Congress locks in federal records access, bars archive closures
H.R. 10131 — National Archives Protection Act · Filed by Kevin Mullin (D-CA) · 9 cosponsors · Introduced Aug 20, 2026 · Referred to committee
Your members of Congress
Enter a ZIP to see where your representative and both senators stood on this bill.
Looked up on this device — your ZIP is never stored on our servers.
What it does
This bill amends federal law to prohibit the National Archivist from closing any federal records center or archive facility that existed before the bill's enactment, and bars the Archivist from reconstructing, converting, or rehabilitating such facilities if it would require relocating records for more than 180 days. The bill protects public access to historical records and archives by locking in the current network of facilities.
Why we flagged it
The bill's operative mechanism is a statutory prohibition on the Archivist's authority to close or restrict access to pre-existing federal records facilities, coupled with a constraint on facility rehabilitation that would disrupt records for extended periods. It is a straightforward access-protection measure.
What the text implies
- The bill may constrain the National Archives' ability to modernize aging facilities or consolidate redundant centers, potentially increasing long-term operational costs if facility upgrades become infeasible.
- The 180-day threshold for record relocation may create a de facto veto over facility rehabilitation projects, as any upgrade requiring longer relocation periods would be prohibited.
The full analysis lists 3 implications of this text.
Who it affects
Citizens gain a statutory guarantee of continued access to federal records and archives through existing facilities, preventing the Archivist from consolidating, closing, or restricting access to pre-existing centers. The 180-day relocation threshold protects records from extended disruption during facility upgrades.