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February 25, 2000 INS Dedicates National Records Center In Lees Summit, Missouri WASHINGTON As part of INS continuing efforts to provide better customer service, Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) Commissioner Doris Meissner dedicated the agencys National Records Center (NRC) today in Lees Summit, Missouri. The Center will centralize the more than 25 million INS alien records (A-files) currently stored in more than 80 INS sites throughout the United Statesenhancing efficiency and data integrity. The Mayor of Lees Summit, Karen R. Messerli, Jackson County Executive, Katheryn F. Shields, and the Regional Administrator of the General Services Administration, Glen W. Overton, joined Commissioner Meissner for the ceremony. "The NRC is the keystone to INS recordkeeping re-engineering effort which was funded by Congress and the Administration to boost agency efficiency so that we can provide our customers the timely service they deserve," said INS Commissioner Meissner. "Centralizing millions of paper records into a single, state-of-the-art facility will dramatically improve the integrity of our recordkeeping and cut the time spent on file retrievala vital component of application processingfrom weeks and even months to only a few days." The NRC initiative will enhance data integrity by ensuring that source records match INS electronic data files. Moreover, it will help INS progress from paper-based to electronic-based recordsfurther enhancing business operations and customer service. The NRC began its first phase of operations in November 1999 with approximately 130 employees. When fully operational, the NRC will occupy approximately 200,000 square feet and employ more than 400 people to provide records management and information retrieval services, Freedom of Information Act/Privacy Act processing, and immigrant status verification services to benefit-granting agencies and employers. The decision to establish the NRC in Lees Summit came after a decade of extensive analysis and planning. Lees Summit meets INS unique requirements, including a central geographic location, transportation and communications infrastructure, a qualified labor force, and close proximity to a National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) Federal Records Center. INS looks forward to expanding its presence in Kansas City and becoming an active member of the community. NOTE: Information about INS employment opportunities at the NRC can be found on the Office of Personnel Managements Web site at http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/a9dj.htm#dj2. INS |
Last Modified 02/20/2003