COINTELPRO Full Disclosure Act

# COINTELPRO Full Disclosure Act (HR 7220) Summary **What the Bill Would Do** This bill would require the full disclosure of government documents related to COINTELPRO, a controversial FBI surveillance program that operated from the 1950s through 1970s. The program secretly monitored, infiltrated, and disrupted various political organizations, including civil rights groups, anti-war activists, and other organizations deemed threats by the FBI. If passed, the bill would compel the release of classified records still being kept private, allowing the public and researchers to see the complete historical record of what the government did. **Who It Affects and Current Status** The bill primarily affects the FBI and federal agencies holding classified documents, as well as historians, researchers, and Americans interested in this period of government surveillance.

Family members of people targeted by COINTELPRO could also gain access to information about how their relatives were monitored. Currently, the bill is in committee, meaning it has been introduced but has not yet been debated or voted on by the full House of Representatives. This is an early stage in the legislative process.