44 U.S.C. § 2902: Objectives of records management

Accurate and complete documentation of the policies and transactions of the Federal Government. Control of the quantity and quality of records produced by the Federal Government. 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. Simplification of the activities, systems, and processes of records creation, maintenance, transfer, and use. Judicious preservation and disposal of records. 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. Establishment and maintenance of such other systems or techniques as the Archivist or the Administrator considers necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter, and chapters 21, 31, and 33 of this title. An estimate of the number of backlogged record requests for veterans. Target timeframes to reduce the backlog. A detailed plan for using existing funds to improve the information technology infrastructure, including secure access to appropriate agency Federal records, to prevent future backlogs. Actions to improve customer service for requesters. Measurable goals with respect to the comprehensive plan and metrics for tracking progress toward such goals. Strategies to prevent future record request backlogs, including backlogs caused by an event that prevents employees of the Center from reporting to work in person. describes progress made by the National Personnel Records Center during the preceding 90-day period with respect to record request backlog reduction and efficiency and responsiveness improvement; provides data on progress made toward the goals identified in the comprehensive plan; and describes any changes made to the comprehensive plan. In carrying out paragraphs (1) and (2), the Archivist of the United States shall consult with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. the Committee on Oversight and Reform [now Committee on Oversight and Accountability], the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate. In addition to amounts otherwise available, there is authorized to be appropriated to the National Archives and Records Administration, $60,000,000 to address backlogs in responding to requests from veterans for military personnel records, improve cybersecurity, improve digital preservation and access to archival Federal records, and address backlogs in requests made under section 552 of title 5 , United States Code (commonly referred to as the Freedom of Information Act). Such amounts may also be used for the Federal Records Center Program. Subject to the availability of appropriations, and not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [ Dec. 23, 2022 ], the Archivist of the United States shall ensure, to the extent practicable, that the National Personnel Records Center maintains staffing levels and telework arrangements that enable the maximum processing of records requests possible in order to achieve the performance goal of responding to 90 percent of all requests in 20 days or less, not including any request involving a record damaged or lost in the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973 or any request that is subject to a fee that has not been paid in a timely manner by the requestor (provided the National Personnel Records Center issues an invoice within 20 days after the date on which the request is made). efforts taken by the National Archives and Records Administration to address the backlog of records requests at the National Personnel Records Center; and any recommendations for action proposed by the Inspector General related to reducing the backlog of records requests at the National Personnel Records Center and the status of compliance with those recommendations by the National Archives and Records Administration.”