The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) generally provides that any person has a right, enforceable in court, of access to federal agency records, except to the extent that such records (or portions thereof) are protected from disclosure by one of nine exemptions.

The Privacy Act (PA) regulates the federal government's collection, maintenance, use and dissemination of personal information about U.S. citizens and aliens lawfully admitted for permanent residence. Among the rights afforded under the PA is an individual's right to obtain copies of records maintained on him/her if the information contained in agency files, retrievable by the individual's name or other identifier, is not exempt from release under the provisions of the law.

The goal of the FOIA/PA office at NRO is to release as much information as possible, consistent with the need to protect information under the exemption provisions of these laws.