§ 159a.24 - General provisions.

(a) Policy. Information classified under E.O. 12356 and prior orders shall be declassified or downgraded as soon as national security considerations permit. Decisions concerning declassification shall be based on the loss of sensitivity of the information with the passage of time or on the occurrence of an event that permits declassification. Information that continues to meet the classification requirements of § 159a.15(c) despite the passage of time will continue to be protected in accordance with this part.

(b) Responsibility of Officials. Officials authorized under § 159a.12(c) to declassify or downgrade information that is under the final classification jurisdiction of the Department of Defense shall take such action in accordance with this subpart.

(c) Declassification Coordination. DoD Component declassification review of classified information shall be coordinated with any other DoD or non-DoD office, Component, or agency that has a direct interest in the subject matter.

(d) Declassification by the Director of the ISOO. If the Director of the ISOO determines that information is classified in violation of E.O. 12356, the Director may require the activity that originally classified the information to declassify it. Any such decision by the Director may be appealed through the Director of Security Plans and Programs, ODUSD(P), to the National Security Council (NSC). The information shall remain classified pending a prompt decision on the appeal.