2017 US Code
Title 44 - Public Printing and Documents
Chapter 33 - Disposal of Records
Sec. 3301 - Definition of records

(a) Records Defined.—

(b) Determination of Definition.—The Archivist's determination whether recorded information, regardless of whether it exists in physical, digital, or electronic form, is a record as defined in subsection (a) shall be binding on all Federal agencies.

(Pub. L. 90–620, Oct. 22, 1968, 82 Stat. 1299; Pub. L. 94–575, §4(c)(2), Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2727; Pub. L. 113–187, §5(a), Nov. 26, 2014, 128 Stat. 2009.)

Based on 44 U.S. Code, 1964 ed., §366 (July 7, 1943, ch. 192, §1, 57 Stat. 380).

2014—Pub. L. 113–187 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: "As used in this chapter, 'records' includes all books, papers, maps, photographs, machine readable materials, or other documentary materials, regardless of physical form or characteristics, made or received by an agency of the United States Government under Federal law or in connection with the transaction of public business and preserved or appropriate for preservation by that agency or its legitimate successor as evidence of the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, operations, or other activities of the Government or because of the informational value of data in them. Library and museum material made or acquired and preserved solely for reference or exhibition purposes, extra copies of documents preserved only for convenience of reference, and stocks of publications and of processed documents are not included."

1976—Pub. L. 94–575 expanded "records" to include "machine readable materials".