Defense and national security

Executive Order 13292: Further Amendment to Executive Order 12958, as Amended, Classified National Security Information

President: George W. Bush

Amended the national-security classification system, including classification authority, derivative classification, declassification and access rules.

Status: Revoked.

Is Executive Order 13292 still in effect? No. Revoked December 29, 2009; classification rules replaced by EO 13526.

What does Executive Order 13292 do?

The order assigned these duties: Information Security Oversight Office, agency heads and the President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board — Amended the national-security classification system, including classification authority, derivative classification, declassification and access rules.

Checked the classification amendments against EO 13526 and the official disposition record. EO 13526 revoked EO 13292 in 2009 and established the later classification framework.

Administration position: The order’s policy rationale is described in its text and administration records. Implementation and legal observations below are based on the cited official sources.
SignedMarch 25, 2003
IssuerPresident George W. Bush
Lead agencies or officialsInformation Security Oversight Office, agency heads and the President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board
Express timingEffective immediately; agency implementation and periodic declassification review

Before and after

Before the order

EO 12958, as amended by EO 12966, governed classification but required further changes after the September 11 attacks.

After the order

Agencies revised classification guides and declassification programs. EO 13526 replaced EO 13292 in 2009 while preserving much of the same structure in updated form.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
Information Security Oversight Office, agency heads and the President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory BoardAmended the national-security classification system, including classification authority, derivative classification, declassification and access rules.Effective immediately; agency implementation and periodic declassification review

What happened next

EO 13292 signed.

December 29, 2009 — EO 13526 revoked and replaced EO 13292. ISOO continues oversight under the successor order.