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Category Archives: About FOIA
Tips for Avoiding FOIA Lawsuits
Last week our mediation team facilitator, Christa Lemelin, gave a five minute lightning talk at the Department of Commerce Sunshine Week celebration about common mistakes agencies make that could increase the likelihood of a FOIA requester filing a lawsuit against … Continue reading
OGIS Releases FOIA Compliance Self-Assessment Survey Results
We are excited to announce the release of our analysis and observations of FOIA compliance issues based on the responses to FOIA questions included in the 2016 Records Management Self-Assessment (RMSA). The RMSA is a sophisticated agency self-assessment program developed … Continue reading
Posted in About FOIA, Review
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DOJ Releases FOIA Website Guidance 2.0
The Department of Justice Office of Information Policy (OIP) recently issued updated guidance for agency FOIA webpages. The guidance provides helpful recommendations for agencies to ensure that requesters can find useful resources and information. OIP’s guidance suggests that agencies ensure … Continue reading
Posted in About FOIA, Best practices, Open Government
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OGIS Joins in Thanksgiving 2017
In the spirit of Thanksgiving, we want to take some time to give thanks for the many individuals who have worked with us over the past year to help improve the FOIA process. In particular, we want to recognize the … Continue reading
Posted in About FOIA, About OGIS, FOIA Advisory Committee
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Useful Resources for Veterans Records
We often receive requests for assistance to obtain access to veterans’ medical and service records of those men and women who have served our country in the armed forces. These requests come from the veterans themselves, from their family members, … Continue reading
Posted in About FOIA, Customer service
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National Archives Releases New JFK Records
Last week there was a surge of excitement surrounding the National Archives’ release of new government records concerning the assassination of President John F. Kennedy (JFK). We thought this might be a good opportunity to join our colleagues in celebrating … Continue reading
Understanding FOIA Delay
One of the frustrations with the FOIA process that we hear about most frequently is the delay in an agency’s response to a request. Frequently, requesters contact us to ask why an agency has not responded within the 20 working … Continue reading
Posted in About FOIA
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Teach the Children Well
As pictures of adorable kids returning from summer vacation and starting their first day of school begin to flood our social media feeds, we thought this might be a good moment to remind you all about the National Archives’ fantastic educational … Continue reading
Posted in About FOIA, Open Government
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Reflections on the July 27 Chief FOIA Officer Council Meeting
Those who follow the news on FOIA are likely already aware of last week’s Chief FOIA Officers Council meeting hosted by NARA in McGowan Theater. The meeting included a panel discussion of ways that agencies, OGIS and FOIA requesters can … Continue reading
FOIA Improvement: Proactive Disclosure
On June 30th we passed the one-year anniversary of the enactment of the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016. Over the past year we have published blog posts suggesting ways agencies can implement some of the amendments, including the requirement to … Continue reading
Posted in About FOIA, Open Government, Review
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![[UPDATED] Sunshine Week 2018 at the National Archives](https://foiaombudsman.files.wordpress.com/2018/01/sunshineweek2018final.jpg?w=300&resize=40%2C40){kind=small}
