This press release was sent out today from the U.S. Senate Committee of Homeland Security and Government Affairs:

WASHINGTON – Former Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Joe Lieberman, ID-Conn., will set a precedent by including his Committee emails with the rest of his Committee records to be sent to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).

Lieberman is the first Committee Chairman to archive his Committee emails, according to Senate Archivist Karen Paul. Those emails date back to 2001 when Lieberman became Chairman of the Committee.

“I have long been a proponent of open government and transparency,” said Lieberman, who, as HSGAC chairman oversaw the National Archives. “And because so much of our work is conducted electronically, it seemed logical for me to include my emails as part of my Senate archives.  Presidential emails have been preserved since the Reagan Administration. It’s time Senators archive their emails as well, so the full, vibrant history of the Senate can continue to be written.”

The National Archive records will be restricted for 20-50 years.

In addition to the Committee records held by NARA, Lieberman’s personal papers will be deposited at the Library of Congress. That archive comprises approximately 1,500 boxes of Lieberman’s personal and professional papers, as well as an extensive quantity of personal and staff emails and other electronic files documenting his long and distinguished career in public service from 1970 through 2013. The collection spans his service in the Connecticut State Senate (1970-1981), as Attorney General for Connecticut (1983-1989), as a four-term member of the United States Senate (1989-2013), and as the Democratic nominee for Vice President in the 2000 presidential election.

The Senator’s personal papers will be deposited at the Library for a period of at least eight years, with the intent that the collection will be transferred permanently as a gift to the Library.  Access is presently reserved to Lieberman and to individuals receiving permission from Lieberman.