50 USC § 3355c - Protection of national security information and other information

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t50/s3355c"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "50 USC § 3355c - Protection of national security information and other information"
title_number: 50
title_name: "WAR AND NATIONAL DEFENSE"
section_number: "3355c"
section_name: "Protection of national security information and other information"
chapter_number: 45
chapter_name: "MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY AUTHORITIES"
subchapter_number: "III–A"
subchapter_name: "PUBLIC INTEREST DECLASSIFICATIONS"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-21"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 106–567, title VII, § 705, Dec. 27, 2000, 114 Stat. 2861; Pub. L. 110–53, title VI, § 602(1), (3), Aug. 3, 2007, 121 Stat. 335, 336; Pub. L. 117–263, div. F, title LXVIII, § 6824(d)(3), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3615; Pub. L. 119–60, div. F, title LXIV, § 6402(c)(2)(E), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1616.)"
---


# § 3355c. Protection of national security information and other information

**(a)** **In general** Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to limit the authority of the head of an agency to classify information or to continue the classification of information previously classified by that agency.

**(b)** **Special access programs** Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to limit the authority of the head of an agency to grant or deny access to a special access program.

**1** **Authorities of Director of National Intelligence** [^1]

Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to limit the authorities of the Director of National Intelligence as the head of the intelligence community, including the Director’s responsibility to protect intelligence sources and methods from unauthorized disclosure as required by 3024(h)  of this title.

So in original. Probably should be preceded by “section”.

**(d)** **Exemptions to release of information** section 552 of title 5section 552a of title 5

Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to limit any exemption or exception to the release to the public under this subchapter of information that is protected under subsection (b) of  (commonly referred to as the “Freedom of Information Act”), or  (commonly referred to as the “Privacy Act”).

**(e)** **Withholding information from Congress** Nothing in this subchaper shall be construed to authorize the withholding of information from Congress.

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 106–567, title VII, § 705, Dec. 27, 2000, 114 Stat. 2861; Pub. L. 110–53, title VI, § 602(1), (3), Aug. 3, 2007, 121 Stat. 335, 336; Pub. L. 117–263, div. F, title LXVIII, § 6824(d)(3), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3615; Pub. L. 119–60, div. F, title LXIV, § 6402(c)(2)(E), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1616.)

## Editorial Notes

### Codification

Section was formerly set out in a note under .

### Amendments

2025—Subsec. (c).  substituted “3024(h)” for “section 3024(i)”.

2022—Subsec. (c).  substituted “” for “section 103(c)(6) of the National Security Act of 1947”.

2007—Subsec. (c).  substituted “Director of National Intelligence” for “Director of Central Intelligence” in heading and text.