{"id":18264,"date":"2019-07-09T00:28:27","date_gmt":"2019-07-09T00:28:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/07\/09\/federal-records-remain-vulnerable-to-being-lost-or-destroyed\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T04:46:02","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T04:46:02","slug":"federal-records-remain-vulnerable-to-being-lost-or-destroyed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/federal-oversight\/watchdogs\/2019\/07\/09\/federal-records-remain-vulnerable-to-being-lost-or-destroyed\/","title":{"rendered":"Important federal records remain at risk of being lost or destroyed"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The government\u2019s archivists are not doing enough to safeguard and preserve essential and important federal records among agencies, according to a watchdog report released June 26.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And one of the explanations given by the National Archives and Records Administration for its poor performance? It can\u2019t quite figure out how many federal agencies actually exist to monitor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though NARA has made progress in addressing weaknesses and modernizing its electronic records management activities, \u201cpermanent electronic records are still at a significant risk of loss and destruction,\u201d according to the report from the NARA inspector general.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The IG found that NARA has not identified all federal agencies subject to the Federal Records Act, resulting in the NARA having \u201climited assurance all federal electronic records of historical or other value are preserved as required.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The report attributed NARA\u2019s inability to identify \u201cpossible gaps in permanent electronic records schedule accessions\u201d to not effectively exercising their oversight authority.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The report also noted that NARA was not exercising established controls, the agency\u2019s best practices were not being codified and there was inadequate strategic planning for NARA\u2019s inspections of other agencies\u2019 record management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NARA\u2019s challenges managing its electronic records could prove problematic for larger Trump administration policy goals, as the White House has set a Dec. 31, 2022, deadline for agencies to make all of their submissions to NARA electronic<\/a>, rather than physical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The IG acknowledged that it is difficult for NARA to know how many agencies are subject to the FRA because \u201cit has been widely reported that no federal entity knows how many federal agencies exist\u201d and there is confusion over the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, Forbes reported in July 2017 that FOIA.gov<\/a> lists 78 independent executive agencies and 174 components of the executive department, while the United States Government Manual lists 96 independent executive units and 220 components.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A couple more examples from the report: USA.gov<\/a> lists 137 independent executive agencies and 268 units in the Cabinet. In fiscal 2018, \u201cThe Best Places to Work in the Federal Government\u201d ranks a total of 488 agencies and subcomponents and the Federal Register reports there are at least 441 federal agencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NARA officials explained that no agency has primary responsibility for maintaining such a list, and the IG agreed that there is no single authoritative source listing all federal agencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the IG stated that \u201cif NARA is not proactive in leading the effort to identify all federal agencies subject to the FRA, it will be unable to fulfill its core mission as the nation\u2019s records keeper and to make access happen by delivering increased volumes of electronic records to the American people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among the recommendations made to NARA leadership were:<\/p>\n\n\n\n