It is the purpose of this chapter, and chapters 21, 31, and 33 of this title, to require the establishment of standards and procedures to assure efficient and effective records management. Such records management standards and procedures shall seek to implement the following goals:

1. (1) Accurate and complete documentation of the policies and transactions of the Federal Government.
2. (2) Control of the quantity and quality of records produced by the Federal Government.
3. (3) Establishment and maintenance of mechanisms of control with respect to records creation in order to prevent the creation of unnecessary records and with respect to the effective and economical operations of an agency.
4. (4) Simplification of the activities, systems, and processes of records creation, maintenance, transfer, and use.
5. (5) Judicious preservation and disposal of records.
6. (6) Direction of continuing attention on records from their initial creation to their final disposition, with particular emphasis on the prevention of unnecessary Federal paperwork and the transfer of records from Federal agencies to the National Archives of the United States in digital or electronic form to the greatest extent possible.
7. (7) Establishment and maintenance of such other systems or techniques as the Archivist considers necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter, and chapters 21, 31, and 33 of this title.

(Added Pub. L. 94–575, § 2(a)(1), Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2724; amended Pub. L. 98–497, title I, § 107(b)(14), Oct. 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 2288; Pub. L. 113–187, § 9(a), Nov. 26, 2014, 128 Stat. 2012.)

Prior Provisions

A prior section 2902, Pub. L. 90–620, Oct. 22, 1968, 82 Stat. 1296, related to activities of the Administrator of General Services with respect to records management, surveys, and reports, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 94–575, § 2(a)(1). See section 2904 of this title.

Amendments

2014—Par. (4). Pub. L. 113–187, § 9(a)(1), substituted “creation, maintenance, transfer, and use” for “creation and of records maintenance and use”.

Par. (6). Pub. L. 113–187, § 9(a)(2), inserted before period at end “and the transfer of records from Federal agencies to the National Archives of the United States in digital or electronic form to the greatest extent possible”.

Par. (7). Pub. L. 113–187, § 9(a)(3), struck out “the Administrator or” before “the Archivist”.

1984—Par. (7). Pub. L. 98–497 inserted “or the Archivist” after “Administrator”.

Effective Date of 1984 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 98–497 effective Apr. 1, 1985, see section 301 of Pub. L. 98–497, set out as a note under section 2102 of this title.