Skip to main content
S 1285 111th Congress Senate

Detainee Photographic Records Protection Act of 2009

Official title: A bill to provide that certain photographic records relating to the treatment of any individual engaged, captured, or detained after September 11, 2001, by the… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: A bill to provide that certain photographic records relating to the treatment of any individual engaged, captured, or detained after September 11, 2001, by the Armed Forces of the United States in operations outside the United States shall not be subject to disclosure under section 552 of title 5, United States Code (commonly referred to as the Freedom of Information Act), to amend section 552(b)(3) of title 5, United States Code (commonly referred to as the Freedom of Information Act) to provide that statutory exemptions to disclosure requirements of that Act shall specifically cite to the provision of that Act authorizing exemptions, to ensure and open and deliberative process in Congress by providing for related legislative proposals to explicitly state such required citations, and for other purposes.

Introduced: June 17, 2009 See on congress.gov
Government Operations and Politics Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogationDetention of personsDiplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroadFreedom of information
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Government information and archivesHuman rightsMilitary operations and strategyPhotography and imaging
This bill died when the 111th Congress ended
It never became law before the 111th Congress (2009–2010) 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 8 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jun 18, 2009
Referred to House Armed Services
Jun 18, 2009
Referred to House Oversight and Government Reform
Jun 18, 2009
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Jun 18, 2009
Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Jun 18, 2009
Received in the House.
Jun 17, 2009
Introduced in the Senate, read twice, considered, read the third time, and passed without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S6742; text as passed Senate: CR S6742)
Jun 17, 2009
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Introduced in the Senate, read twice, considered, read the third time, and passed without amendment by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S6742; text as passed Senate: CR S6742)
Jun 17, 2009
Introduced in Senate
 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 June 18, 2009

Referred to House Armed Services

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Detainee Photographic Records Protection Act of 2009 - Requires the Secretary of Defense to: (1) certify any photograph taken between September 11, 2001, and January 22, 2009, that relates to the treatment of individuals engaged, captured, or detained after September 11, 2001, by the U.S. Armed Forces in operations outside of the United States if the Secretary determines that disclosure of such photograph would endanger U.S. citizens or members of the Armed Forces or U.S. government employees deployed outside the United States; and (2) submit timely notice of such certification to Congress.

Authorizes the Secretary to submit a renewal of a certification at any time. Provides that a certification or a renewal shall expire after three years.

Exempts such a certified photograph from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), but does not preclude voluntary disclosure.

OPEN FOIA Act of 2009 - Amends FOIA to require statutory exemptions to its disclosure requirements to specifically cite its provision that authorizes such exemptions.

 Related & companion bills 5
 Bill text 3 versions

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 1285: Detainee Photographic Records Protection Act of 2009. 111th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/111-S-1285/
MLA
"S. 1285: Detainee Photographic Records Protection Act of 2009." 111th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/111-S-1285/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 1285, 111th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/111-S-1285/.
Markdown link
[S. 1285: Detainee Photographic Records Protection Act of 2009](https://openamerica.io/bill/111-S-1285/)
Report a problem