{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-wyden-demand-accountability-from-doi-following-report-that-agency-officials-destroyed-official-records", "Heinrich, Wyden Demand Accountability From DOI Following Report that Agency Officials Destroyed Official Records", "2026-08-19", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) sent a letter to the Department of the Interior (DOI) Secretary Doug Burgum demanding answers on whether DOI complies with federal records retention requirements, calling for accountability and transparency regarding the agency\u2019s records preservation processes.\n\nThe letter follows reporting that DOI officials have destroyed official documents and used encrypted mobile applications with disappearing message configurations to avoid preserving records. These actions would violate the Federal Records Act, which requires the head of each federal agency to properly preserve all records documenting the organization, policies, and functions of the agency.\n\n\u201cWe write to request information regarding the Department of the Interior\u2019s compliance with federal records retention requirements. We are deeply concerned by recent reports that officials at the Department have reportedly engaged in actions in violation of the Federal Records Act,\u201dthe Senators began.\n\n\u201cIt is imperative that all employees at the Department \u2013 regardless of title or position \u2013 understand and comply with federal records retention requirements. Government must be transparent and accountable to the American people,\u201d the Senators continued.\n\nThe Senators concluded the letter by demanding Burgum provide clarity on DOI's record retention policies and procedures, how these procedures relate to encrypted mobile devices and mobile applications on government devices, and whether he has ever directed, ordered, or been aware of any DOI official destroying or concealing federal records.\n\nRead the full text of the letter here and below.\n\nSecretary Burgum:\n\nWe write to request information regarding the Department of the Interior\u2019s compliance with federal records retention requirements. We are deeply concerned by recent reports that officials at the Department have reportedly engaged in actions in violation of the Federal Records Act.\n\nAccording to a recent report in Politico, officials at the Department have reportedly destroyed official documents and used encrypted mobile applications equipped with disappearing message configurations to avoid preserving records. One employee quoted in the article stated, \u201c[t]hey\u2019re [Department officials] terrified of written records.\u201d\n\nUnder the Federal Records Act, the head of each federal agency is required to \u201cmake and preserve records containing adequate and proper documentation of the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, and essential transactions of the agency\u2026.\u201d The Federal Records Act broadly defines \u201crecord\u201d and includes \u201call recorded information, regardless of form or characteristics, made or received by a Federal agency under Federal law or in connection with the transaction of public business and preserved or appropriate for preservation by that agency.\u201d Any employee that conceals or destroys a federal record may be subject to fine or imprisonment.\n\nIt is imperative that all employees at the Department \u2013 regardless of title or position \u2013 understand and comply with federal records retention requirements. Government must be transparent and accountable to the American people. We therefore request that you clearly communicate to all employees their legal obligation to comply with the Federal Records Act. Additionally, in light of the serious nature of this matter, we request you provide responses to the following questions by September 2, 2026:\n\nPlease describe the Department\u2019s record retention policies and procedures. Since the start of this Administration, please provide all guidance the Department has shared with employees regarding their obligation to comply with federal records retention requirements.\n\nPlease describe the Department\u2019s policies and procedures related to encrypted mobile applications, including whether the Department permits the use of such applications on government devices. Since the start of this Administration, please provide all guidance the Department has shared with employees regarding their obligation to comply with federal records retention requirements when using encrypted mobile applications.\n\nPlease provide responses to the following questions:\n\nHave you directed or ordered any Department employee to destroy or conceal a federal record?\n\nAre you aware of any Department official destroying or concealing a federal record?\n\nThank you for your prompt attention to this matter.", 1, "2026-08-20T05:28:41Z", "2026-08-20T05:29:58Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-wyden-demand-accountability-from-doi-following-report-that-agency-officials-destroyed-official-records"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9398059919476509, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}