Is the Freedom of Information Act Broken? Background, Perspectives and Recommendations

$120.00

Sheila Reed (Editor)

Series: Human Rights: Background and Issues
BISAC: POL035010

The Freedom of Information Act allows any person—individual or corporate, citizen or not—to request and obtain existing, identifiable, and unpublished agency records on any topic. Pursuant to FOIA, the public has presumptive access to agency records unless the material falls within any of FOIA’s nine categories of exception. Disputes over the release of records requested pursuant to FOIA can be appealed administratively, resolved through mediation, or heard in court. FOIA is a tool of inquiry and information gathering for various sectors—including the media, businesses, scholars, attorneys, consumers, and activists. Agency responses to FOIA requests may involve a few sheets of paper, several stacks of records, or information in an electronic format. Assembling responses requires staff time to search for records and make duplicates, among other resource commitments. Agency information management professionals are responsible for efficiently and economically responding to, or denying, FOIA requests. This book examines and analyzes agency administration of FOIA. It also draws on the testimony and comments received by the Committee to illustrate the barriers to access that citizens face with respect to FOIA. (Imprint: Nova)

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Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Preface

Chapter 1. The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA): Background, Legislation, and Policy Issues
Wendy Ginsberg

Chapter 2. The Freedom of Information Act is Broken: A Report
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

Chapter 3. Freedom of Information Act Legislation in the 114th Congress: Issue Summary and Side-by- Side Analysis
Daniel J. Richardson, Wendy Ginsberg

Chapter 4. Testimony of Jason Leopold, Investigative Reporter, VICE News. Hearing on ”Ensuring Transparency through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)”

Chapter 5. Statement of Nate Jones, Director of the Freedom of Information Act Project of the National Security Archive, George Washington University. Hearing on ”Ensuring Transparency through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)”

Chapter 6. Testimony of Gabriel Rottman, Legislative Counsel and Policy Advisor, American Civil Liberties Union. Hearing on ”Ensuring Transparency through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)”

Chapter 7. Statement of Anne L. Weisman, Executive Director, Campaign for Accountability. Hearing on ”Ensuring Transparency through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)”

Chapter 8. Statement of Joyce Barr, Assistant Secretary of Administration, U.S. Department of State. Hearing on ”Ensuring Agency Compliance with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)”

Chapter 9. Statement of Melanie Ann Pustay, Director, Office of Information Policy, U.S. Department of Justice. Hearing on ”Ensuring Agency Compliance with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)”

Chapter 10. Testimony of Karen L. Neuman, Chief Privacy Officer and Chief FOIA Officer, Department of Homeland Security. Hearing on ”Ensuring Agency Compliance with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)”

Index

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