HHS Has Made Progress in Properly Classifying Documents; However, New Issues Should be Addressed

Classification is an important tool that allows the Federal government to protect information that might damage national security; however, over-classification may pose risks to national security, too. Over-classification may prevent Federal agencies from sharing information internally and with other agencies, potentially hindering efforts to identify possible risks to national security. The use of portion markings may reduce over-classification by permitting access to those portions of a classified document that are less sensitive than the overall document classification. The Reducing Over-Classification Act of 2010 requires Federal agencies to decrease over-classification.