In the Federal Government, electronic records are as indispensable as their paper predecessors for documenting citizens' rights, the actions for which officials are accountable, and the nation's history.
Effective democracy depends on access to such records.
But we will lose the millions being created in electronic forms unless we find a way to preserve and keep them accessible indefinitely. Despite much effort, there seemed to be no feasible way to do that. And with support from the Administration, the Congress, Federal agencies, communities of concerned professionals, and other financial, technological, and implementation partners, NARA is at work to build it. ERA will deliver greater quantities of information, quickly and for as long as needed, to every office, library, school, and home in America with an Internet connection. The ERA will give increased reality to e-Government.