Mandatory Declassification Review and the Interagency Security Classification

Appeals Panel

Society of American Archivists, Austin, Texas Session 603: August 15, 2009

• William C. Carpenter: NARA, Information Security Oversight Office • Mary Ronan: National Security Council• David Mengel: NARA, Special Access/FOIA Section• David Daley: Department of Defense• William Burr: National Security Archive

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Declassification Overview

Confidential, Secret, Top Secret Executive Order 12958, as amended Presidential decision Automatic declassification at 25 years Freedom of Information Act Mandatory Declassification Review

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What is Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR)?

MDR is a means by which any individual (regardless of nationality) or entity can request any agency to review classified information for declassification, regardless of its age or origin, subject to certain limitations set forth in Executive Order 12958, as amended, “Classified National Security Information” (the Order)

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What is the ISCAP? Interagency Security Classification Appeals Panel The ISCAP provides the public and users of the

classification system with a forum for further review of classification decisions

Three Functions• Decide on appeals for classification challenges lodged under

section 1.8 of the Order• Approve, deny, or amend application by agency heads of

exemptions under section 3.3(b) of the Order• Decide on appeals for MDR

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Membership

Senior-Level Representatives of:

Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs Department of Defense Department of State Department of Justice Central Intelligence Agency National Archives and Records Administration

The President appoints the ISCAP's chair from among its members ISCAP liaisons support members Director of ISOO serves as Executive Secretary ISOO provides program and administrative staff support

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Authority and Purpose Section 5.3 of the Order ISCAP Bylaws - Appendix A to 32 C.F.R. Part 2001 Advises and assists the President in the discharge of his

constitutional and discretionary authority to protect the national security of the United States

ISCAP decisions are considered to be final, unless changed by the President

Agency heads can appeal ISCAP decisions to the President

Special role of the Director of National Intelligence - section 5.3(f) of the Order

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Disposition of Initial MDR RequestsFY 1996 – 2008 (Total: 2,808,808 Pages)

Declassifiedin Full(61%)

1,732,164 pages

Declassified in Part(30%)

835,602 pages

Affirmed(9%)

242,042 pages

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ISCAP MDR DecisionsMay 1996 to September 2008 (769 Documents)

Affirmed(35%)

274 documents

Declassifiedin Part(43%)

328 documents

Declassifiedin Full(22%)

167 documents

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Number of MDR ISCAP AppealsMay 1996 to December 2008

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11 10

1822

25

48

3834

30

42

47

63

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

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Sample Documents

US DOJ OLC Memo, 2002 Israel and Nuclear Weapons, 1960

• Walter Pincus article, Washington Post, June 16, 2009

Arab-Israeli War Post-Mortem, 1973 Likelihood of Nuclear Acts by Terrorist Gro

ups, 1986

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DOJ OLC Memo, 2002

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Israel and Nuclear Weapons, 1960

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Arab-Israeli War Post-Mortem, 1973

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Likelihood of Nuclear Acts by Terrorist Groups, 1986

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Resources - General

ISCAP: http://www.archives.gov/isoo/oversight-groups/iscap/index.html

MDR: http://www.archives.gov/isoo/oversight-groups/iscap/mdr-appeals.html

ISOO: http://www.archives.gov/isoo/

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Contact Information

Information Security Oversight Office (ISOO)

William J. (Jay) BosankoDirector, ISOOExecutive Secretary, ISCAPThe National Archives Building700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NWWashington, D.C. 20408

Telephone: (202) 357-5250

FAX: (202) 357-5907

Bill Carpenter

Program Analyst

Telephone: 202-357-5466

Email: william.carpenter@nara.gov

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Panelists

Mary Ronan: National Security Council David Mengel: NARA, Special

Access/FOIA Section David Daley: Department of Defense Office

of Security Review William Burr: National Security Archive