I 
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6576 
To require the Archivist of the United States to promulgate regulations 
regarding the use of information control designations, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 23, 2008 
Mr. WAXMAN (for himself and Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Gov-
ernment Reform 
A BILL 
To require the Archivist of the United States to promulgate 
regulations regarding the use of information control des-
ignations, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Reducing Information 
Control Designations Act’’. 
SEC. 2. PURPOSE. 
The purpose of this Act is to increase Government-
wide information sharing and the availability of informa-
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
01:54 Jul 24, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6576.IH
H6576
erowe on PRODPC61 with BILLS
tion to the public by standardizing and limiting the use 
of information control designations. 
SEC. 3. REGULATIONS RELATING TO INFORMATION CON-
TROL DESIGNATIONS WITHIN THE FEDERAL 
GOVERNMENT. 
(a) REQUIREMENT TO REDUCE AND MINIMIZE IN-
FORMATION
CONTROL
DESIGNATIONS.—Each Federal 
agency shall reduce and minimize its use of information 
control designations on information that is not classified. 
(b) ARCHIVIST RESPONSIBILITIES.— 
(1) 
REGULATIONS.—The 
Archivist 
of 
the 
United States shall promulgate regulations regard-
ing the use of information control designations. 
(2) REQUIREMENTS.—The regulations under 
this subsection shall address, at a minimum, the fol-
lowing: 
(A) Standards for utilizing the information 
control designations in a manner that is nar-
rowly tailored to maximize public access to in-
formation. 
(B) The duration of the information con-
trol designations and the process by which they 
will be removed. 
(C) Procedures for identifying, marking, 
dating, and tracking information assigned the 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
01:54 Jul 24, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6576.IH
H6576
erowe on PRODPC61 with BILLS
information control designations, including the 
identity of officials making the designations. 
(D) Provisions to ensure that the use of in-
formation control designations is minimized and 
cannot be used on information— 
(i) to conceal violations of law, ineffi-
ciency, or administrative error; 
(ii) to prevent embarrassment to Fed-
eral, State, local, tribal, or territorial gov-
ernments or any official, agency, or organi-
zation thereof; any agency; or any organi-
zation; 
(iii) to improperly or unlawfully inter-
fere with competition in the private sector; 
(iv) to prevent or delay the release of 
information that does not require such pro-
tection; 
(v) if it is required to be made avail-
able to the public; or 
(vi) if it has already been released to 
the public under proper authority. 
(E) Methods to ensure that compliance 
with this Act protects national security and pri-
vacy rights. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
01:54 Jul 24, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6576.IH
H6576
erowe on PRODPC61 with BILLS