Open Forum Question Five

Although ISOO does a yeoman's job of administering MDR appeals, the delay in some cases runs years, and the time elapsed from the original MDR request can amount to more than a decade.  How can this ISCAP appeal process be streamlined? ISOO Response:  The ISOO provides administrative and logistical support to the Interagency Security Classification Appeals … Continue reading Open Forum Question Five

Fourth Open Forum Question and Answer

This time, an answer from our colleagues at the Department of Energy (DOE). Would it be possible to prevent the inadvertent disclosure of RD/FRD with a less burdensome review process than that currently required by the Kyl-Lott Amendment?  DOE RESPONSE:  For electronic and microfilm records, certain agencies are looking into the application of recent advances … Continue reading Fourth Open Forum Question and Answer

Third Question and Answer from the Forum

When will the Defense Department files (Joint Staff) for issues regarding terrorism in Western Europe; East German military relations with the Arab states, the Palestinian Liberation Organization, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and the states of Syria and Iraq be declassified for the period of the late 1960s to 1981 or so? … Continue reading Third Question and Answer from the Forum

Second Question and Answer from the Forum

At the June 2010 public forum, Archives official Michael Kurtz stated that one percent of the five million pages of JFK assassination records is still withheld and that these records will be processed by the National Declassification Center as it tries to clear the backlog by the end of 2013.  In light of the public interest in … Continue reading Second Question and Answer from the Forum

Unanswered Questions from the Forum

There were several questions that were submitted for the public forum, but not answered as we ran out of time.  Over the next several days, I will post questions and provide answers from forum participants.  As always, follow-on comments are welcome!  The first question and answer follows: I am concerned that the declassification of State … Continue reading Unanswered Questions from the Forum

NDC Second Public Forum Notes

As Promised by Sheryl.  Questions that we did not get to and answers from the panelists to follow a additional posts.  Many thanks to NDC archivist Bruce MacMillian for serving as note taker. PARTICIPANTS: Sheryl Shenberger, Director, NDC, NARA Nancy Smith, Director, Presidential Materials Staff, NARA  William J. (Jay) Bosanko, Executive, Agency Services, NARA  Robert Warrington, Chief … Continue reading NDC Second Public Forum Notes

NDC Open Forum

The National Declassification Center (NDC) will be hosting its second Open Public Forum on Tuesday August 23 at 10:00 in the McGowan Theater at Archives I in Washington DC.  Please enter via the special events entrance on Constitution Avenue.  NDC Director Sheryl Shenberger and Presidential Materials Staff Director Nancy Smith will provide an update on … Continue reading NDC Open Forum

NDC Releases its Third Bi-Annual Status Report

The NDC is pleased to release its Third Bi-Annual status report. This report details the progress made since January 2010 in meeting the President's December 29, 2009 charge to eliminate the approximately 400 million page back log of reviewed, but not publicly available records at NARA.   The report specifically focuses on progress made during the … Continue reading NDC Releases its Third Bi-Annual Status Report

NARA Proposed Declassification Regulation

Date: July 8, 2011 In today’s Federal Register, NARA published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Declassification of National Security Information. This proposed rule would update NARA's regulations related to declassification of classified national security information in records transferred to NARA's legal custody.  The rule incorporates changes resulting from issuance of Executive Order 13526, Classified National … Continue reading NARA Proposed Declassification Regulation