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 This notice shall be published in the Federal Register and transmitted to the Congress. BARACK OBAMA

THE WHITE HOUSE, November 9, 2011

Memorandum of November 28, 2011

Managing Government Records

Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies

'''Section 1. ' Purpose. '' This memorandum begins an executive branch wide effort to reform records management policies and practices. Improving records management will improve performance and promote openness and accountability by better documenting agency actions and decisions. Records transferred to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) provide the prism through which future generations will understand and learn from our actions and decisions. Modernized records management will also help executive departments and agencies (agencies) minimize costs and operate more efficiently. Improved records management thus builds on Executive Order 13589 of November 9, 2011 (Promoting Efficient Spending), which directed agencies to reduce spending and focus on mission critical functions.

When records are well managed, agencies can use them to assess the impact of programs, to reduce redundant efforts, to save money, and to share knowledge within and across their organizations. In these ways, proper records management is the backbone of open Government.

Decades of technological advances have transformed agency operations, creating challenges and opportunities for agency records management. Greater reliance on electronic communication and systems has radically increased the volume and diversity of information that agencies must manage. With proper planning, technology can make these records less burdensome to manage and easier to use and share. But if records management policies and practices are not updated for a digital age, the surge in information could overwhelm agency systems, leading to higher costs and lost records. We must address these challenges while using the opportunity to develop a 21st-century framework for the management of Government records. This framework will provide a foundation for open Government, leverage information to improve agency performance, and reduce unnecessary costs and burdens.

Sec. 2.  ''Agency Commitments to Records Management Reform. '' (a)  The head of each agency shall:


 * (i)   ensure that the successful implementation of records management requirements in law, regulation, and this memorandum is a priority for senior agency management;


 * (ii)  ensure that proper resources are allocated to the effective implementation of such requirements; and 376