National Archives and Records Administration
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 22, 2008

Archivist of the United States Establishes "Controlled Unclassified Information Office"

Washington, DC. . . Archivist of the United States Allen Weinstein announced today the establishment of the "Controlled Unclassified Information Office" (CUIO) within the National Archives and Records Administration. Weinstein also announced that William J. Bosanko, director of the Information Security Oversight Office, will head up this newly-formed office.

The Office is being created in response to the Memorandum for the Heads of Departments and Agencies on the Designation and Sharing of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) issued by President Bush on May 9, 2008. The Presidential memorandum designated the National Archives as responsible for overseeing and managing the implementation of the CUI framework.

In creating the office, Professor Weinstein said, "I have provided Mr. Bosanko with a clear roadmap for the National Archives, as the executive agent and consistent with the President's direction, to ensure that only information which genuinely requires the protections afforded by the President's memorandum will be introduced into the CUI Framework."

The Director of the CUI Office will:

a. Develop and issue CUI policy standards and implementation guidance. As appropriate, establish new safeguarding and dissemination controls, and, upon a determination that extraordinary circumstances warrant the use of additional CUI markings, authorize the use of such additional markings;

b. Establish, approve, and maintain safeguarding standards and dissemination instructions, including "Specified Dissemination" requirements proposed by the heads of departments and agencies;

c. Publish the CUI safeguarding and dissemination standards in the CUI Registry

d. Establish and chair the CUI Council;

e. Monitor department and agency compliance with CUI policy, standards, and markings;

f. Establish baseline training requirements and develop an ISE-wide CUI training program to be implemented by departments and agencies;

g. Provide appropriate information regarding the CUI Framework to the Congress, to State, local, tribal, and private sector entities, and to foreign partners;

h. Advise the heads of departments and agencies on the resolution by the CUI Council of complaints and disputes among such departments and agencies concerning the proper designation or marking of CUI; and

i. Establish, in consultation with affected departments and agencies, a process that addresses enforcement mechanisms and penalties for improper handling of CUI.

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

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