If the classifying agency provides a partial response to your challenge, what can you do if they do not provide a full response within 120 days?

When faced with a situation where a classifying agency provides only a partial response to your challenge and fails to deliver a full response within the stipulated 120 days, forwarding the challenge to the Interagency Security Classification Appeals Panel (ISCAP) is the appropriate course of action. This option exists to ensure that challenges regarding classification decisions can be addressed at a higher level if the initial agency does not satisfactorily resolve the issue.

The ISCAP is specifically established to review classification challenges and ensure compliance with classification guidelines. By taking your challenge to ISCAP, you are invoking a formal mechanism that is designed to provide oversight and maintain the integrity of the classification process. This step is critical for not only upholding the fundamental principles of national security classification but also for ensuring that proper procedures are followed in the event disputes arise.

Pursuing this option reflects a commitment to transparency and accountability in the classification system, rather than simply moving on without resolution or resorting to improper actions such as classifying information independently, which could lead to further issues regarding compliance and the integrity of the classification system.