US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

44 U.S.C. § 2905

Establishment of standards for selective retention of records; security measures

(a)
The Archivist shall establish standards for the selective retention of records of continuing value, and assist Federal agencies in applying the standards to records in their custody. The Archivist shall notify the head of a Federal agency of any actual, impending, or threatened unlawful removal, defacing, alteration, or destruction of records in the custody of the agency that shall come to the Archivist’s attention, and assist the head of the agency in initiating action through the Attorney General for the recovery of records unlawfully removed and for other redress provided by law. In any case in which the head of the agency does not initiate an action for such recovery or other redress within a reasonable period of time after being notified of any such unlawful action, the Archivist shall request the Attorney General to initiate such an action, and shall notify the Congress when such a request has been made.
(b)
The Archivist shall assist the Administrator for the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in conducting studies and developing standards relating to record retention requirements imposed on the public and on State and local governments by Federal agencies.

Pub. L. 90–62082 Stat. 1296Pub. L. 96–511, § 2(c)(2)94 Stat. 2825Pub. L. 98–497, title I, § 107(b)(15)(B)98 Stat. 2288Pub. L. 113–187, § 8(8)128 Stat. 2012(, , ; , , ; , title II, § 203(a), , , 2294; , , .)

Historical and Revision Notes

June 30, 1949, ch. 288Sept. 5, 1950, ch. 849, § 6(d)64 Stat. 583Based on 44 U.S. Code, 1964 ed., § 395(b) (, title V, § 505(b), as added , ).

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 113–1872014—Subsec. (a). substituted “The Archivist shall notify” for “He shall notify” and “the Archivist’s attention” for “his attention”.

Pub. L. 98–497, § 107(b)(15)(B)1984—Subsec. (a). , substituted “Archivist” for “Administrator of General Services”.

Pub. L. 98–497, § 203(a), inserted “In any case in which the head of the agency does not initiate an action for such recovery or other redress within a reasonable period of time after being notified of any such unlawful action, the Archivist shall request the Attorney General to initiate such an action, and shall notify the Congress when such a request has been made.”

Pub. L. 98–497, § 107(b)(15)(B)Subsec. (b). , substituted “Archivist” for “Administrator of General Services”.

Pub. L. 96–5111980— designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and added subsec. (b).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1984 Amendment

Pub. L. 98–497section 301 of Pub. L. 98–497section 2102 of this titleAmendment by effective , see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1980 Amendment

Pub. L. 96–511section 5 of Pub. L. 96–511section 2904 of this titleAmendment by effective on , see , set out as a note under .