History Coalition Warns of Critical Needs at National Archives

History Coalition Warns of Critical Needs at National Archives

With 12-Year Backlogs, Declassification at NARA Reaching Crisis Point

National Archives’ Budget Inadequate to the Task

Washington, D.C., July 23, 2024 - A major report on the current state of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) recently released by the National Coalition for History (NCH) includes a critical assessment of the state of declassification: “For the sake of accountability and a fuller historical record, NARA needs more funding so it can make steady progress in reviewing and declassifying classified historical records and fulfilling Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) requests.”

Prepared by a working group whose members included representatives from the National Security Archive, the History Coalition report sets an agenda for supporting and strengthening the National Archives. It identifies acute institutional needs and proposes steps that Congress, the White House, federal agencies, and NARA’s leadership can take to ensure the agency is properly funded and supported so that it can fulfill its critical mission for the American people.

The History Coalition’s findings dovetail with recommendations made over the years by the National Security Archive and other groups warning of the decades-long virtual flat line in NARA’s budget. The budget shortfall leaves this vital agency significantly behind in technology, staffing, and organizational capacity at a time when a tsunami of electronic records has descended on the Archives, which is already overwhelmed by paper records. Just a few months ago, in March 2024, a National Security Archive posting called out the inadequacy of NARA’s most recent budget request when observers were warning of “mission failure.”

The History Coalition and its members hope that the report, which was approved by the NCH Board of Directors on July 8, 2024, will stimulate discussion both inside and outside the Coalition, including the halls of Congress and executive branch agencies and offices, and result in a more robust and adequately funded National Archives.

READ THE REPORT

THE NATIONAL SECURITY ARCHIVE is an independent non-governmental research institute and library located at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. The Archive collects and publishes declassified documents acquired through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). A tax-exempt public charity, the Archive receives no U.S. government funding; its budget is supported by publication royalties and donations from foundations and individuals.

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