[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 240 (Friday, December 17, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71674-71675]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-27323]


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NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION

[NARA-21-0021; NARA-2022-017]


Records Schedules; Availability and Request for Comments

AGENCY: National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).

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 of certain Federal agency requests for records 
disposition authority (records schedules). We publish notice in the 
Federal Register and on regulations.gov for records schedules in which 
agencies propose to dispose of records they no longer need to conduct 
agency business. We invite public comments on such records schedules.

DATES: NARA must receive responses on the schedules listed in this 
notice by February 2, 2022.

ADDRESSES: To view a records schedule in this notice, or submit a 
comment on one, use the following address: https://www.regulations.gov/
docket/NARA-21-

[[Page 71675]]

0021/document. This is a direct link to the schedules posted in the 
docket for this notice on regulations.gov. You may submit comments by 
the following method:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. On 
the website, enter either of the numbers cited at the top of this 
notice into the search field. This will bring you to the docket for 
this notice, in which we have posted the records schedules open for 
comment. Each schedule has a `comment' button so you can comment on 
that specific schedule. For more information on regulations.gov and on 
submitting comments, see their FAQs at https://www.regulations.gov/faq.
    Due to COVID-19 building closures, we are currently temporarily not 
accepting comments by mail. However, if you are unable to comment via 
regulations.gov, you may email us at [email protected] for 
instructions on submitting your comment. You must cite the control 
number of the schedule you wish to comment on. You can find the control 
number for each schedule in parentheses at the end of each schedule's 
entry in the list at the end of this notice.
    Due to COVID-19 building closures, we are currently temporarily not 
accepting comments by mail. However, if you are unable to comment via 
regulations.gov, you may contact [email protected] for 
instructions on submitting your comment. You must cite the control 
number of the schedule you wish to comment on. You can find the control 
number for each schedule in parentheses at the end of each schedule's 
entry in the list at the end of this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kimberly Keravuori, Regulatory and 
External Policy Program Manager, by email at 
[email protected]. For information about records schedules, 
contact Records Management Operations by email at 
[email protected] or by phone at 301-837-1799.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Public Comment Procedures

    We are publishing notice of records schedules in which agencies 
propose to dispose of records they no longer need to conduct agency 
business. We invite public comments on these records schedules, as 
required by 44 U.S.C. 3303a(a), and list the schedules at the end of 
this notice by agency and subdivision requesting disposition authority.
    In addition, this notice lists the organizational unit(s) 
accumulating the records or states that the schedule has agency-wide 
applicability. It also provides the control number assigned to each 
schedule, which you will need if you submit comments on that schedule. 
We have uploaded the records schedules and accompanying appraisal 
memoranda to the regulations.gov docket for this notice as ``other'' 
documents. Each records schedule contains a full description of the 
records at the file unit level as well as their proposed disposition. 
The appraisal memorandum for the schedule includes information about 
the records.
    We will post comments, including any personal information and 
attachments, to the public docket unchanged. Because comments are 
public, you are responsible for ensuring that you do not include any 
confidential or other information that you or a third party may not 
wish to be publicly posted. If you want to submit a comment with 
confidential information or cannot otherwise use the regulations.gov 
portal, you may contact [email protected] for instructions on 
submitting your comment.
    We will consider all comments submitted by the posted deadline and 
consult as needed with the Federal agency seeking the disposition 
authority. After considering comments, we will post on regulations.gov 
a ``Consolidated Reply'' summarizing the comments, responding to them, 
and noting any changes we have made to the proposed records schedule. 
We will then send the schedule for final approval by the Archivist of 
the United States. You may elect at regulations.gov to receive updates 
on the docket, including an alert when we post the Consolidated Reply, 
whether or not you submit a comment. If you have a question, you can 
submit it as a comment, and can also submit any concerns or comments 
you would have to a possible response to the question. We will address 
these items in consolidated replies along with any other comments 
submitted on that schedule.
    We will post schedules on our website in the Records Control 
Schedule (RCS) Repository, at https://www.archives.gov/records-mgmt/rcs, after the Archivist approves them. The RCS contains all schedules 
approved since 1973.

Background

    Each year, Federal agencies create billions of records. To control 
this accumulation, agency records managers prepare schedules proposing 
retention periods for records and submit these schedules for NARA's 
approval. Once approved by NARA, records schedules provide mandatory 
instructions on what happens to records when no longer needed for 
current Government business. The records schedules authorize agencies 
to preserve records of continuing value in the National Archives or to 
destroy, after a specified period, records lacking continuing 
administrative, legal, research, or other value. 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.
    Agencies may not destroy Federal records without the approval of 
the Archivist of the United States. The Archivist grants this approval 
only after thorough consideration of the records' administrative use by 
the agency of origin, the rights of the Government and of private 
people directly affected by the Government's activities, and whether or 
not the records have historical or other value. Public review and 
comment on these records schedules is part of the Archivist's 
consideration process.

Schedules Pending

    1. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and 
Immigration Services, Affidavits of Support or Exemption (DAA-0566-
2019-0033).
    2. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and 
Immigration Services, Notice of Appeal of Decision (DAA-0566-2021-
0004).
    3. Department of State, Office of the Legal Adviser, Consolidated 
Schedule (DAA-0059-2019-0014).
    4. Peace Corps, Office of Health Services, Medical Records for 
Individuals Rejected for Volunteer Service (DAA-0490-2021-0006).

Laurence Brewer,
Chief Records Officer for the U.S. Government.
[FR Doc. 2021-27323 Filed 12-16-21; 8:45 am]
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