US National Archives regional facility closures

The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) announced plans to close several regional facilities, including locations in Chicago, Seattle, and San Francisco (San Bruno). These closures threaten public access to millions of physical documents, such as Japanese-American records, tribal nation treaty files, and other government records that are not available online.

In response to the announcement, archival organizations issued a joint statement warning that the closures lack transparency and could harm researchers, veterans, and tribal nations. While NARA maintains that the closures aim to increase efficiency through digitization, advocates argue that many delicate materials cannot be easily digitized or relocated.

Opposition has escalated to the legislative level, with a coalition of lawmakers, including Representative Kevin Mullin and Representative Judy Chu, urging NARA to reconsider. Representative Mullin has introduced the National Archives Protection Act, which seeks to require congressional approval before the agency can close any archive facility, federal records center, or research room.