10 USC 455: Maps, Charts, and Geodetic Data

            
 
          Sec. 455. Maps, charts, and geodetic data: public availability; 
        exceptions
        
    (a) The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency shall offer for sale 
maps and charts at scales of 1:500,000 and smaller, except those 
withheld in accordance with subsection (b) or those specifically 
authorized under criteria established by Executive order to be kept 
secret in the interest of national defense or foreign policy and in fact 
properly classified pursuant to such Executive order.
    (b)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of 
Defense may withhold from public disclosure any geodetic product in the 
possession of, or under the control of, the Department of Defense--
        (A) that was obtained or produced, or that contains information 
    that was provided, pursuant to an international agreement that 
    restricts disclosure of such product or information to government 
    officials of the agreeing parties or that restricts use of such 
    product or information to government purposes only;
        (B) that contains information that the Secretary of Defense has 
    determined in writing would, if disclosed, reveal sources and 
    methods, or capabilities, used to obtain source material for 
    production of the geodetic product; or
        (C) that contains information that the Director of the National 
    Geospatial-Intelligence Agency has determined in writing would, if 
    disclosed, jeopardize or interfere with ongoing military or 
    intelligence operations, reveal military operational or contingency 
    plans, or reveal, jeopardize, or compromise military or intelligence 
    capabilities.

    (2) In this subsection, the term ``geodetic product'' means imagery, 
imagery intelligence, or geospatial information.
    (c)(1) Regulations to implement this section (including any 
amendments to such regulations) shall be published in the Federal 
Register for public comment for a period of not less than 30 days before 
they take effect.
    (2) Regulations under this section shall address the conditions 
under which release of geodetic products authorized under subsection (b) 
to be withheld from public disclosure would be appropriate--
        (A) in the case of allies of the United States; and
        (B) in the case of qualified United States contractors 
    (including contractors that are small business concerns) who need 
    such products for use in the performance of contracts with the 
    United States.

(Added Pub. L. 102-88, title V, Sec. 502(a)(1), Aug. 14, 1991, 105 Stat. 
435, Sec. 2796; amended Pub. L. 103-359, title V, Sec. 502, Oct. 14, 
1994, 108 Stat. 3430; renumbered Sec. 455 and amended Pub. L. 104-201, 
div. A, title XI, Sec. 1112(b), Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2682; Pub. L. 
105-85, div. A, title IX, Sec. 933(a), (b)(1), Nov. 18, 1997, 111 Stat. 
1866; Pub. L. 106-398, Sec. 1 [[div. A], title X, Sec. 1074], Oct. 30, 
2000, 114 Stat. 1654, 1654A-280; Pub. L. 108-136, div. A, title IX, 
Sec. 921(d)(2)(A), Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1568.)


                               Amendments

    2003--Subsecs. (a), (b)(1)(C). Pub. L. 108-136 substituted 
``National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency'' for ``National Imagery and 
Mapping Agency''.
    2000--Subsec. (b)(1)(C). Pub. L. 106-398 substituted ``, reveal 
military operational or contingency plans, or reveal, jeopardize, or 
compromise military or intelligence capabilities'' for ``or reveal 
military operational or contingency plans''.
    1997--Subsec. (b)(1)(B). Pub. L. 105-85, Sec. 933(a), inserted ``, 
or capabilities,'' after ``methods''.
    Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 105-85, Sec. 933(b)(1), amended par. (2) 
generally. Prior to amendment, par. (2) read as follows: ``In this 
subsection, the term `geodetic product' means any map, chart, geodetic 
data, or related product.''
    1996--Pub. L. 104-201 renumbered section 2796 of this title as this 
section and substituted ``National Imagery and Mapping Agency'' for 
``Defense Mapping Agency'' in subsecs. (a) and (b)(1)(C).
    1994--Subsec. (b)(1)(C). Pub. L. 103-359 inserted ``jeopardize or 
interfere with ongoing military or intelligence operations or'' after 
``disclosed,''.


                    Effective Date of 1996 Amendment

    Amendment by Pub. L. 104-201 effective Oct. 1, 1996, see section 
1124 of Pub. L. 104-201, set out as a note under section 193 of this 
title.


                               Regulations

    Pub. L. 102-88, title V, Sec. 502(b), Aug. 14, 1991, 105 Stat. 436, 
directed that regulations to implement section 2796

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(now 455) of this title be published in the Federal Register for public 
comment in accordance with subsec. (c) of that section not later than 90 
days after Aug. 14, 1991.