Programs Celebrate 75th Anniversary of the Federal Register
Press Release · Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Washington, DC…On Wednesday, September 15, at noon, the National Archives Office of the Federal Register celebrates its 75th anniversary with a special program on the agency’s history. Harold Relyea, a renowned expert on the organization of the Federal Government, will discuss “The History of the Federal Register Act.” This event is free and open to the public, and will be held in the William G. McGowan Theater of the National Archives Building.

This is the first of a series of five public programs in celebration of the Federal Register’s 75th anniversary. The Office of the Federal Register has been a part of the National Archives since its creation.

In a special event in the Rotunda of the National Archives on July 26, Archivist of the United States David S. Ferriero and Director of the Federal Register Ray Mosley, celebrated this milestone by launching version 2.0 of the daily Federal Register web site [http://www.federalregister.gov]. View a National Archives "Inside the Vaults" video short on the creation of the new web site.

The FR 2.0 web site is similar to a daily web newspaper, with a clear layout and new tools to guide readers to the most popular topics and relevant documents. The site displays individual news sections for Money, Environment, World, Science & Technology, Business & Industry, and Health & Public Welfare. FR 2.0’s improved navigation and search tools highlight each agency’s significant rules. The new web site takes advantage of social media and integrates seamlessly with Regulations.gov and the Unified Agenda to make it easy for users to submit comments directly into the official e-Rulemaking docket, and view the history of rulemaking activity through a regulatory timeline.

Background

The Federal Register Act of 1935 is now recognized as a landmark achievement in establishing a right of public access to government information. Passage of the act ensured that legal issuances could no longer be adopted in secret and arbitrarily enforced against the public. In later years, this system of open access to information was expanded and strengthened by the Administrative Procedure Act and the Freedom of Information Act. This is how the mission of the National Archives came to be integrally linked with the concepts of open government, fundamental fairness, and due process of law.

The National Archives Building in Washington, DC, is located on the National Mall and is fully accessible. Please use the Special Events entrance on Constitution Avenue and 7th Street, NW. National Archives Exhibit Hours are 10 a.m.–7 p.m. daily (through Labor Day), and 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. through March 14.

To verify the date and times of the programs, the public should call the Public Programs Line at: (202) 357-5000, or view the Calendar of Events online. To request an accommodation (e.g., sign language interpreter) for a public program, e-mail public.program@nara.gov or call 202-357-5000 two weeks prior to the event. To contact the National Archives, please call 1-877-874-7616 or 1-86-NARA-NARA (TDD) 301-837-0482.

# # #

For press information, contact the National Archives Public Affairs staff at 202-357-5300.

10-124