Classified National Security Information
Headline: Federal Agencies Must Follow Uniform Rules for Classified Information
What it does: Agencies must implement a uniform system to classify, safeguard, and declassify national security information and follow implementing directives.
- Standardizes how federal employees and contractors classify, mark, and protect information.
- Creates automatic declassification at 25 years with narrow exemptions.
- Establishes a National Declassification Center to coordinate historical record reviews.
Summary
This order requires a single, government-wide system for classifying, protecting, and declassifying national security information, including terrorism-related material.
It applies to all federal agencies, agency heads, officials who create or handle classified material, contractors, and the National Archives.
The goal is to protect national security while improving routine and secure declassification so the public can access historical records when safe.
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