Government operations and workforce

Executive Order 12972: Amendment to Executive Order No. 12958

President: Bill Clinton

Expanded EO 12958’s definition of an agency so its classification rules covered any executive-branch entity possessing classified information.

Status: Superseded. Is Executive Order 12972 still in effect? No. Executive Order 12972 was superseded. See Executive Order 13526: Correction.

What does Executive Order 12972 do?

EO 12972 broadened the definition of an agency under EO 12958 to cover any executive-branch entity possessing classified information. The parent classification order became effective on October 14, 1995, after this amendment; National Archives reporting describes implementation from that date. EO 13526 replaced EO 12958 in 2009 and retained a similarly broad agency definition. The 1995 amendment was a scope clarification, not a decision to classify any particular information.

Administration position: The amendment clarified which executive entities had to follow the classification order. It did not itself classify information or add a new secrecy category.
SignedSeptember 18, 1995
Amended provisionEO 12958 § 1.1(i)
EffectBroader executive-branch coverage

Before and after

Before the order

EO 12958’s original agency definition did not expressly capture every executive entity that might receive classified information.

After the order

Any executive-branch entity possessing classified information fell within the order’s definition.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
Executive-branch entitiesApply EO 12958 when possessing classified informationUntil replacement in 2009

What happened next

EO 12958 established the classification system.

EO 12972 broadened the agency definition.

The amended EO 12958 classification framework became effective.

EO 13526 revoked and replaced EO 12958.