Library / Laws / 113th / hr / H.R. 1234 / Reported in House
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Union Calendar No. 93
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1234
[Report No.
113–128]
IN THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES
March 18, 2013
Mr. Cummings
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform
June 25, 2013
Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee of
the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be
printed
Omit the part struck through and insert the part
printed in italic
A BILL
To amend title 44, United States Code, to
require preservation of certain electronic records by Federal agencies, to
require a certification and reports relating to Presidential records, and for
other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the
Electronic Message Preservation
Act.
2.
Records
management
(a)
Requirement for
Preservation of Electronic Messages
(1)
In
general
Chapter 29 of title 44, United States Code, is amended by
adding at the end the following new section:
2911.
Preservation
of electronic messages and other records
(a)
Regulations
Required
Not later than 18
months after the date of the enactment of this section, the Archivist shall
promulgate regulations governing Federal agency preservation of electronic
messages that are determined to be records (as such term is defined under
section 3301 of this title). Such regulations shall, at a minimum—
(1) require the
electronic capture, management, and preservation of such electronic records in
accordance with the records disposition requirements of chapter 33 of this
title;
(2) require that such
electronic records are readily accessible for retrieval through electronic
searches;
(3) establish
mandatory minimum functional requirements for electronic records management
systems to ensure compliance with the requirements in paragraphs (1) and
(2);
(4) establish a
process to certify that Federal agencies’ electronic records management systems
meet the functional requirements established under paragraph (3); and
(5) include timelines
for Federal agency compliance with the regulations that ensure compliance as
expeditiously as practicable but not later than four years after the date of
the enactment of this section.
(b)
Coverage of
Other Electronic Records
To the extent practicable, the
regulations promulgated under subsection (a) shall also include requirements
for the capture, management, and preservation of other electronic
records.
(c)
Compliance by
Federal Agencies
Each Federal agency shall comply with the
regulations promulgated under subsection (a).
(d)
Review of
Regulations Required
The Archivist shall periodically review and,
as necessary, amend the regulations promulgated under subsection (a).
(e)
Reports on
Implementation of Regulations
(1)
Agency report to
archivist
Not later than four years after the date of the
enactment of this section, the head of each Federal agency shall submit to the
Archivist a report on the agency’s compliance with the regulations promulgated
under this section.
(2)
Archivist report
to congress
Not later than 90 days after receipt of all reports
required by paragraph (1), the Archivist shall submit to the Committee on
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on
Oversight and Government Reform of the House of Representatives a report on
Federal agency compliance with the regulations promulgated under subsection
(a).
.
(2)
Clerical
amendment
The table of
sections at the beginning of chapter 29 of title 44, United States Code, is
amended by adding after the item relating to section 2910 the following new
item:
2911. Preservation of electronic messages
and other
records.
.
(b)
Disclosure requirement
for official business conducted using non-official electronic messaging
account
(1)
Amendment
Chapter 29 of title 44, United States Code,
as amended by subsection (a)(1), is further amended by adding at the end the
following new section:
2912.
Disclosure
requirement for official business conducted using non-official electronic
messaging accounts
(a)
In
general
An officer or
employee of an executive agency may not create or send a record using a
non-official electronic messaging account unless such officer or
employee—
(1) copies an official electronic messaging
account of the officer or employee in the original creation or transmission of
the record; or
(2) forwards a complete copy
of the record to an official electronic messaging account of the officer or
employee within five days after the original creation or transmission of the
record.
(b)
Adverse
Actions
The intentional
violation of subsection (a) (including any rules, regulations, or other
implementing guidelines), as determined by the appropriate supervisor, shall be
a basis for disciplinary action in accordance with subchapter I, II, or V of
chapter 75 of title 5, as the case may be.
(c)
Definitions
In
this section:
(1)
Electronic
messages
The term electronic messages has the
meaning given that term in section 2901.
(2)
Electronic messaging
account
The term
electronic messaging account means any account that sends
electronic messages.
(3)
Executive
agency
The term executive agency has the meaning
given that term in section 105 of title 5.
.
(2)
Clerical
amendment
The table of
sections at the beginning of chapter 29 of title 44, United States Code, as
amended by subsection (a)(2), is further amended by adding at the end the
following new item:
2912. Disclosure requirement for official
business conducted using non-official electronic messaging
accounts.
.
