---
kind: "section"
citation: "22 U.S.C. § 4353"
title: "22"
title_heading: "Foreign Relations and Intercourse"
number: "4353"
heading: "Procedures for identifying records for FRUS series; declassification, revisions, and summaries"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/22/4353"
units:
  - "Chapter 53B — Foreign Relations of the United States Historical Series"
---

# §4353. Procedures for identifying records for FRUS series; declassification, revisions, and summaries

- (a) **Development of procedures—** Not later than 180 days after October 28, 1991, each department, agency, or other entity of the United States Government engaged in foreign policy formulation, execution, or [support](/usc/22/7432.md?p=12) shall develop procedures for its historical office (or a designated individual in the event that there is no historical office)—
  - (1) to coordinate with the State Department’s Office of the [Historian](/usc/22/4357.md?p=2) in selecting [records](/usc/22/4357.md?p=4) for possible inclusion in the FRUS series;
  - (2) to permit full access to the original, unrevised [records](/usc/22/4357.md?p=4) by such individuals holding appropriate security clearances as have been designated by the [Historian](/usc/22/4357.md?p=2) as liaison to that department, agency, or entity, for purposes of this chapter, and by members of the [Advisory Committee](/usc/22/4357.md?p=1); and
  - (3) to permit access to specific types of [records](/usc/22/4357.md?p=4) not selected for inclusion in the FRUS series by the individuals identified in [paragraph (2)](#a-2) when requested by the [Historian](/usc/22/4357.md?p=2) in order to confirm that [records](/usc/22/4357.md?p=4) selected by that department, agency, or entity accurately represent the policymaking process reflected in the relevant part of the FRUS series.
- (b) **Declassification review—**
  - (1) Subject to the provisions of this subsection, [records](/usc/22/4357.md?p=4) selected by the [Historian](/usc/22/4357.md?p=2) for inclusion in the FRUS series shall be submitted to the respective [originating agency](/usc/22/4357.md?p=3) for declassification review in accordance with that agency’s procedures for such review, except that such declassification review shall be completed by the [originating agency](/usc/22/4357.md?p=3) within 120 days after such [records](/usc/22/4357.md?p=4) are submitted for review. If the [originating agency](/usc/22/4357.md?p=3) determines that any such [record](/usc/22/4357.md?p=4) is not declassifiable because of a continuing need to protect sources and methods for the collection of intelligence information or to protect other sensitive national security information, then the [originating agency](/usc/22/4357.md?p=3) shall attempt to make such deletions in the text as will make the [record](/usc/22/4357.md?p=4) declassifiable.
  - (2) If the [Historian](/usc/22/4357.md?p=2) determines that the meaning of the [records](/usc/22/4357.md?p=4) proposed for inclusion in a volume of the FRUS series would be so altered or changed by deletions made under [paragraph (1)](#b-1) that publication in that condition could be misleading or lead to an inaccurate or incomplete historical [record](/usc/22/4357.md?p=4), then the [Historian](/usc/22/4357.md?p=2) shall take steps to achieve a satisfactory resolution of the problem with the [originating agency](/usc/22/4357.md?p=3). Within 60 days of receiving a proposed solution from the [Historian](/usc/22/4357.md?p=2), the [originating agency](/usc/22/4357.md?p=3) shall furnish the [Historian](/usc/22/4357.md?p=2) a written response agreeing to the solution or explaining the reasons for the alteration or deletion.
  - (3) The [Historian](/usc/22/4357.md?p=2) shall inform the [Advisory Committee](/usc/22/4357.md?p=1) of any failure by an [originating agency](/usc/22/4357.md?p=3) to complete its declassification review of a [record](/usc/22/4357.md?p=4) within 120 days and of any steps taken under [paragraph (2)](#b-2).
  - (4) If the [Advisory Committee](/usc/22/4357.md?p=1) determines that the meaning of the [records](/usc/22/4357.md?p=4) proposed for inclusion in a volume of the FRUS series would be so altered or changed by deletions made under [paragraph (1)](#b-1), or if the [Advisory Committee](/usc/22/4357.md?p=1) determines as a result of inspection of other documents under [subsection (a)(3)](#a-3) that the selection of documents could be misleading or lead to an inaccurate or incomplete historical [record](/usc/22/4357.md?p=4), then the [Advisory Committee](/usc/22/4357.md?p=1) shall so advise the Secretary of State and submit recommendations to resolve the issue.
  - (5)
    - (A) The [Advisory Committee](/usc/22/4357.md?p=1) shall have full and complete access to the original text of any [record](/usc/22/4357.md?p=4) in which deletions have been made. In the event that the head of any [originating agency](/usc/22/4357.md?p=3) considers it necessary to deny access by the [Advisory Committee](/usc/22/4357.md?p=1) to the original text of any [record](/usc/22/4357.md?p=4), that agency head shall promptly notify the [Advisory Committee](/usc/22/4357.md?p=1) in writing, describing the nature of the [record](/usc/22/4357.md?p=4) in question and the justification for withholding that [record](/usc/22/4357.md?p=4).
    - (B) The [Historian](/usc/22/4357.md?p=2) shall provide the [Advisory Committee](/usc/22/4357.md?p=1) with a complete list of the [records](/usc/22/4357.md?p=4) described in [subparagraph (A)](#b-5-A).
  - (6) If a [record](/usc/22/4357.md?p=4) is deleted in whole or in part as a result of review under this subsection then a note to that effect shall be inserted at the appropriate place in the FRUS volume.

## Source credit

(Aug. 1, 1956, ch. 841, title IV, § 403, as added Pub. L. 102–138, title I, § 198(a), Oct. 28, 1991, 105 Stat. 686.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Authority of Secretary of State

Except as otherwise provided, Secretary of State to have and exercise any authority vested by law in any official or office of Department of State and references to such officials or offices deemed to refer to Secretary of State or Department of State, as appropriate, see section 2651a of this title and section 161(d) of Pub. L. 103–236, set out as a note under section 2651a of this title.