Largely prescribed in a series of successive presidential executive orders (EO) issued over the past 50 years, security classification policy and procedure provide the rationale and arrangements for designating information officially secret for reasons of national security, and for its declassification as well. President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued the first EO in 1940. Contents of this report: (1) Background; (2) Clinton¿s EO 12958 as Issued: Prescribing Declassification; Controversial Areas; Classification Challenges; A Balancing Test; Program Direction; New Organizations; (3) Bush¿5s Amendments to EO 12958; (4) Obama¿s Review of EO 12958; () Obama Revokes EO 12958 and Issues a New EO.

Recently, there have been multiple high-profile incidents involving the release of classified government info. Perhaps most prominent was Wikileaks.org's unauthorized publication of more than 600,000 classified DoD documents. Such incidents have further heightened congressional, media, and public interest in classified info. policy. This report provides info. on classified info. policy, which also is called security classification policy and national security classification info. policy. It discusses the history, costs, and agencies assigned roles in classified info. policy. The report focuses on Executive Order 13526, which establishes much of the current policy, and it identifies possible oversight issues for Congress. Illus. A print on demand report.

After two years of preparation, E.O. 12958, prescribing security classification policy and procedure, was signed by President William Clinton in mid-April 1995. The order was prompted by changing security conditions in the aftermath of the end of the cold war and a desire for more economical and effective management of classified information. The directive was modified in late March 203 by E.O. 13292, issued by President George W. Bush. Largely prescribed in a series of successive presidential executive orders issued over the past 50 years, security classification policy and procedure provide the rationale and arrangements for designating information officially secret for reasons of national security, and for its declassification as well.

After two years of preparation, E.O. 12958, prescribing security classification policy and procedure, was signed by President William Clinton in mid-April 1995. The order was prompted by changing security conditions in the aftermath of the end of the cold war and a desire for more economical and effective management of classified information. The directive was modified in late March 2003 by E.O. 13292, issued by President George W. Bush. Largely prescribed in a series of successive presidential executive orders issued over the past 50 years, security classification policy and procedure provide the rationale and arrangements for designating information officially secret for reasons of national security, and for its declassification as well.