Presidential Records Act

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The Presidential Records Act is a U.S. federal law that governs the creation, management, and public ownership of official records of presidents and vice presidents.

Observed surface forms (2)


Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf United States federal statute
records management law
abbreviation PRA
administeredBy National Archives and Records Administration
allowsAccessFor Congress under certain conditions
courts under certain conditions
incumbent president
subsequent presidents under certain conditions
amendedBy Presidential Records Act self-linksurface differs
surface form: Presidential Records Act Amendments of 2014

Presidential and Federal Records Act Amendments of 2014
appliesTo President of the United States
Vice President of the United States
assignsResponsibilityTo National Archives and Records Administration
citation 44 U.S.C. Chapter 22
country United States of America
surface form: United States
covers documentary materials created or received by the president in the course of official duties
dateEnacted 1978-11-04
defines personal records of the president
presidential records
distinguishesBetween presidential records and personal records
effectiveFrom 1981-01-20
enactedBy United States Congress
establishes public ownership of presidential records
excludes purely personal records of the president
governs creation of presidential records
custody of presidential records
disposition of presidential records
management of presidential records
official records of presidents
official records of vice presidents
preservation of presidential records
public access to presidential records
imposesObligationsOn White House staff regarding records management
legalStatus binding federal law
maximumRestrictionPeriod 12 years for certain categories of records
partOf Title 44 of the United States Code
previouslyReplacedRegime presidential papers treated as private property
providesFor restricted access periods for presidential records
purpose to ensure preservation and public ownership of presidential records
to provide a framework for public access to presidential records
relatedTo Federal Records Act
Freedom of Information Act
requires president to manage records in accordance with statutory requirements
vice president to manage records in accordance with statutory requirements
requiresTransferOf presidential records to National Archives
signedIntoLawBy Jimmy Carter
subjectTo Freedom of Information Act after restriction period
transfersOwnershipTo United States government
transferTime upon the end of a president’s term

Referenced by (5)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Presidential Records Act amendedBy Presidential Records Act self-linksurface differs
this entity surface form: Presidential Records Act Amendments of 2014
Presidential Libraries governedBy Presidential Records Act
this entity surface form: Presidential Records Act of 1978
Federal Records Act relatedTo Presidential Records Act