Illinois Congressman Mike Quigley Introduces ‘COVFEFE Act’ to Make Social Media a Presidential Record

UPDATE: The “COVFEFE Act” bill has been given the number H.R. 2884. You can now track the legislation using GovTrack and/or Congress.gov.
From CNN:

Democratic Rep. Mike Quigley of Illinois has introduced a bill, dubbed the “COVFEFE Act,” to require the preservation of a president’s social media records.
Quigley’s bill turns the buzz word into an acronym standing for the Communications Over Various Feeds Electronically for Engagement Act, which would broaden the scope of the Presidential Records Act of 1978 by including the term “social media” as documentary material.
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As is, the Presidential Records Act mandates that presidents take all necessary steps to ensure their records are properly documented and stored with the National Archives and Records Administration for public release after they leave office.

Read the Complete CNN Report 
From the News Release (via Rep. Mike Quigley):

This bill codifies vital guidance from the National Archives by amending the Presidential Records Act to include the term “social media” as a documentary material, ensuring additional preservation of presidential communication and statements while promoting government accountability and transparency.
In order to maintain public trust in government, elected officials must answer for what they do and say; this includes 140-character tweets,” said Rep. Quigley. “President Trump’s frequent, unfiltered use of his personal Twitter account as a mean

Read the Complete News Release
Direct to Full Text of Legislation (PDF)

Filed under: Archives and Special Collections, News, Preservation