[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 145 (Thursday, July 29, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41140-41142]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-19397]


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NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION


Records Schedules; Availability and Request for Comments

AGENCY: National Archives and Records Administration, Office of Records 
Services--Washington, DC.

ACTION: Notice of availability of proposed records schedules; request 
for comments.

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SUMMARY: The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) 
publishes notice at least once monthly of certain Federal agency 
requests for records disposition authority (records schedules). Once 
approved by NARA, records schedules provide mandatory instructions on 
what happens to records when no longer needed for current Government 
business. They authorize the preservation of records of continuing 
value in the National Archives of the United States and the 
destruction, after a specified period, of records lacking 
administrative, legal, research, or other value. Notice is published 
for records schedules in which agencies propose to destroy records not 
previously authorized for disposal or reduce the retention period of 
records already authorized for disposal. NARA invites public comments 
on such records schedules, as required by 44 U.S.C. 3303a(a).

DATES: Requests for copies must be received in writing on or before

[[Page 41141]]

September 13, 1999. Once the appraisal of the records is completed, 
NARA will send a copy of the schedule. NARA staff usually prepare 
appraisal memorandums that contain additional information concerning 
the records covered by a proposed schedule. These, too, may be 
requested and will be provided once the appraisal is completed. 
Requesters will be given 30 days to submit comments.

ADDRESSES: To request a copy of any records schedule identified in this 
notice, write to the Life Cycle Management Division (NWML), National 
Archives and Records Administration (NARA), 8601 Adelphi Road, College 
Park, MD 20740-6001. Requests also may be transmitted by FAX to 301-
713-6852 or by e-mail to [email protected]. Requesters must 
cite the control number, which appears in parentheses after the name of 
the agency which submitted the schedule, and must provide a mailing 
address. Those who desire appraisal reports should so indicate in their 
request.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marie Allen, Director, Life Cycle 
Management Division (NWML), National Archives and Records 
Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD 20740-6001. 
Telephone: (301) 713-7110. E-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Each year Federal agencies create billions 
of records on paper, film, magnetic tape, and other media. To control 
this accumulation, agency records managers prepare schedules proposing 
retention periods for records and submit these schedules for NARA's 
approval, using the Standard Form (SF) 115, Request for Records 
Disposition Authority. These schedules provide for the timely transfer 
into the National Archives of historically valuable records and 
authorize the disposal of all other records after the agency no longer 
needs to conduct its business. Some schedules are comprehensive and 
cover all the records of an agency or one of its major subdivisions. 
Most schedules, however, cover records of only one office or program or 
a few series of records. Many of these update previously approved 
schedules, and some include records proposed as permanent.
    No Federal records are authorized for destruction without the 
approval of the Archivist of the United States. This approval is 
granted only after a thorough consideration of their administrative use 
by the agency of origin, the rights of the Government and of private 
persons directly affected by the Government's activities, and whether 
or not they have historical or other value.
    Besides identifying the Federal agencies and any subdivisions 
requesting disposition authority, this public notice lists the 
organizational unit(s) accumulating the records or indicates agency-
wide applicability in the case of schedules that cover records that may 
be accumulated throughout an agency. This notice provides the control 
number assigned to each schedule, the total number of schedule items, 
and the number of temporary items (the records proposed for 
destruction). It also includes a brief description of the temporary 
records. The records schedule itself contains a full description of the 
records at the file unit level as well as their disposition. If NARA 
staff has prepared an appraisal memorandum for the schedule, it too, 
includes information about the records. Further information about the 
disposition process is available on request.

Schedules Pending

    1. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau (N1-29-99-5, 3 items, 1 
temporary item). Electronic copies of documents created using 
electronic mail and word processing associated with annual reports and 
update reports of prisoners under sentence of death. Recordkeeping 
copies of the annual and update reports, which list the prisoner's 
name, state, sex, race, date of birth, marital status, educational 
level, the capital offense for which the prisoner was convicted, date 
of conviction, date of sentence, and inmate status, are proposed for 
permanent retention.
    2. Department of Defense, Office of the Inspector General (N1-509-
99-5, 6 items, 6 temporary items). Congressional staff briefings and 
subject files relating to the President's Council on Integrity and 
Efficiency. Records consist of briefings of Congressional staff by 
agency staff and correspondence with the President's Council and its 
committees regarding meetings, including meeting notices and agenda 
items. Also included are electronic copies of documents created using 
electronic mail and word processing.
    3. Department of Energy, Agency-wide (N1-434-98-15, 4 items, 4 
temporary items). Department of Energy, Agency-wide (N1-434-98-15, 4 
items, 4 temporary items). Mail delivery locator records and 
telecommunications master files and data bases that supplement or 
replace telecommunications operational files, which were previously 
approved for disposal. Also included are electronic copies of these 
records created using electronic mail and word processing.
    4. Department of Justice, Office of Legal Counsel (N1-60-98-9, 4 
items, 1 temporary item). Correspondence related to the appointment, 
service, and separation of volunteer hearing officers for conscientious 
objector cases under the Selective Service Acts of 1940 and 1948. 
Docket cards, abstracts, and indices are proposed for permanent 
retention.
    5. Department of Justice, Agency-wide (N1-60-99-2, 3 items, 1 
temporary item). Time and summary sheets submitted by Department 
lawyers from March to August 1969. Budget submissions, 1939 to 1949, 
and the correspondence of the Assistant Attorney General for the Land 
and Natural Resources Division for the period 1963-1973 are proposed 
for permanent retention.
    6. Department of Justice, Immigration and Naturalization Service 
(N1-85-99-5, 3 items, 3 temporary items). Electronic copies of 
documents created using electronic mail and word processing that are 
included in Forensic Document Laboratory Case Files. This schedule also 
increases the retention period for the recordkeeping copies of these 
files, which were previously approved for disposal.
    7. Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service (N1-58-99-
5, 3 items, 3 temporary items). IRS Tax Form 8863, Education Credits 
(Hope and Lifetime Learning Credits) filed with individual tax return 
forms.
    8. General Services Administration, Public Building Service (N1-
121-99-1, 1 item, 1 temporary item). Miscellaneous design and 
construction files consisting of correspondence, payments of claims, 
cost estimates, and preliminary planning records dating from 1974 to 
1976.
    9. Panama Canal Commission, Agency-wide (N1-185-98-2, 5 items, 5 
temporary items). Expenditure accounting records used to determine 
rates for marine and longshore services, fire protection services, 
transportation, utilities, and health and education services. Also 
included are records documenting the payment of disability benefits.
    10. Panama Canal Commission, Agency-wide (N1-185-99-1, 14 items, 14 
temporary items). Electronic systems and related paper records used to 
control, track, and monitor electronic files created by the agency's 
mainframe computer system. Included are records pertaining to such 
matters as the labeling of tapes, tape storage locations, and the 
formatting of computer-generated reports.

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    11. Panama Canal Commission, Office of the Inspector General (N1-
185-99-3, 4 items, 4 temporary items). Investigations of fraud, abuse, 
and violations of laws or regulations, external and internal agency 
audits, and records relating to allegations and complaints.

    Dated: July 22, 1999.
Michael J. Kurtz,
Assistant Archivist for Record Services--Washington, DC.
[FR Doc. 99-19397 Filed 7-28-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7515-01-P