Declassification guidance for Department of Defense original classification authorities

(a) In general Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall issue written guidance for the ad hoc declassification of Department of Defense information by Department of Defense original classification authorities. (b) Applicability The guidance required by subsection (a) shall be applicable to the Secretary of Defense and any other Department of Defense official designated as an original classification authority. (c) Requirements At a minimum, the guidance required by subsection (a) shall require that— (1) not later than 24 hours after an ad hoc decision by an original classification authority to declassify Department of Defense information, the original classification authority shall document their decision and the justification for such decision in writing; (2) not later than 48 hours after an ad hoc decision by the original classification authority to declassify Department of Defense information, the written documentation and justification required by paragraph (1) shall be provided to— (A) relevant officials of the Department of Defense and other departments and agencies of the United States Government, as appropriate; and (B) the congressional defense committees; and (3) the original classification authority shall document the justification. (d) Notification Not later than 48 hours after issuing the written guidance required by subsection (a) or making any change to the written guidance required by subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall submit such guidance to the congressional defense committees. (e) Definitions In this section: (1) Ad hoc declassification The term ad hoc declassification means the declassification of Department of Defense information outside the deliberate automatic or systematic declassification processes outlined in Executive Order 13526 Classified National Security Information issued on December 29, 2009, or a successor executive order. (2) Original classification authority The term original classification authority means a Department of Defense official appropriately authorized to classify information in the first instance or to declassify such information.