cmcguire

What’s a FOIA Public Liaison?

June 9, 2011 by cmcguire, posted in definitions and concepts, Mediation services, Open Government, Training

As regular readers of this blog already know, OGIS was created when the 2007 OPEN Government Act amended the FOIA. However, the Act didn’t stop there -- it also formalized the role of the FOIA Public Liaison (FPL). Specifically it says: FOIA Public Liaisons shall report to the agency Chief FOIA Officer and shall serve … Continue reading What’s a FOIA Public Liaison?

Thinking about the future of FOIA: Proactive Disclosure

June 2, 2011 by cmcguire, posted in Legislation

News that the Faster FOIA Act passed the Senate last week has all of us at OGIS thinking about changes we’d like to see made to make FOIA work better. Though the future of Faster FOIA is uncertain -- it is headed to the House for consideration -- it has contributed to the already considerable … Continue reading Thinking about the future of FOIA: Proactive Disclosure

Talking Back to FOIA

May 27, 2011 by cmcguire, posted in definitions and concepts, Mediation services, Ombudsman, Open Government

Though an ombudsman has many roles, one of the most important is to serve as a listening ear for a larger organization. As the FOIA ombuds office, OGIS listens to complaints regarding the federal FOIA process; however, as a new entity, we are still figuring out how to best gather feedback from the requester community … Continue reading Talking Back to FOIA

Shedding Light on a Tricky Issue: FOIA Fees and Waivers

May 19, 2011 by cmcguire, posted in definitions and concepts, Fees

Of the many issues that confuse FOIA requesters and agency staff, we have observed that fees may be the most confusing. Determining what fees a requester must pay requires a high level of disclosure from the requester (who are you and what do you plan to do with these records?) and a judgment call from … Continue reading Shedding Light on a Tricky Issue: FOIA Fees and Waivers

Introducing: The FOIA Dispute Resolution Process

April 28, 2011 by cmcguire, posted in definitions and concepts, Mediation services, OGIS events, Ombudsman

On April 26, the OGIS staff (along with our friend Jean Whyte from NARA’s Alternative Dispute Resolution program) presented a daylong training session entitled “Dispute Resolution Skills Training for FOIA Professionals” to representatives from agencies across the Government. As with previous offerings of this training over the past year, the Justice Department’s Office of Information … Continue reading Introducing: The FOIA Dispute Resolution Process

Open Government: OGIS’s Take

April 22, 2011 by cmcguire, posted in Ombudsman, Open Government

The term “Open Government” is thrown around a lot these days. President Obama made Open Government a keystone of his administration, beginning with the memorandum on Open Government on January 21, 2009. But what does Open Government actually mean? Is Open Government about using technology to make government work better and to disclose vast amounts … Continue reading Open Government: OGIS’s Take

Announcement: Upcoming Dispute Resolution Skills Training for FOIA Professionals

April 7, 2011 by cmcguire, posted in OGIS events, Ombudsman, Training

FOIA professionals – particularly FOIA Public Liaisons – deal frequently with disputes. In fact, the amended Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. § 552) directs FOIA Public Liaisons to help resolve FOIA disputes. In order to equip these key FOIA staff members with useful tools to productively manage conflict, we are offering a free dispute … Continue reading Announcement: Upcoming Dispute Resolution Skills Training for FOIA Professionals

Mediation Services – Say What?

March 31, 2011 by cmcguire, posted in definitions and concepts, Mediation services, Ombudsman

The OPEN Government Act of 2007 amended the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), in part, to create OGIS. In establishing OGIS’s mission, the newly amended FOIA directs OGIS to offer “mediation services” to resolve disputes between FOIA requesters and Federal agencies. Seems straightforward, right? An agency or a requester approaches OGIS with a problem related … Continue reading Mediation Services – Say What?

Sunshine Week 2011: Catching Up With OGIS

March 25, 2011 by cmcguire, posted in FOIA in the news, OGIS events, Sunshine Week 2011

Last week – March 14-18 – was Sunshine Week. Did you feel the glow? This annual initiative, which coincides with national FOI Day and James Madison’s birthday (March 16), is designed to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of information and open government. Why is Sunshine Week celebrated on Madison’s birthday? Besides being instrumental … Continue reading Sunshine Week 2011: Catching Up With OGIS

Announcing: OGIS’s First Report

March 17, 2011 by cmcguire, posted in definitions and concepts, OGIS's Reports, Ombudsman, Open Government

We are very excited to announce the publication of OGIS’s first report, The First Year: Building Bridges Between FOIA Requesters and Federal Agencies. This publication tells the story of how Director (and first OGIS staff member) Miriam Nisbet stood up a small office with a very big mandate: to improve the Freedom of Information Act … Continue reading Announcing: OGIS’s First Report