US Code

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

44 U.S.C. § 2904

General responsibilities for records management

(a)
The Archivist shall provide guidance and assistance to Federal agencies with respect to ensuring—
(1)
economical and effective records management;
(2)
adequate and proper documentation of the policies and transactions of the Federal Government; and
(3)
proper records disposition.
(b)
The Administrator shall provide guidance and assistance to Federal agencies to ensure economical and effective processing of mail by Federal agencies.
(c)
In carrying out the responsibilities under subsection (a), the Archivist shall have the responsibility—
(1)
to promulgate standards, procedures, and guidelines with respect to records management and the conduct of records management studies;
(2)
to conduct research with respect to the improvement of records management practices and programs;
(3)
to collect and disseminate information on training programs, technological developments, and other activities relating to records management;
(4)
to establish such interagency committees and boards as may be necessary to provide an exchange of information among Federal agencies with respect to records management;
(5)
to direct the continuing attention of Federal agencies and the Congress on the need for adequate policies governing records management;
(6)
to conduct records management studies and, in the Archivist’s discretion, designate the heads of executive agencies to conduct records management studies with respect to establishing systems and techniques designed to save time and effort in records management;
(7)
to conduct inspections or surveys of the records and the records management programs and practices within and between Federal agencies;
(8)
to report to the appropriate oversight and appropriations committees of the Congress and to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget in January of each year and at such other times as the Archivist deems desirable—
(A)
on the results of activities conducted pursuant to paragraphs (1) through (7) of this section,
(B)
on evaluations of responses by Federal agencies to any recommendations resulting from inspections or studies conducted under paragraphs (6) and (7) of this section, and
(C)
to the extent practicable, estimates of costs to the Federal Government resulting from the failure of agencies to implement such recommendations.
(d)
The Archivist shall promulgate regulations requiring all Federal agencies to transfer all digital or electronic records to the National Archives of the United States in digital or electronic form to the greatest extent possible.
(e)
The Administrator, in carrying out subsection (b), shall have the responsibility to promote economy and efficiency in the selection and utilization of space, staff, equipment, and supplies for processing mail at Federal facilities.

Pub. L. 94–575, § 2(a)(2)90 Stat. 2725Pub. L. 96–511, § 2(c)(1)94 Stat. 2825Pub. L. 98–497, title I, § 107(b)(16)98 Stat. 2288Pub. L. 113–187128 Stat. 2012Pub. L. 115–85, § 2(a)(2)131 Stat. 1274(Added , , ; amended , , ; , , ; , §§ 8(7), 9(c), , , 2013; , , .)

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

Pub. L. 90–62082 Stat. 1296Pub. L. 94–575, § 2(a)(2)A prior section 2904, , , , contained provisions similar to those comprising pars. (1) and (2) of this section, prior to repeal by .

Pub. L. 90–62082 Stat. 1296Pub. L. 94–575, § 2(a)(1)Provisions similar to those comprising pars. (8) to (10) of this section were contained in section 2902, , , , prior to repeal by .

Amendments

Pub. L. 115–85, § 2(a)(2)Pub. L. 113–187, § 9(c)2017—, amended . See 2014 Amendment notes below.

Pub. L. 113–187, § 9(c)(1)Pub. L. 115–85, § 2(a)(2)(A)2014—Subsec. (a). , as amended by , amended subsec. (a) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (a) read as follows: “The Archivist shall provide guidance and assistance to Federal agencies with respect to ensuring adequate and proper documentation of the policies and transactions of the Federal Government and ensuring proper records disposition.”

Pub. L. 113–187, § 9(c)(2)Pub. L. 115–85, § 2(a)(2)(C)Subsec. (b). , as added by , substituted “effective processing of mail by Federal agencies” for “effective records management by such agencies”.

Pub. L. 113–187, § 9(c)(3)(A)Pub. L. 115–85, § 2(c)(2)(B)Subsec. (c). , formerly § 9(c)(2)(A), as renumbered and amended by , (D)(i), substituted “the responsibilities under subsection (a), the Archivist shall have” for “their responsibilities under subsection (a) or (b), respectively, the Archivist and the Administrator shall each have” in introductory provisions.

Pub. L. 113–187, § 8(7)Subsec. (c)(6). , substituted “the Archivist’s” for “his”.

Pub. L. 113–187, § 9(c)(3)(B)Pub. L. 115–85, § 2(a)(2)(B)Subsec. (c)(8). , formerly § 9(c)(2)(B), as renumbered and amended by , (D)(ii), struck out “or the Administrator (as the case may be)” after “Archivist”.

