What is the Presidential Recordings and Materials Preservation Act?
• As a result of the abuses of governmental power commonly known as “Watergate” and the controversy that occurred over the disposition of the Nixon tapes and papers documenting these abuses, Congress passed the Presidential Recordings and Materials Preservation Act (PRMPA) in 1974. • PRMPA transferred ownership of the Presidential historical materials of Richard Nixon to the Federal government, deposited them with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), and specified access restrictions to these materials. • The act also called for a commission to study and make recommendations regarding the status of the papers of all Federal officials, including those of the President. • The findings of this study led to the Presidential Records Act of 1978, vesting ownership of the official records of the President and Vice President with the Federal government after January 20, 1981.
Related Questions
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