FOIA
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Open government and press organizations are fighting back against the new communications policy the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee recently set between his committee and the Treasury Department. The new policy says any communication between the committee and the department will be considered a "congressional record" and therefore isn't subject to the Freedom of Information Act.
May 15, 2017 -
The National FOIA Portal will offer a one-stop-shop for people requesting information from any of the federal agencies, and will also serve as a guide for pointing requesters toward information that is already public — thus eliminating extra work for FOIA offices.
April 24, 2017 -
In today's Top Federal Headlines, emails revealed through a FOIA request from Judicial Watch show contractors working with HHS had major security concerns days before the site became live.
April 19, 2017 -
Federal Freedom of Information Act offices saw a record number of information requests in fiscal 2016, an accomplishment that highlights the need to be able to efficiently and effectively serve stakeholder and citizens.
March 13, 2017 -
The Justice Department’s Office of Information Policy is constantly fighting an uphill battle to improve federal agencies’ responses to FOIA requests.
March 01, 2017 -
Several revisions to the Freedom of Information Act were passed in June 2016 that may have been shadowed by the election season. Melanie Pustay, director of the information policy office at the Justice Department, told Federal Drive with Tom Temin what those changes mean for FOIA officers and anyone working with federal records.
February 22, 2017 -
Freedom of information advocates say the recent uptick in FOIA requests is due to a combination of current events and interest in the presidential transition. But the growing interest does mean an additional burden on already short-staffed FOIA offices.
January 30, 2017 -
Accountability, leadership support, strategic intent, and a sense of urgency are what one FOIA leader said are the keys to a successful information office.
January 26, 2017 -
Accessibility for all promotes open government and transparency, but it can also be a burden on agencies' Freedom of Information offices. That's where the U.S. Access Board, and a pending final rule, can help.
October 25, 2016 -
In today's Top Federal Headlines, a large group of government transparency advocacy groups has asked members of Congress to disallow proposal to give DoD more FOIA exemptions.
August 25, 2016 -
Federal agencies could soon face a new governmentwide guidance on how they respond to Freedom of Information Act requests, following a meeting in September.
August 19, 2016 -
New guidance from the Justice Department suggests agencies should begin updating their standard Freedom of Information Act response letters and notices to comply with the new FOIA Improvement Act. President Barack Obama signed the bill into law last month to mark FOIA's 50th anniversary.
July 19, 2016 -
The Freedom of Information Act just turned 50. Journalists, lawyers and others are largely applauding the new FOIA Improvement Act of 2016, which President Barack Obama signed into law at the end of June. But there's still a lot more work to be done to improve the way agencies give information to the public. Open government experts say agencies need more help from Congress to create a culture of openness and transparency. Federal News Radio's Nicole Ogrysko offers more on the subject on Federal Drive with Tom Temin.
July 13, 2016 -
In today's Top Federal Headlines, the new FOIA Improvement Act won’t patch every hole in the information request process, and the Senate Armed Services Committee holds a closed door meeting on cybersecurity.
July 13, 2016 -
Karen Neuman, the Homeland Security Department’s chief privacy officer, will step down at the end of July after three years on the job.
July 07, 2016