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CLASSIFICATION MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE CHARTER
(as of 9 May 1995)
A. ESTABLISHMENT:
At the direction of the Security Policy Board (SPB), a Classification Management Committee (CMC), is established under the sponsorship of the Security Policy Forum (SPF).
B. MISSION:
To coordinate, formulate and evaluate the US Government's classification management policy, the purpose of which is to prescribe a uniform system for classifying and declassifying national security information. Such policy shall be flexible, threat driven, cost effective and emphasize a commitment to an open government.
C. ORGANIZATION:
Membership will consist of one voting representative at the senior security policy official equivalent level from each organization belonging to the SPF. This does not limit the number of observers an agency can send to a Committee meeting. Additional voting members or observers may be included, as deemed appropriate by a vote of the CMC. Members and observers must possess, at a minimum, a SECRET clearance.
The Chair of the CMC will be the Director, Information Security Oversight Office (D/ISOO). Should the CMC membership consider it necessary to have a Vice-Chair, the Vice-Chair will be nominated annually by vote of the Committee membership. The nomination will be reviewed by the Director, SPB Staff, and approved by the co-chairs of the Forum.
The D/ISOO will be responsible for assigning tasks, establishing Working Groups and coordinating/ recommending policy to the SPB through the SPF. The D/ISOO (or his designated representative) shall attend and be responsible for representing the work of the Committee at meetings of the SPF.
The Committee will meet at the call of the Chair. It will take direction from the Co-Chairs of the SPF through the Director, SPB Staff. The Chair will determine a quorum.
Voting will be at the discretion of the Chair. Simple majorities are required to carry issues. Minority opinions and votes of dissension will be recorded and noted to the SPF (or Policy Integration Committee, as necessary) upon request of those holding such positions.
Member organizations will provide data for reports and research to the Committee, as required. The Committee, in turn, will honor need-to-know, classification, limited dissemination, sanitization, proprietary or other restrictive caveats to preclude jeopardizing sensitive programs.
The Committee is empowered to establish Working Groups. Such Working Groups will be of finite existence, to be dissolved upon completion of their tasks. Membership to each Working Group will be open to any interested Committee agency/ organization or department. If required, standing subcommittees may be formed subject to the approval of the SPF.
The Chairman of a Working Group shall be chosen by the D/ISOO, with consensus from the Committee. Selection may be based in part on a candidate's expertise in the relevant subject matter.
Working Groups shall submit oral and/or written reports to the Committee in accordance with assigned objectives.
Executive Secretariat support will be provided by the SPB Staff. The Staff will facilitate committee operations by assisting the Chair with required administrative assistance, arrangements, establishing agendas, publishing meeting minutes and providing overall management assistance to the Committee. The Staff will ensure that information, policy issues, and decisions addressed by one standing committee are shared with other standing committees, thereby promoting and facilitating cross- disciplinary coordination, consultation, and cooperation.
D. FUNCTIONS:
The CMC, subject to the provisions of Section C, above, shall:
Coordinate, formulate and evaluate classification and declassification management policy, and ensure that such policy is appropriately coordinated with the Security Policy Board.
Advise and assist the SPB, SPF and their member organizations on classification management policies and procedures.
Coordinate, as appropriate, through the SPB Staff, classification management issues that impact on other security disciplines.
Serve, upon the joint agreement of the Co-Chairs of the Security Policy Forum and the D/ISOO, as an interagency advisory committee to the D/ISOO for the purpose of aiding the D/ISOO in the fulfillment of the D/ISOO's functions and responsibilities under Executive Order 12958, "Classified National Security Information," and Executive Order 12829, "National Industrial Security Program." When serving in this capacity, each member of the CMC shall be responsible for consulting, as appropriate, other representatives from his or her member organization to the SPB, SPF or its other committees.
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