NARA (National Archives) published notice in the Federal Register on October 27, 2008, of TSA’s submission to them (see Schedule Pending #3) of a proposed Records Schedule for Secure Flight Program. The actual Proposed Schedule was not published in the Register, only notice that you can request it and file comments on whether NARA should approve it. The 30 day window to request from NARA a copy of this proposed Records Schedule, along with NARA’s associated appraisal reports, closes November 26. This can be done easily via email – see my request below. After providing a requester with these documents, NARA must wait 30 days for the requester to file comments – and to take all comments into account prior to deciding whether to approve the schedule. Destruction of records requires the approval by NARA of a Records Schedule – see 44 U.S.C. Chapter 33 Disposal of Records. Presumably TSA wouldn’t start collecting domestic airline passenger records under Secure Flight, for program testing purposes or otherwise, without the ability to legally destroy them.

Making a request to NARA for TSA’s Secure Flight Records Schedule, and participating in the comment process, sends a message to NARA that the public is interested and concerned about TSA building files on the travel history of ordinary Americans. To make this request, cut and paste this into an email to:

To: request.schedule@nara.gov
Subject: records schedule request

Greetings NARA,

I request a copy of the proposed / pending records schedule and all associated appraisal reports for the following:

Control Number:N1-560-08-3

Notice of the requested pending records schedule was published in the Federal Register: October 27, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 208) and reads in pertinent part as follows:

Department of Homeland Security, Transportation Security
Administration (N1-560-08-3, 8 items, 7 temporary items). Master files
for Secure Flight, an electronic information system used to conduct
pre-flight checks of passengers and non-traveling individuals involved
in passenger aviation for the purpose of detecting individuals who may
pose a terrorist threat. Proposed for permanent retention are planning
and implementation files documenting the creation of the Secure Flight
program and its major policy decisions.

Please confirm via return email that you have received this request. You may either respond to this request by scanning and emailing the requested documents to me at (insert your email address) or by mailing the documents to:

(insert your mailing address)

Should you have any questions, please call me at (insert your phone number).

Thank you,

(insert your name)