Us Code § 3301 - Definition of records
Full text of Us Code United States Code § 3301 — Definition of records, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ 3301. Definition of records
(a)
(1)
(A) includes all recorded information, regardless of form or characteristics, made or received by a Federal agency under Federal law or in connection with the transaction of public business and preserved or appropriate for preservation by that agency or its legitimate successor as evidence of the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, operations, or other activities of the United States Government or because of the informational value of data in them; and
(B) does not include—
(i) library and museum material made or acquired and preserved solely for reference or exhibition purposes; or
(ii) duplicate copies of records preserved only for convenience.
(2)
(b)
(Pub. L. 90–620, Oct. 22, 1968, 82 Stat. 1299; Pub. L. 94–575, §4(c)(2), Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2727; Pub. L. 113–187, §5(a), Nov. 26, 2014, 128 Stat. 2009.)
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on 44 U.S. Code, 1964 ed., §366 (July 7, 1943, ch. 192, §1, 57 Stat. 380).
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2014—Pub. L. 113–187 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: "As used in this chapter, 'records' includes all books, papers, maps, photographs, machine readable materials, or other documentary materials, regardless of physical form or characteristics, made or received by an agency of the United States Government under Federal law or in connection with the transaction of public business and preserved or appropriate for preservation by that agency or its legitimate successor as evidence of the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, operations, or other activities of the Government or because of the informational value of data in them. Library and museum material made or acquired and preserved solely for reference or exhibition purposes, extra copies of documents preserved only for convenience of reference, and stocks of publications and of processed documents are not included."
1976—Pub. L. 94–575 expanded "records" to include "machine readable materials".
About This Section
44 U.S.C. § 3301 is part of Title 44 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.
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