6 C.F.R. § 7.27 Declassification and downgrading.
Title 6 - Homeland Security
(a) Classified information shall be declassified as soon as it no longer meets the standards for classification. Declassification and downgrading is governed by Part 3 of Executive Order 12958, as amended, implementing ISOO directives at 32 CFR part 2001, subpart C, and applicable internal DHS direction provided by the Chief Security Officer. (b) Information shall be declassified or downgraded by the official who authorized the original classification if that official is still serving in the same position, the originator's successor, or a supervisory official of either, or by officials delegated such authority in writing by the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Chief Security Officer. (c) It is presumed that information that continues to meet the classification requirements under Executive Order 12958, as amended, requires continued protection. In some exceptional cases during declassification reviews, the need to protect classified information may be outweighed by the public interest in disclosure of the information, and in these cases the information should be declassified. If it appears that the public interest in disclosure of the information may outweigh the need to protect the information, the declassification reviewing official shall refer the information with a recommendation for decision to the Chief Security Officer. The Chief Security Officer shall review the information and make a recommendation to the Secretary on whether the public interest in disclosure outweighs the damage to national security that might reasonably be expected from disclosure. The Secretary shall decide whether to declassify the information. The decision of the Secretary shall be final. This provision does not amplify or modify the substantive criteria or procedures for classification or create any substantive or procedural rights subject to judicial review. (d) Each component shall develop schedules for declassification of records in the National Archives.
Title 6: Homeland Security
PART 7—CLASSIFIED NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION
Subpart B—Classified Information
§ 7.27 Declassification and downgrading.
