Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Congressional Research Service
Official summary
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · May 4, 2022
Promoting Accountability and Security in Transitions Act of 2022 or the PAST Act of 2022
This bill revises requirements for preservation of presidential records and requires that information be made available to the next administration in a timely fashion.
Specifically, the bill (1) requires the President to receive written guidance from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) before destroying any records, (2) prohibits White House staff from using nonofficial electronic messaging accounts that cannot be easily copied or forwarded to official accounts, (3) establishes consequences for former Presidents who destroy presidential records, (4) requires former Presidents to cover the cost of digitizing records for display in a presidential library, and (5) requires NARA to ensure that newly inaugurated Presidents are granted easy access to national security information.
Source last updated: Jan 10, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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