Press/Journalists

Press Release
February 14, 2012

President Seeks $386.8 M for National Archives FY13 Budget

Washington, DC…The President’s Fiscal Year 2013 budget request includes $386.8 million for the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).

The agency’s request is a reduction from the amount Congress provided for the current fiscal year, $392 million.

David S. Ferriero, Archivist of the United States, stressed that the budget request responds to the fiscal challenges facing the nation.

“Our budget provides a clear view of agency activities and reflects the austere budget environment faced by all Federal agencies,” he said. “Our request demonstrates our resolve to deliver our important mission to the American public without increasing our spending.”

He said NARA’s funding request does not request any increases for FY 2013.

“In FY 2011, we restructured the agency to focus on delivering core services to customer segments, including the public,” he said. “Our new organizational structure and our renewed focus on our customers will allow us to squeeze even more value out of the taxpayer dollars that we are entrusted with.”

NARA has requested $371.7 million for its operating expenses. This includes funding for rent, energy, security and staff costs at NARA’s 44 facilities nationwide as well as operational costs of the Electronic Records Archives program.

The requested funding will allow NARA to continue to provide critical services to other Federal agencies, researchers, and the public and make incremental progress towards increasing customer engagement and improving our business processes.

NARA’s request also includes $4.1 million for the Office of Inspector General, $8 million for repairs and restorations to NARA-owned buildings, a 12 percent reduction from FY 2012 funding, and $3 million for the National Historical Publications and Records Commission grants program.

Ferriero said NARA faces “extraordinary challenges in managing increasing volumes of paper and electronic records, meeting increased customer expectations, and improving employee satisfaction.”

The Archivist added: “NARA faces the same budgetary pressures in FY 2013 that we have faced in the past several years, and we will continue to work diligently to deliver increasing value to our customers without increasing our bottom line.”

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

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