[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 188 (Thursday, September 28, 2006)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 56919-56920]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-15927]


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NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION

36 CFR Part 1280

[NARA-06-0005]
RIN 3095-AB55


Use of NARA Facilities

AGENCY: National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: The proposed rule would revise NARA's policy on the inspection 
of personal property in the possession of a contractor, employee, 
student intern, visitor, volunteer or other person on NARA properties. 
Because NARA's current regulations apply specifically only to visitors 
on NARA property, the revised rule clarifies that all persons arriving 
on, working at, visiting, or departing from NARA property are subject 
to the inspection of their personal property. The proposed rule would 
also amend NARA's current regulations to include additional properties 
under NARA control. This rule will affect members of the public, 
members of Federal agencies, NARA employees, NARA contract-employees 
and NARA volunteers.

DATES: Comments are due by November 27, 2006.

ADDRESSES: NARA invites interested persons to submit comments on this 
proposed rule. Please include ``Attn: RIN 3095-AB55'' and your name and 
mailing address in your comments. Comments may be submitted by any of 
the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: Submit comments by facsimile transmission to 301-837-
0319.
     Mail: Send comments to Regulations Comments Desk (NPOL), 
Room 4100, Policy and Planning Staff, National Archives and Records 
Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD 20740-6001.
     Hand Delivery or Courier: Deliver comments to 8601 Adelphi 
Road, College Park, MD.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeffrey Landou at 301-837-1899 or fax 
number 301-837-0293.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Archivist prescribes rules that ensure the safety and 
preservation of the holdings subject to NARA's authority. NARA has a 
staff of over 3,000 people nationwide and receives over three million 
visitors to its facilities. With a combined volume of 27 million cubic 
feet of traditional holdings and 500,000 artifacts, the challenges of 
safeguarding the holdings are both difficult and complex.
    Incidents of theft by researchers and unauthorized removal of 
documents by former NARA staff have resulted in heightened security 
precautions in NARA facilities. Additional safeguards implemented 
during the past year include background checks for volunteers working 
with original records and artifacts, closed circuit video cameras in 
all regional archives and Presidential library research rooms, and the 
opening of a classified research room at the National Archives Building 
in Washington, DC. NARA regulations concerning conduct of NARA 
contractors, employees, student interns, visitors and volunteers are 
being revised to strengthen the current policies.
    The following section of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION discusses 
the regulations that we are proposing be revised.
    This proposed rule clarifies NARA's policy regarding inspection of 
personal property in the possession of a contractor, employee, student 
intern, visitor, volunteer or other person on

[[Page 56920]]

property under NARA's control. It specifically provides that all people 
who arrive, work at, or visit NARA-controlled facilities are subject to 
the inspection of their personal property. The General Services 
Administration's (GSA) regulations at 41 CFR 102-74 provide for the 
inspection of personal property in the possession of all people who 
arrive, work at, or visit NARA facilities controlled by GSA, but NARA's 
regulations at 36 CFR 1280.8 specifically provide, at the current time, 
only for the inspection of personal property of visitors on NARA-
controlled property.
    NARA controlled properties are those listed in 36 CFR 1280.2. We 
have identified in 36 CFR 1280.2 three additional NARA-controlled 
properties that have come into the NARA system since this part was last 
updated.
    The regulations at 41 CFR part 102-74 will continue to provide the 
authority to inspect all packages, briefcases, and other containers in 
the possession of all persons on property under the control of GSA.
    This proposed rule is not a significant regulatory action for the 
purposes of Executive Order 12866 and has not been reviewed by the 
Office of Management and Budget. As required by the Regulatory 
Flexibility Act, I certify that this rule will not have a significant 
impact on a substantial number of small entities because this proposed 
rule affects NARA contractors, employees, student interns, visitors, 
volunteers and other persons on NARA controlled property. This 
regulation does not have any federalism implications.

List of Subjects in 36 CFR Part 1280

    Archives and records.

    For the reasons set forth in the preamble, NARA proposes to amend 
part 1280 of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations as follows:

PART 1280--USE OF NARA FACILITIES

    1. The authority citation for part 1280 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 2104(a).

    2. Revise the heading for part 1280 to read as set forth above:
    3. Amend Sec.  1280.2 to add paragraphs (d), (e), and (f) to read 
as follows:


Sec.  1280.2  What property is under the control of the Archivist of 
the United States?

* * * * *
    (d) The National Archives Southwest Region. The National Archives 
Southeast Region in Morrow, Georgia as specified in 36 CFR 1253.7 (e).
    (e) The Federal Records Centers. The Federal Records Centers in 
Ellenwood, Georgia, and Riverside, California, as specified in 36 CFR 
1253.6 (d) and (l), respectively.
    (f) Additional Facilities. As other properties come under the 
control of the Archivist of the United States, they will be listed in 
these regulations as soon as practicable.


Sec. Sec.  1280.4, 1280.6 and 1280.8  [Redesignated as Sec. Sec.  
1280.6, 1280.8 and 1280.4]

    4. In Subpart A, redesignate Sec. Sec.  1280.4, 1280.6 and 1280.8 
as Sec. Sec.  1280.6, 1280.8 and 1280.4, respectively.
    5. Revise newly designated Sec.  1280.4 to read as follows:


Sec.  1280.4  What items are subject to inspection by NARA?

    NARA may, at its discretion, inspect the personal property in the 
possession of any NARA contractor, employee, student intern, visitor, 
volunteer, or other person arriving on, working at, visiting, or 
departing from NARA property.

    Dated: September 22, 2006.
Allen Weinstein,
Archivist of the United States.
[FR Doc. E6-15927 Filed 9-27-06; 8:45 am]
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