A bipartisan effort is underway in the U.S. Congress to ensure the continued work of a board dedicated to shedding light on unsolved crimes from the Civil Rights Era. Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Jon Ossoff (D-Georgia) have introduced the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection Reauthorization Act, a bill that would extend the term of the Civil Rights Cold Case Review Board by four years.
The Review Board, composed of private citizens appointed by the President, is tasked with reviewing records related to criminal investigations from the Civil Rights Era. Its purpose is to facilitate public disclosure of these historical documents, potentially leading to new information or closure for victims’ families.
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“Civil Rights cold case victims and their families deserve justice,” Cruz said. “Giving the review board more time to investigate these unsolved cases is essential to delivering long-overdue accountability. I urge my colleagues to move quickly to pass this bill so the review board can continue its work.”
“For too long, families of Civil Rights cold case victims have waited for answers and justice,” Ossoff stated. “Our bipartisan bill is an opportunity to pursue justice and truth on behalf of those who were killed. There’s no expiration date on justice; that’s why this effort must continue.”
The proposed legislation would extend the board’s term from the current 7 years to a total of 11 years. Beyond the extension, the bill includes provisions aimed at strengthening the board’s mandate, including a sense of Congress that all federal, state, and local government records concerning civil rights cold cases should carry a presumption of immediate disclosure.
It also clarifies that certain privacy exemptions under the Freedom of Information Act do not apply to relevant records created on or before January 1, 1990, and allows for potential expense reimbursement for state and local governments providing records.
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Companion legislation has also been introduced in the House of Representatives by Representatives Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), and Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), signaling broad, bipartisan support for the board’s mission.
This reauthorization effort builds on previous work by the senators. In 2019, Senator Cruz and former Senator Doug Jones (D-Alabama) authored and passed legislation requiring federal agencies to transfer remaining cold case records to the Review Board, which the National Archives and Records Administration established. Senators Cruz and Ossoff previously collaborated in 2022 to pass the Civil Rights Cold Case Investigations Support Act, which extended the board’s initial term.
Both Senator Cruz and Senator Ossoff urged their colleagues to support the rapid passage of the bill to allow the board’s critical work to continue without interruption.
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