Skip to main content
H.R. 2635 105th Congress House

Human Rights Information Act

Official title: To provide a process for declassifying on an expedited basis certain documents relating to human rights abuses in Guatemala and Honduras.

Introduced: October 8, 1997 See on congress.gov
Government Operations and Politics Administrative remediesArmed Forces and National SecurityCaribbean areaCivil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
CongressCongress and foreign policyCongressional reporting requirementsCovert operationsExecutive reorganizationFederal advisory bodiesFreedom of informationGovernmental investigationsGuatemalaHondurasHuman rightsInternational AffairsLatin AmericaLawPresident and foreign policyPresidential appointmentsSecurity classification (Government documents)
Sign in to write a letter Sign in to watch
This bill died when the 105th Congress ended
It never became law before the 105th Congress (1997–1998) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 7 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Sep 28, 1998
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Sep 28, 1998
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
May 11, 1998
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Oct 14, 1997
Referred to the Subcommittee on Government Management, Information and Technology.
Oct 9, 1997
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1983-1984)
Oct 8, 1997
Referred to the House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight.
Oct 8, 1997
Introduced in House
 Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

 Latest action September 28, 1998

Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Human Rights Information Act - Requires certain Federal agencies to identify and organize all human rights records regarding activities occurring in Guatemala and Honduras after 1944 for declassification and disclosure purposes, and to make them available to the public and other official entities, including Latin American or Caribbean countries.

Instructs the President to report to the Congress regarding agency compliance.

Prescribes guidelines under which the Interagency Security Classification Appeals Panel (the Panel) shall review agency determinations to postpone public disclosure of any human rights record. Authorizes postponement of such public disclosures on specified grounds.

Directs the Information Security Policy Advisory Council to report to the Congress on declassification of human rights records relating to other Latin American and Caribbean countries and to make such report available to the public.

Creates two additional positions in the Panel in order to implement this Act.

 Related & companion bills 1
  • S 1220 Identical bill Human Rights Information Act
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 18
All 18 Democratic 16 Independent 1
D
Nadler, Jerrold
New York · Oct 15, 1998
 D
Smith, Adam
Washington · Oct 8, 1998
 D
Velázquez, Nydia M.
New York · Jul 24, 1998
 D
Neal, Richard E.
Massachusetts · Jun 11, 1998
 D
Schumer, Charles E.
New York · Jun 11, 1998
 D
Clyburn, James E.
South Carolina · Apr 28, 1998
 D
Markey, Edward J.
Massachusetts · Apr 28, 1998
 D
Waters, Maxine
California · Apr 28, 1998
 D
Davis, Danny K.
Illinois · Mar 17, 1998
 D
DeGette, Diana
Colorado · Mar 17, 1998
KLECZKA, GERALD
· Mar 17, 1998
 D
Kaptur, Marcy
Ohio · Feb 3, 1998
 D
Norton, Eleanor Holmes
District of Columbia · Feb 3, 1998
 D
Pelosi, Nancy
California · Feb 3, 1998
 D
Lofgren, Zoe
California · Nov 7, 1997
 D
Sherman, Brad
California · Nov 7, 1997
 D
McGovern, James P.
Massachusetts · Oct 8, 1997
 I
Sanders, Bernard
Vermont · Oct 8, 1997
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 2635: Human Rights Information Act. 105th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-2635/
MLA
"H.R. 2635: Human Rights Information Act." 105th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-2635/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 2635, 105th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-2635/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 2635: Human Rights Information Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-2635/)
Report a problem