The Federal Records Act

Records are the foundation of open government, supporting the principles of transparency, participation, and collaboration. Well-managed records can be used to assess the impact of programs, to improve business processes, and to share knowledge across the Government. Records protect the rights and interests of people, and hold officials accountable for their actions. Permanent records document our nation's history.

The Office of the Chief Records Officer for the U.S. Government leads federal records management by providing guidance, training, oversight, and appraisal for federal government organizations covered under the Federal Records Act (FRA). More on federal records management is found at https://www.archives.gov/records-mgmt.