Information Security Oversight Office Releases its Annual Report to the President
Press Release · Thursday, July 20, 2017

Washington, DC

Today, the Information Security Oversight Office of the National Archives (ISOO) released online its Report to the President for Fiscal Year (FY) 2016.  This annual report includes information on government agencies’ security classification activities and costs, and provides an update on the implementation of the Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) program.  This annual report was mandated by Executive Order 13526, Classified National Security Information.

FY 2016 report highlights:

Classification Activity:

• A 27 percent decrease in original classification activity, for a 2016 total of 39,240 decisions.
• A 5 percent increase in derivative classification action, up to 55,206,368 decisions.

Declassification Activity:

• Under automatic, systematic, and discretionary declassification review, agencies reviewed 102,172,703 pages and declassified 43,943,600 pages of historically valuable records.  This was a 17 percent increase in the number of pages reviewed and 19 percent increase in the number of pages declassified.  
• Agencies reviewed 248,413 pages under mandatory declassification review and declassified 117,453 pages in their entirety, declassified 92,678 pages in part, and retained classification of 38,282 pages in full.

CUI background and implementation:

ISOO published the CUI Federal regulation (32 CFR part 2002) in the Federal Register on September 14, 2016.  This regulation promotes the protection of CUI, appropriate information sharing, and consistent safeguarding and dissemination practices.  

ISOO helps agencies implement the CUI program by:

Conducting formal appraisals of existing agency practices;

Consulting with executive branch agencies and supporting elements (i.e., component agencies and non-Federal entities) on strategies and practices related to implementation; and

Raising awareness of key CUI program elements, timelines, and requirements through briefings, training sessions, and panel discussions.

Industrial Security:

The National Industrial Security Program Policy Advisory Committee (NISPPAC) established an Insider Threat working group to facilitate information sharing within security agencies on insider threat programs. ISOO Director Mark Bradley chairs this Committee and appoints its members.

ISOO is updating the Directive on Safeguarding Classified National Security Information (32 CFR part 2004).  

The Information Security Oversight Office, established in 1978, is responsible to the President for overseeing the Government-wide security classification program, and receives policy and program guidance from the National Security Council.  ISOO has been part of the National Archives since 1995 and includes :

The Classification Management Staff develops security classification policies for classifying, declassifying and safeguarding national security information generated in Government and industry.

The Industry and Operations Staff evaluates the effectiveness of the security classification programs established by Government and industry to protect information vital to our national security interests.

The Controlled Unclassified Information Staff develops standardized Controlled Unclassified Information policies and procedures to protect sensitive information through effective data access and control measures.

The National Archives and Records Administration is an independent Federal agency that preserves and shares with the public records that trace the story of our nation, government, and the American people. From the Declaration of Independence to accounts of ordinary Americans, the holdings of the National Archives directly touch the lives of millions of people. The National Archives is a public trust upon which our democracy depends, ensuring access to essential evidence that protects the rights of American citizens, documents the actions of the government, and reveals the evolving national experience. The National Archives carries out its mission through a nationwide network of archives, records centers, and Presidential Libraries, and online www.archives.gov.