--- kind: "section" citation: "44 U.S.C. § 2906" title: "44" title_heading: "Public Printing and Documents" number: "2906" heading: "Inspection of agency records" release: "119-102" date: "2026-07-12" url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/44/2906" units: - "Chapter 29 — Records Management by the Archivist of the United States and by the Administrator of General Services" --- # §2906. Inspection of agency records - (a) - (1) In carrying out the duties and responsibilities under this chapter, the [Archivist](/usc/44/2901.md?p=12) (or the the[^1] [Archivist](/usc/44/2901.md?p=12)’s designee) may inspect the [records](/usc/44/2901.md?p=1) or the [records management](/usc/44/2901.md?p=2) practices and programs of any [Federal agency](/usc/44/2901.md?p=14) for the purpose of rendering recommendations for the improvement of [records management](/usc/44/2901.md?p=2) practices and programs and for determining whether the [records](/usc/44/2901.md?p=1) of [Federal agencies](/usc/44/2901.md?p=14) have sufficient value to warrant continued preservation or lack sufficient value to justify continued preservation. Officers and employees of such agencies shall cooperate fully in such [inspections](/usc/44/2901.md?p=8), subject to the provisions of paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection. - (2) [Records](/usc/44/2901.md?p=1), the use of which is restricted by law or for reasons of national security or the public interest, shall be inspected, in accordance with regulations promulgated by the [Archivist](/usc/44/2901.md?p=12), subject to the approval of the head of the agency concerned or of the President. - (3) If the [Archivist](/usc/44/2901.md?p=12) (or the [Archivist](/usc/44/2901.md?p=12)’s designee) inspects a record, as provided in this subsection, which is contained in a system of [records](/usc/44/2901.md?p=1) which is subject to [section 552a of title 5](/usc/5/552a.md), such record shall be— - (A) maintained by the [Archivist](/usc/44/2901.md?p=12) or such designee as a record contained in a system of [records](/usc/44/2901.md?p=1); or - (B) deemed to be a record contained in a system of [records](/usc/44/2901.md?p=1) for purposes of subsections (b), (c), and (i) of [section 552a of title 5](/usc/5/552a.md). - (b) In conducting the [inspection](/usc/44/2901.md?p=8) of agency [records](/usc/44/2901.md?p=1) provided for in [subsection (a)](#a) of this section, the [Archivist](/usc/44/2901.md?p=12) (or the [Archivist](/usc/44/2901.md?p=12)’s designee) shall, in addition to complying with the provisions of law cited in [subsection (a)(3)](#a-3), comply with all other Federal laws and be subject to the sanctions provided therein. - (c) The Administrator (or the Administrator’s designee) may inspect the mail processing practices and programs of any [Federal agency](/usc/44/2901.md?p=14) for the purpose of rendering recommendations for the improvement of mail processing practices and programs. Officers and employees of such agencies shall cooperate fully in such [inspections](/usc/44/2901.md?p=8) of mail processing practices and programs. ## Footnotes [^1]: So in original. ## Source credit (Added Pub. L. 94–575, § 2(a)(3), Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2725; amended Pub. L. 98–497, title I, § 107(b)(17), Oct. 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 2289; Pub. L. 113–187, § 9(d), Nov. 26, 2014, 128 Stat. 2013; Pub. L. 115–85, § 2(a)(3), Nov. 21, 2017, 131 Stat. 1275.) ## Notes ### Editorial Notes ### Prior Provisions A prior section 2906, Pub. L. 90–620, Oct. 22, 1968, 82 Stat. 1297, contained provisions similar to those comprising subsec. (a)(1) and (2) of this section, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 94–575, § 2(a)(3). ### Amendments 2017—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 115–85, § 2(a)(3), added Pub. L. 113–187, § 9(d)(3). See 2014 Amendment note below. 2014—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 113–187, § 9(d)(1)(A), substituted “the duties” for “their respective duties” and “the Archivist’s designee” for “designee of either”, struck out “the Administrator of General Services and” before “the Archivist” and “solely” after “any Federal agency”, and inserted “and for determining whether the records of Federal agencies have sufficient value to warrant continued preservation or lack sufficient value to justify continued preservation” after “for the improvement of records management practices and programs”. Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 113–187, § 9(d)(1)(B), struck out “the Administrator and” before “the Archivist” and “The regulations promulgated by the Administrator and the Archivist under this paragraph shall, to the extent practicable, be identical.” at end. Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 113–187, § 9(d)(1)(C), in introductory provisions, struck out “the Administrator or” before “the Archivist” and substituted “Archivist’s designee” for “designee of either” and, in subpar. (A), substituted “the Archivist” for “the Administrator, the Archivist,”. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 113–187, § 9(d)(2), struck out “the Administrator and” before “the Archivist” and substituted “Archivist’s designee” for “designee of either”. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 113–187, § 9(d)(3), as added by Pub. L. 115–85, § 2(a)(3), added subsec. (c). 1984—Pub. L. 98–497 inserted reference to Archivist in four places in subsecs. (a) and (b) and inserted at end of subsec. (b)(2) “The regulations promulgated by the Administrator and the Archivist under this paragraph shall, to the extent practicable, be identical.” ### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries ### Effective Date of 2017 Amendment Amendment by Pub. L. 115–85 effective as if included in Pub. L. 113–187, see section 2(b) of Pub. L. 115–85, set out as a note under section 2902 of this title. ### 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.