Freedom of Information Act
Before submitting FOIA requests, individuals should ensure that the information
they seek is not already in the public domain. Please contact individual participating agencies to submit your request.
Background
The Freedom of Information Act ("FOIA"), 5 U.S.C.
552, provides individuals with a right to access to records in
the possession of the federal government. The government may withhold
information pursuant to the nine exemptions and three exclusions contained
in the Act. The
Electronic FOIA ("E-FOIA") Amendments which President Clinton signed
into law in 1996, amended the law in several ways, including:
- extend from 10 to 20 business days (excluding holidays) the time
agencies must respond to requests for information;
- require agencies to make reasonable efforts to make records available
in formats desired by requesters;
- require agencies to submit the FOIA Annual Report by fiscal year;
- require agencies to make the reports available to the public by computer
telecommunications or other electronic means;
- require agencies to list their major information
systems, record locator systems, and a reference
guide or guide for obtaining information; and
- require agencies to establish electronic
reading rooms that include agency policies, staff manuals, opinions
made in the adjudication of cases, and an index of records released
by FOIA that are likely to become the subject of subsequent FOIA
requests.
Public Information Servers