FOIA - Freedom Of Information Act Archives

FOIA - Freedom Of Information Act

Responding to calls for speeding the process of releasing federal documents to the public, President Bush issued an executive order Wednesday [December 14, 2005] requiring agencies to designate chief Freedom of Information Act officers.

Under the order, FOIA officers must develop plans within six months to streamline their agencies' processes. Those plans must be implemented within two years.

Agencies also must create FOIA requester service centers and designate public liaisons to serve as single points of contact for people seeking documents.

"Bush orders agencies to name chief FOIA officers," by Tom Shoop, GovExec.com, December 14, 2005

"Executive Order: Improving Agency Disclosure of Information," (will likely be Executive Order 13392), December 14, 2005

from the Media Relations Handbook, by Brad Fitch
§ 11.6 Freedom of Information Act Requests (FOIA’s)
§ 11.7 FOIA References

CRS Reports:
"Freedom of Information Act Amendments: 109th Congress," by Harold Relyea, RL32780, June 28, 2005 (11-page pdf )
"Access to Government Information In the United States," by Harold Relyea, 97-71 GOV, January 7, 2005 (4-page pdf )
"Critical Infrastructure Information Disclosure and Homeland Security," by John Moteff and Gina Marie Stevens, RL31547, January 29, 2003 (22-page pdf )
"'Sensitive But Unclassified' and Other Federal Security Controls on Scientific and Technical Information: History and Current Controversy," by Genevieve Knezo, RL31845, February 20, 2004 (60-page pdf )
"Security Classification Policy and Procedure: E.O. 12958, as Amended," by Harold Relyea, 97-771 GOV, January 7, 2005 (6-page pdf )
"Information Sharing for Homeland Security: A Brief Overview," by Harold Relyea and Jeffrey Seifert, RL32597, January 10, 2005 (38-page pdf )

From the Department of Justice:
FOIA Reference Guide, revised April 2005
"Justice Department Guide to the Freedom of Information Act"
Other Federal Agencies' FOIA Web Sites
FOIA Reference Materials

"A Citizen's Guide on Using the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act of 1974 to Request Government Records, Report 108-172," Committee On Government Reform, U.S. House of Representatives (85-page pdf )

"Your Right To Federal Records," GSA Federal Citizen Information Center, September, 2004 (36-page pdf )

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) - from The National Security Archive at George Mason University

Freedom of Information - from the Society of Professional Journalists

"Bush signs order streamlining FOIA process," by Rob Thormeyer, Government Computer News, December 14, 2005

"Bush Signs Order to Speed FOIA Requests," Associated Press in Forbes, December 14, 2005