§ 1924. Unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents or material

Legislative history

Reconstructed from this section’s Code source credit and amendment notes, resolved against the local Statutes at Large. Editorial notes are evidence, not the law that made the change.

1. 1994

   Counterintelligence and Security Enhancements Act of 1994

   Pub. L. 103–359 title VIII § 808(a) · 108 Stat. 3423

   Enacted · 18 U.S.C. § 1924

   Added Pub. L. 103–359, title VIII, § 808(a), Oct. 14, 1994, 108 Stat. 3453

   Source evidence

   Code source credit
   Added Pub. L. 103–359, title VIII, § 808(a), Oct. 14, 1994, 108 Stat. 3453

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   (a) In General.— Chapter 93 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section: “§1924. Unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents or material “(a) Whoever, being an officer, employee, contractor, or consultant of the United States, and, by virtue of his office, employment, position, or contract, becomes possessed of documents or materials containing classified information of the United States, knowingly removes such documents or materials without authority and with the intent to retain such documents or materials at an unauthorized location shall be fined not more than $1,000, or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both. “(b) For purposes of this section, the provision of documents and materials to the Congress shall not constitute an offense under subsection (a). “(c) In this section, the term ‘classified information of the United States’ means information originated, owned, or possessed by the United States Government concerning the national defense or foreign relations of the United States that has been determined pursuant to law or Executive order to require protection against unauthorized disclosure in the interests of national security.”.

2. 2002

   Criminal Law Technical Amendments Act of 2002

   Pub. L. 107–273 div. B title IV § 4002(d)(1)(C)(i) · 116 Stat. 1758

   Substituted · 18 U.S.C. § 1924(a)

   Pub. L. 107–273 substituted “under this title” for “not more than $1,000,”

   Source evidence

   Code amendment note
   Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 107–273 substituted “under this title” for “not more than $1,000,”.

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   (i) Section 1924(a) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by striking “not more than $1,000,” and inserting “under this title”.

3. 2018

   FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017

   Pub. L. 115–118 title II § 202 · 132 Stat. 3

   Substituted · 18 U.S.C. § 1924(a)

   Pub. L. 115–118 substituted “five years” for “one year”

   Source evidence

   Code amendment note
   Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 115–118 substituted “five years” for “one year”.

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   SEC. 202. INCREASED PENALTY FOR UNAUTHORIZED REMOVAL AND RETENTION OF CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS OR MATERIAL.   Section 1924(a) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by striking “one year” and inserting “five years”.

3 of 3 references resolved to an enrolled provision