Due to the large deficit, Congress has pulled 22 million dollars from the Archives budget. Due to higher utility costs, and the $2 million dollar damage from flooding at Archives I, the Archives is proposing a solution to help cut costs. They are proposing the end of evenings and Saturdays for researchers.

There is going to be a public meeting at Archives I on Tuesday, August 1, at 1 p.m. If you are in the D.C. area, attend this meeting to lend support to keeping the Archives open.

For those of you outside of the D.C. area, fax your comments to the National Archives. The information is provided below.

You are invited to review and comment on a National Archives and Records Administration interim final rule published on Tuesday, July 25, in the Federal Register. Comments are due by Friday, September 8.

This regulation will affect individuals who use our archival research rooms in the National Archives Building and National Archives at College Park facility, and indivuduals who vist the National Archives Experience and the Rotunda exhibits in the National Archives Building.

* This interim final rule would change the research room hours to 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, eliminating evening and Saturday hours.

* Also under the rule public hours for exhibit areas in the National Archives Building from the day after Labor Day through March 14, would be 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and March 15 through Labor Day, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. extending hours in the spring and reducing hours in the summer. The building would now be closed on Thanksgiving Day as well as December 25. 

The interim final rule is available at:
http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/frcont06.html
under Tuesday, July 25, and National Archives and Records Administration

Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods:

1. Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
2. Fax: Submit comments by facsimile transmission to 301-837-0319
3. Mail: Send comments to Regulations Comments Desk (NPOL), Room 4100, Policy and Planning Staff, National Archives and Records Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, Md. 20740-6001
4. Hand Delivery or Courier: Deliver comments to 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, Md.