Pub. L. 113–187, § 9(c)(4)Pub. L. 115–85, § 2(c)(2)(B)Subsec. (d). , formerly § 9(c)(3), as renumbered and amended by , (E), amended subsec. (d) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (d) read as follows: “In addition, the Administrator, in carrying out subsection (b), shall have the responsibility to promote economy and efficiency in the selection and utilization of space, staff, equipment, and supplies for records management.”

Pub. L. 113–187, § 9(c)(5)Pub. L. 115–85, § 2(a)(2)(F)Subsec. (e). , as added by , added subsec. (e).

Pub. L. 98–4971984— substituted “for records management” for “of Administrator” in section catchline.

Pub. L. 98–497Subsec. (a). designated existing first sentence as subsec. (a) and substituted “Archivist” for “Administrator” and “ensuring adequate and proper documentation of the policies and transactions of the Federal Government and ensuring proper records disposition” for “records creation, records maintenance and use, and records disposition”.

Pub. L. 98–497Subsec. (b). added subsec. (b).

Pub. L. 98–497Subsec. (c). designated existing second sentence as subsec. (c), substituted “In carrying out the responsibilities under subsection (a) or (b), respectively” for “In providing such guidance and assistance,”, and inserted reference to Archivist in text preceding par. (1).

Pub. L. 98–497Subsec. (c)(1). redesignated par. (2) as (1). Provisions contained in former par. (1) are now contained substantially in subsec. (d).

Pub. L. 98–497Subsec. (c)(2). redesignated par. (3) as (2). Former par. (2) redesignated (1).

Pub. L. 98–497Subsec. (c)(3). redesignated par. (6) as (3) and inserted “to collect and”, “training programs”, and “other activities”. Former par. (3) redesignated (2).

Pub. L. 98–497Subsec. (c)(4). redesignated par. (5) as (4). Former par. (4), which read “serve as a clearinghouse for information with respect to records management and as a central source for reference and training materials with respect to records management”, was struck out.

Pub. L. 98–497Subsec. (c)(5). redesignated par. (7) as (5) and struck out “the burden placed on the Federal Government by unnecessary paperwork” after “Congress on”, “creation” before “maintenance”, and “and use, and disposition” after “maintenance”. Former par. (5) redesignated (4).

Pub. L. 98–497Subsec. (c)(6). redesignated par. (8) as (6) and struck out “with particular attention given to standards and procedures governing records creation” at end. Former par. (6) redesignated (3).

Pub. L. 98–497Subsec. (c)(7). redesignated par. (9) as (7) and substituted “surveys of the records and the records management programs and practices within and between Federal agencies” for “records management studies which involve a review of the programs and practices of more than one Federal agency and which examine interaction among and relationships between Federal agencies with respect to records and records management”. Former par. (7) redesignated (5).

Pub. L. 98–497Subsec. (c)(8). redesignated par. (10) as (8) and inserted “in January of each year”, “the Archivist or”, and substituted “(7)” for “(9)” and “(6)” and “(7)” for “(8)” and “(9)”, respectively, in subpars. (A) and (B).

Pub. L. 98–497Subsec. (c)(9), (10). redesignated pars. (9) and (10) as (7) and (8), respectively.

Pub. L. 98–497Subsec. (d). added subsec. (d).

Pub. L. 96–5111980—Par. (10). prescribed that the report be to appropriate oversight and appropriations committees, incorporated existing provisions in cls. (A) and (B) and added cl. (C).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2017 Amendment

Pub. L. 115–85Pub. L. 113–187section 2(b) of Pub. L. 115–85section 2902 of this titleAmendment by effective as if included in , see , set out as a note under .

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. 96–511, § 594 Stat. 2826

section 2905 of this titlesection 5315 of Title 5section 1221–3 of Title 20section 1211 of Title 30section 292h of Title 42“This Act [enacting chapter 35 of this title, amending this section, , , Government Organization and Employees, , Education, , Mineral Lands and Mining, and , The Public Health and Welfare, and enacting provisions set out as notes under sections 101 and 3503 of this title] shall take effect on .”
, , , provided:

Termination of Reporting Requirements

section 3003 of Pub. L. 104–66Pub. L. 106–554section 1113 of Title 31For termination, effective , of provisions of law requiring submittal to Congress of any annual, semiannual, or other regular periodic report listed in House Document No. 103–7 (in which a report to appropriate oversight and appropriations committees of Congress under subsec. (c)(8) of this section is listed as the 9th item on page 173 and as the 5th item on page 180), see , as amended, and section 1(a)(4) [div. A, § 1402(1)] of , set out as notes under , Money and Finance.