lawful Government use, subject to the regulations which the Archivist shall issue pursuant to section 103.
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"(1) the need to provide the public with the full truth, at the earliest reasonable date, of the abuses of governmental power popularly identified under the generic term 'Watergate';
"(2) the need to make such recordings and materials available for use in judicial proceedings;
"(3) the need to prevent general access, except in accordance with appropriate procedures established for use in judicial proceedings to information relating to the Nation's security;
"(4) the need to protect every individual's right to a fair and impartial trial;
"(5) the need to protect any party's opportunity to assert any legally or constitutionally based right or privilege which would prevent or otherwise limit access to such recordings and materials;
"(6) the need to provide public access to those materials which have general historical significance, and which are not likely to be related to the need described in paragraph (1); and
"(7) the need to give to Richard M. Nixon, or his heirs, for his sole custody and use, tape recordings and other materials which are not likely to be related to the need described in paragraph (1) and are not otherwise of general historical significance.
"(b) The regulations proposed by the Archivist in the report required by subsection (a) shall not take effect until the expiration of the first period of 60 calendar days of continuous session of the Congress after the date of the submission of such regulations to each House of the Congress. For the purposes of this subsection, continuity of session is broken only by an adjournment of Congress sine die, but the days on which either House is not in session because of an adjournment of more than three days to a day certain are excluded.
"(c) The provisions of this title shall not apply, on and after the date upon which regulations proposed by the Administrator take effect under subsection (b), to any tape recordings or other materials given to Richard M. Nixon, or his heirs, pursuant to subsection (a)(7).
"(d) The provisions of this title shall not in any way affect the rights, limitations or exemptions applicable under the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. §552 et seq.
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"(b) If, under the procedures established by subsection (a), a judicial decision is rendered that a particular provision of this title, or a particular regulation issued under the authority granted by this title, is unconstitutional or otherwise invalid, such decision shall not affect in any way the validity or enforcement of any other provision of this title or any regulation issued under the authority granted by this title.
"(c) If a final decision of such court holds that any provision of this title has deprived an individual of private property without just compensation, then there shall be paid out of the general fund of the Treasury of the United States such amount or amounts as may be adjudged just by that Court.
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[
For provisions authorizing Archivist to review, downgrade, and declassify information of former Presidents under control of Archivist pursuant to this section or provisions set out as a note under this section, see Ex. Ord. No. 13526, §3.5(b), Dec. 29, 2009, 75 F.R. 718, set out as a note under section 3161 of Title 50, War and National Defense.