---
kind: "section"
citation: "44 U.S.C. § 2905"
title: "44"
title_heading: "Public Printing and Documents"
number: "2905"
heading: "Establishment of standards for selective retention of records; security measures"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/44/2905"
units:
  - "Chapter 29 — Records Management by the Archivist of the United States and by the Administrator of General Services"
---

# §2905. Establishment of standards for selective retention of records; security measures

- (a) The [Archivist](/usc/44/2901.md?p=12) shall establish standards for the selective retention of [records](/usc/44/2901.md?p=1) of continuing value, and assist [Federal agencies](/usc/44/2901.md?p=14) in applying the standards to [records](/usc/44/2901.md?p=1) in their custody. The [Archivist](/usc/44/2901.md?p=12) shall notify the head of a [Federal agency](/usc/44/2901.md?p=14) of any actual, impending, or threatened unlawful removal, defacing, alteration, or destruction of [records](/usc/44/2901.md?p=1) in the custody of the agency that shall come to the [Archivist](/usc/44/2901.md?p=12)’s attention, and assist the head of the agency in initiating action through the Attorney General for the recovery of [records](/usc/44/2901.md?p=1) unlawfully removed and for other redress provided by law. In any case in which the head of the agency does not initiate an action for such recovery or other redress within a reasonable period of time after being notified of any such unlawful action, the [Archivist](/usc/44/2901.md?p=12) shall request the Attorney General to initiate such an action, and shall notify the Congress when such a request has been made.
- (b) The [Archivist](/usc/44/2901.md?p=12) shall assist the Administrator for the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in conducting studies and developing standards relating to record retention requirements imposed on the public and on State and local governments by [Federal agencies](/usc/44/2901.md?p=14).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 90–620, Oct. 22, 1968, 82 Stat. 1296; Pub. L. 96–511, § 2(c)(2), Dec. 11, 1980, 94 Stat. 2825; Pub. L. 98–497, title I, § 107(b)(15)(B), title II, § 203(a), Oct. 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 2288, 2294; Pub. L. 113–187, § 8(8), Nov. 26, 2014, 128 Stat. 2012.)

## Notes

### Historical and Revision Notes

Based on 44 U.S. Code, 1964 ed., § 395(b) (June 30, 1949, ch. 288, title V, § 505(b), as added Sept. 5, 1950, ch. 849, § 6(d), 64 Stat. 583).

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2014—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 113–187 substituted “The Archivist shall notify” for “He shall notify” and “the Archivist’s attention” for “his attention”.

1984—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 98–497, § 107(b)(15)(B), substituted “Archivist” for “Administrator of General Services”.

Pub. L. 98–497, § 203(a), inserted “In any case in which the head of the agency does not initiate an action for such recovery or other redress within a reasonable period of time after being notified of any such unlawful action, the Archivist shall request the Attorney General to initiate such an action, and shall notify the Congress when such a request has been made.”

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 98–497, § 107(b)(15)(B), substituted “Archivist” for “Administrator of General Services”.

1980—Pub. L. 96–511 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and added subsec. (b).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1984 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 98–497 effective Apr. 1, 1985, see section 301 of Pub. L. 98–497, set out as a note under section 2102 of this title.

### Effective Date of 1980 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 96–511 effective on Apr. 1, 1981, see section 5 of Pub. L. 96–511, set out as a note under section 2904 of this title.