Departments & agenciesView all actions on the Federal Register
National Archives and Records Administration
Independent agenciesAt-will removal
At a glance
Type
Independent agencies
Removal of leadership
Removable at will
Appointed by
Appointed by the President, confirmed by the Senate
Structure
Single Archivist of the United States
Term
No fixed term
Funding
Annual appropriations
Independence
Independent
NARA is statutorily an 'independent establishment in the executive branch' (44 U.S.C. 2102), but the Archivist has no removal protection: 44 U.S.C. 2103 says the President may remove the Archivist and need only communicate the reasons to each House of Congress (a reporting requirement, not for-cause). Confirmed in practice when President Trump removed Archivist Colleen Shogan on Feb. 7, 2025, with no cause cited.
What it does
The National Archives and Records Administration is the federal government's record keeper, preserving legally and historically valuable records from all three branches and making them accessible to the public. It oversees records management across federal agencies, runs the Presidential Library system, and publishes federal regulations through the Office of the Federal Register.
RecordsHistoryTransparencyGovernment
Where it sits
How it fits
Created by Congress under the National Archives and Records Administration Act of 1984 (Pub. L. 98-497; 44 U.S.C. ch. 21 (44 U.S.C. 2102, 2103)), it acts within the authority that statute grants. Its actions are subject to judicial review and to congressional oversight and funding.
Recent actions
Senior Executive Service (SES) Performance Review Board; Members
Records Schedules; Availability and Request for Comments
Records Schedules; Availability and Request for Comments
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Advisory Committee: Solicitation of Nominations
Records Schedules; Availability and Request for Comments
Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request
Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request
Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request