The Information Security Oversight Office (ISOO) is responsible to the President for policy and oversight of the government-wide security
classification system Classification is a process related to categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated and understood.
Classification is the grouping of related facts into classes.
It may also refer to:
Business, organizat ...
and the
National Industrial Security Program
The National Industrial Security Program, or NISP, is the nominal authority in the United States for managing the needs of private industry to access classified information.
The NISP was established in 1993 by Executive Order 12829. The National ...
in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. The ISOO is a component of the
National Archives and Records Administration
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an " independent federal agency of the United States government within the executive branch", charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It i ...
(NARA) and receives policy and program guidance from the
National Security Council
A national security council (NSC) is usually an executive branch governmental body responsible for coordinating policy on national security issues and advising chief executives on matters related to national security. An NSC is often headed by a na ...
(NSC).
History
On December 1, 1978, President
Jimmy Carter
James Earl Carter Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he previously served as th ...
established the Information Security Oversight Office through
Executive Order
In the United States, an executive order is a directive by the president of the United States that manages operations of the federal government. The legal or constitutional basis for executive orders has multiple sources. Article Two of th ...
12065, "National Security Information". ISOO replaced the Interagency Classification Review Committee (ICRC), which had been created by Executive Order 11652 issued by President
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...
in 1972.
The ICRC was composed of representatives from the Departments of Defense, Justice and State; the predecessor to the
United States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy (DOE) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government that oversees U.S. national energy policy and manages the research and development of nuclear power and nuclear weapons in the United Stat ...
, the
Atomic Energy Commission, and the
CIA
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian intelligence agency, foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gat ...
.
John Eisenhower
John Sheldon Doud Eisenhower (August 3, 1922 – December 21, 2013) was a United States Army officer, diplomat, and military historian. He was a son of President Dwight D. Eisenhower and First Lady Mamie Eisenhower. His military career span ...
chaired the ICRC, which met monthly at the
White House
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...
. After Eisenhower resigned in 1973, the administrative function of the ICRC was moved to the National Archives and Records Service, a component of the
General Services Administration
The General Services Administration (GSA) is an independent agency of the United States government established in 1949 to help manage and support the basic functioning of federal agencies. GSA supplies products and communications for U.S. gover ...
, with the
Archivist of the United States
The Archivist of the United States is the head and chief administrator of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) of the United States. The Archivist is responsible for the supervision and direction of the National Archives.
The ...
, James Rhodes, named as acting chairman. William L. Brown, an attorney with the Atomic Energy Commission, was appointed Executive Director in October 1973 and served until December, 1975. The committee continued to meet monthly in the
Roosevelt Room
The Roosevelt Room is a meeting room in the West Wing of the White House, the home and main workplace of the president of the United States. Located in the center of the wing, near the Oval Office, it is named after two related U.S. president ...
of the
White House
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...
.
Former Iowa Congressman
Michael Blouin served as the first Director of ISOO. When Blouin stepped down in 1980, President Carter appointed Steven Garfinkel as ISOO's second Director.
Garfinkel served as Director until his retirement in January 2002. In May 2002, the Archivist of the United States appointed J. William Leonard as Director with the approval of President Bush. Leonard served as Director until his retirement in January 2008. William J. Bosanko was named the acting Director in January 2008 and was formally appointed as Director by the Archivist of the United States, with the approval of President Bush, on April 16, 2008. Bosanko served as Director until March 2011. On August 1, 2011, the Archivist of the United States appointed John P. Fitzpatrick as ISOO's fifth Director, with the approval of President Obama. Fitzpatrick served as Director until January 2016. William Cira, Associate Director for Classification Management, served as acting Director until he retired in December 2016, when the President Trump approved Mark Bradley’s appointment as Director of ISOO.
Overview
Mission
The ISOO strives to provide for an informed American public by ensuring that the minimum information necessary to the interest of national security is
classified and that information is
declassified
Declassification is the process of ceasing a protective classification, often under the principle of freedom of information. Procedures for declassification vary by country. Papers may be withheld without being classified as secret, and event ...
as soon as it no longer requires protection. This is carefully balanced by the imperative to hold certain information in confidence in order to protect from harm America's citizens, its democratic institutions, and its participation in the community of nations.
Specifically, it seeks to:
* Promote and enhance the system that protects the national security information that safeguards the American government and its people.