(b)
(c)
Definitions
Section 2901 of
title 44, United States Code, is amended—
(1) by striking
and at the end of paragraph (14); and
(2) by striking
paragraph (15) and inserting the following new paragraphs:
(15) the term
electronic messages means electronic mail and other electronic
messaging systems that are used for purposes of communicating between
individuals; and
(16) the term
electronic records management system means software designed to
manage electronic records, including by—
(A) categorizing and
locating records;
(B) ensuring that
records are retained as long as necessary;
(C) identifying
records that are due for disposition; and
(D) ensuring the
storage, retrieval, and disposition of
records.
.
3.
Presidential
records
(a)
Additional
Regulations Relating to Presidential Records
(1)
In
general
Section 2206 of title 44, United States Code, is
amended—
(A) by striking
and at the end of paragraph (3);
(B) by striking the
period at the end of paragraph (4) and inserting ; and;
and
(C) by adding at the
end the following:
(5) provisions for
establishing standards necessary for the economical and efficient management of
electronic Presidential records during the President’s term of office,
including—
(A) records management
controls necessary for the capture, management, and preservation of electronic
messages;
(B) records management
controls necessary to ensure that electronic messages are readily accessible
for retrieval through electronic searches; and
(C) a process to
certify the electronic records management system to be used by the President
for the purposes of complying with the requirements in subparagraphs (A) and
(B).
.
(2)
Definitions
Section
2201 of title 44, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following new paragraphs:
(6) The term electronic messages
has the meaning given that term under section 2901(15) of this title.
(7) The term electronic records
management system has the meaning given that term under section 2901(16)
of this
title.
.
(b)
Certification of
President’s Management of Presidential Records
(1)
Certification
required
Chapter 22 of title 44, United States Code, is amended
by adding at the end the following new section:
2208.
Certification
of the President’s management of Presidential records
(a)
Annual
Certification
The Archivist shall annually certify whether the
electronic records management controls established by the President meet
requirements under sections 2203(a) and 2206(5) of this title.
(b)
Report to
Congress
The Archivist shall report annually to the Committee on
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on
Oversight and Government Reform of the House of Representatives on the status
of the
certification.
.
(2)
Clerical
amendment
The table of
sections at the beginning of chapter 22 of title 44, United States
Code, as amended by subsection (a)(4), is
further amendedis amended by adding at the end
the following new item:
2208. Certification of the President’s
management of Presidential
records.
.
(c)
Report to
Congress
Section 2203(f) of
title 44, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following:
(4) One year following the conclusion of
a President’s term of office, or if a President serves consecutive terms one
year following the conclusion of the last term, the Archivist shall submit to
the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and
the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of
Representatives a report on—
(A) the volume and format of electronic
Presidential records deposited into that President’s Presidential archival
depository; and
(B) whether the electronic records
management controls of that President met the requirements under sections
2203(a) and 2206(5) of this
title.
.
(d)
Effective
date
The amendments made by
this
sectionsubsections (a), (b), and (c)
shall take effect one year after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(e)
Disclosure requirement
for official business conducted using non-official electronic messaging
account
(1)
Amendment
Chapter 22 of title 44, United States Code,
as amended by subsection (b)(1), is further amended by adding at the end the
following new section:
2209.
Disclosure
requirement for official business conducted using non-official electronic
messaging accounts
(a)
In
general
An officer or
employee of an executive agency may not create or send a Presidential record
using a non-official electronic messaging account unless such officer or
employee—
(1) copies an official electronic messaging
account of the officer or employee in the original creation or transmission of
the Presidential record; or
(2) forwards a complete copy
of the Presidential record to an official electronic messaging account of the
officer or employee within five days after the original creation or
transmission of the Presidential record.
(b)
Adverse
actions
The intentional
violation of subsection (a) (including any rules, regulations, or other
implementing guidelines), as determined by the appropriate supervisor, shall be
a basis for disciplinary action in accordance with subchapter I, II, or V of
chapter 75 of title 5, as the case may be.
(c)
Definitions
In
this section:
(1)
Electronic
messages
The term electronic messages has the
meaning given that term in section 2901.
(2)
Electronic messaging
account
The term
electronic messaging account means any account that sends
electronic messages.
(3)
Executive
agency
The term executive agency has the meaning
given that term in section 105 of title 5.
.
(2)
Clerical
amendment
The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 22 of
title 44, United States Code, as amended by subsection (b)(2), is further
amended by adding at the end the following new item:
2209. Disclosure requirement for official
business conducted using non-official electronic messaging
accounts.
.
June 25, 2013
Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee of the
Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed