National Archives and Records Administration Act of 1984
Public Law 98-497 · S. 905 · 98th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Oct 19, 1984 · Government Operations and Politics
Sponsor: Sen. Thomas Eagleton (D-MO)
Cosponsors (52): Sen. Charles Mathias, Sen. Nancy Kassebaum,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateVoice vote
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
National Archives and Records Administration Act of 1984 - Title I: Establishment of an Independent National Archives and Records Administration - Establishes the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) as an independent establishment in the executive branch to be directed by the Archivist of the United States. Transfers the National Archives and Records Service of the General Services Administration (GSA) to NARA.
Requires the Archivist to be appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. Allows the President to remove the Archivist from office. Requires the President to communicate the reasons for such removal to each House of Congress.
Directs the Archivist to appoint a Deputy Archivist. Sets forth the administrative duties and authority of the Archivist. Requires the Archivist to submit to Congress an annual report concerning: (1) the administration of, and expenditures of funds by, NARA, the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), and the National Archives Trust Fund (NATF); (2) research projects and publications undertaken by NHPRC and NATF grantees; (3) the operations and the moneys, securities, and other personal property received and held by the NATF Board; and (4) the records management activities and studies conducted by the Archivist and the Administrator of General Services.
Transfers to NARA and the Archivist the functions, duties, and authority of GSA and the Administrator of General Services concerning: (1) documents and the Administrative Committee of the Federal Register; (2) supplemental use of Federal exhibits and displays; (3) specified Presidential archival depositories; (4) congressional printing and binding; (5) the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations; (6) the distribution and sale of public documents; (7) the NATF Board; (8) the NHPRC; Commission; (9) records disposal; (10) archival administration; (11) presidential records, materials, and recordings; (12) the review of agencies' information management activities; (13) public law, Constitutional amendments, and the United States Statutes at Large; (14) electoral credentials and certificates; (15) official territorial papers; and (16) Indian records placed with the Oklahoma Historical Society.
Divides general responsibilities concerning records management between the Archivist and the Administrator. Directs the Archivist to provide guidance and assistance to agencies to ensure adequate and proper documentation of Government policies and transactions and to ensure proper records disposition. Directs the Administrator to provide guidance and assistance to agencies to ensure the economical and effective utilization of space, staff, equipment, and supplies for records management. Requires the Archivist and Administrator, to the extent practicable, to promulgate identical regulations governing the inspection of records the use of which is restricted for reasons of national security or the public interest.
Amends the Presidential Recordings and Materials Preservation Act to provide that regulations relating to public access to certain tape recordings and other materials involving former President Richard M. Nixon cannot take effect until the expiration of 60 calendar days of continuous session of Congress after their submission to each House of Congress.
Title II: Administrative Provisions - Limits the fee that the Archivist may charge for making or authenticating copies of materials to the amount necessary to recover actual costs, which may include increments for the estimate replacement cost of equipment. (Currently such fee may exceed such costs by up to ten percent.)
Authorizes the NATF Board to: (1) use the services and personnel of NARA and other agencies to assist the Board in performing its functions; and (2) appoint necessary personnel, subject to laws governing appointments in the competitive service. (Currently, the Board may appoint employees without regard to civil service laws.)
Authorizes the Board to authorize the transfer of funds to NARA to be expended on an archival or records activity approved by the Board or to accomplish the purpose of a gift or bequest. Permits the Board to solicit gifts or bequests. Requires that moneys received for the NATF be deposited within ten working days.
Requires the Archivist to request that the Attorney General initiate action for the recovery of agency records unlawfully removed or for other legal redress against persons who remove or destroy agency records if the agency fails to take such action within a reasonable period of time after being informed of its necessity by the Archivist. Directs the Archivist to notify Congress of any such request.
Permits the Archivist to authorize an agency to dispose of records only after publishing notice of, and providing an opportunity for public comment on, such disposal.
Title III: General Provisions - Sets forth the effective date of this Act. Provides that any spending authority provided under this Act shall be effective for any fiscal year only to the extent provided in appropriations Acts.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee · Senate · hearings by (full committee), markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: International Security, Proliferation and Federal Services Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 25 actions.
- Oct 19, 1984Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 98-497.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Oct 9, 1984PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Oct 4, 1984Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Conference Report by Voice Vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House Agreed to Conference Report by Voice Vote.
- Oct 3, 1984Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report by Voice Vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report by Voice Vote.
- Oct 1, 1984Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conferees agreed to file conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference committee actions: Conferees agreed to file conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference Report 98-1124 Filed in House.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference Report 98-1124 Filed in House.
- Sep 25, 1984Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Request for Conference and Speaker Appointed Conferees: Brooks, Fuqua, English, Horton, Kindness.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Insisted on its Amendments by Voice Vote.
- Sep 21, 1984Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate requests a conference. Appoints conferees. Mathias; Roth; Eagleton.
- FloorFloor · Senate disagreed to the House amendments. By Voice Vote.
- Aug 2, 1984FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Called up by House by Unanimous Consent.
- Jun 21, 1984FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments and an amendment to the Title by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Apr 3, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- Nov 17, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- Jul 29, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- Apr 6, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Referred to International Security, Proliferation and Federal Services Subcommittee of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- Mar 23, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.