* Provide for an informed American public by ensuring that the minimum information necessary to the interest of national security is classified and that information is declassified as soon as it no longer requires protection.
* Promote and enhance concepts that facilitate the sharing of information in the fulfillment of mission-critical functions related to national security.
* Provide expert advice and guidance pertinent to the principles of information security.
Organization
ISOO has three directorates and a staff of approximately 28 people.
*The Directorate for Policy develops security
classification policies for classifying, declassifying, and safeguarding national security information.
*The Directorate for Operations evaluates the effectiveness of the security classification programs established by government and industry to protect information vital to our national security interests.
*The Directorate for
Controlled Unclassified Information
Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) is a category of unclassified information within the U.S. Federal government. The CUI program was created by President Obama’s Executive Order 13556 to create a streamlined method for information sharing ...
(CUI) develops standardized CUI policies and procedures that appropriately protect sensitive information through effective data access and control measures.
"Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) Office"
www.archives.gov
Activities
* Develops implementing directives and instructions.
* Reviews and approves agency implementing regulations.
* Maintains liaison relationships with agency counterparts and conducts on-site and document reviews to monitor agency compliance.
* Develops and disseminates security education materials for Government and industry; monitors security education and training programs.
* Receives and takes action on complaints, appeals, and suggestions.
* Collects and analyzes relevant statistical data and, along with other information, reports them annually to the President. ISOO analyzes these data and reports them, along with other relevant information, in its Annual Report to the President and its Cost Report. Copies of ISOO Annual Reports are available upon request or for download at the ISOO's section fo
Reports
* Serves as spokesperson to Congress, the media, special interest groups, professional organizations, and the public.
* Conducts special studies on identified or potential problem areas and develops remedial approaches for program improvement.
* Recommends policy changes to the President through the National Security Advisor A national security advisor serves as the chief advisor to a national government on matters of security. The advisor is not usually a member of the government's cabinet but is usually a member of various military or security councils.
National sec ...
. As appropriate, ISOO convenes and chairs interagency meetings to discuss matters, including possible policy changes, pertaining to the security classification program.
* Provides program and administrative support for the Interagency Security Classification Appeals Panel The Interagency Security Classification Appeals Panel, or "ISCAP", provides the public and users of the classification system with a forum for further review of classification decisions. ISCAP states in order to foster a well-informed public while s ...
(ISCAP) under E.O. 13526.
* Provides program and administrative support for the Public Interest Declassification Board The Public Interest Declassification Board (PIDB) is an advisory committee established by the United States Congress with the official mandate of promoting the fullest possible public access to a thorough, accurate, and reliable documentary record o ...
(PIDB).
* Reviews requests for original classification authority from agencies.
* Chairs the National Industrial Security Program Policy Advisory Committee (NISPPAC) under E.O. 12829, as amended.
* Chairs the State, Local, Tribal, and Private Sector Policy Advisory Committee (SLTPSPAC) under E.O. 13549.
See also
*Classified information in the United States
The United States government classification system is established under Executive Order 13526, the latest in a long series of executive orders on the topic beginning in 1951. Issued by President Barack Obama in 2009, Executive Order 13526 repla ...
*Controlled Unclassified Information
Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) is a category of unclassified information within the U.S. Federal government. The CUI program was created by President Obama’s Executive Order 13556 to create a streamlined method for information sharing ...
(CUI)
*Interagency Security Classification Appeals Panel The Interagency Security Classification Appeals Panel, or "ISCAP", provides the public and users of the classification system with a forum for further review of classification decisions. ISCAP states in order to foster a well-informed public while s ...
(ISCAP)
*National Archives and Records Administration
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an " independent federal agency of the United States government within the executive branch", charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It i ...
(NARA)
*Public Interest Declassification Board The Public Interest Declassification Board (PIDB) is an advisory committee established by the United States Congress with the official mandate of promoting the fullest possible public access to a thorough, accurate, and reliable documentary record o ...
(PIDB)
*Title 32 of the Code of Federal Regulations CFR Title 32 – National Defense is one of 50 titles composing the United States Code of Federal Regulations
In the law of the United States, the ''Code of Federal Regulations'' (''CFR'') is the codification of the general and permanent regu ...
Notes and references
External links
*
National Declassification Center
{{Authority control
National Archives and Records Administration
United States government secrecy
United States federal boards, commissions, and committees