Classified National Security Information
Creates Uniform Rules for Classifying and Declassifying Government Information
What it does
Federal agencies must follow a uniform system to classify, safeguard, and declassify national security information and implement required procedures and oversight.
Real-world impact
- Requires agencies to mark classified documents with level, origin, and declassification instructions.
- Sets default declassification at 10 years and automatic declassification for older records after 25 years.
- Creates oversight office and appeals panel to review classification decisions.
Topics
Summary
This order establishes a single government-wide system for classifying, protecting, and declassifying national security information. It defines classification levels (Top Secret, Secret, Confidential), marking requirements, time limits for declassification, and limits on what may be classified.
It directs executive branch agencies to adopt procedures for original and derivative classification, automatic and mandatory declassification review, records management, and safeguarding of classified materials. The order also creates an Information Security Oversight Office, an interagency appeals panel, and sanctions for improper handling, affecting agency officials, employees, contractors, researchers, and the public.
Questions, answered
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- “What agencies are affected by this order?”
- “How does this order change existing policy?”
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