Ombudsman – Page 14 – The FOIA Ombuds

OGIS Director Testifies Before House Subcommittee

October 23, 2019 by cmcguire, posted in Ombudsman

OGIS Director Alina M. Semo recently testified before a House Subcommittee about eight OGIS assessments at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). OGIS, mandated by Congress to review and identify ways to improve FOIA compliance, reviewed FOIA programs at seven DHS components between September 2015 and February 2018. OGIS also assessed DHS’s compliance with the … Continue reading OGIS Director Testifies Before House Subcommittee

Department of Justice Releases New Guidance on FOIA Exemption 4

October 21, 2019 by cmcguire, posted in Ombudsman

As you may have heard, on June 24, 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court issued an opinion on a case involving the “privileged or confidential” requirement of FOIA Exemption 4, Food Mktg Inst. v. Argus Leader Media, 139 S. Ct. 915 (June 24, 2019). Exemption 4 protects "trade secrets and commercial or financial information obtained from … Continue reading Department of Justice Releases New Guidance on FOIA Exemption 4

OGIS celebrates 10th anniversary

October 9, 2019 by cmcguire, posted in Ombudsman

OGIS marked its 10th anniversary in September 2019. While aluminum or tin are the traditional gifts to commemorate a decade, we are celebrating our 10 years as the FOIA Ombudsman with cake–-on October 10, 2019, National Ombuds Day! We are pleased that our work has resulted in a culture shift in the FOIA landscape. Dispute … Continue reading OGIS celebrates 10th anniversary

Education FOIA Compliance Assessment Report Now Available

October 1, 2019 by cmcguire, posted in Ombudsman

OGIS’s latest FOIA compliance assessment shows that opportunities exist for the Department of Education’s Chief FOIA Officer to fulfill the statutory duties of ensuring compliance with FOIA and recommending improvements to FOIA implementation. The Department of Education assessment, the 13th conducted by OGIS, makes seven actionable recommendations for strengthening Education’s FOIA program, which received 3,041 … Continue reading Education FOIA Compliance Assessment Report Now Available

Leveraging Technology in FOIA Searches

September 11, 2019 by cmcguire, posted in Electronic records, FOIA Advisory Committee, IT Solutions, Ombudsman

Searching for responsive records under FOIA works best when processors cross disciplines to collaborate with technology experts at their respective agencies. An OGIS assessment of the 2019 Chief FOIA Officer (CFO) reports shows that while a majority of agencies report using technology to facilitate efficiency in conducting searches, only about one in five agencies report … Continue reading Leveraging Technology in FOIA Searches

Share Your Thoughts with the FOIA Advisory Committee

August 21, 2019 by cmcguire, posted in FOIA Advisory Committee, FOIA Public Liaisons, Ombudsman

What challenges do you face as you navigate the FOIA process? Whether you are an agency FOIA professional or a FOIA requester, the Federal FOIA Advisory Committee wants to hear from you. The Committee is asking both those who administer and use the Federal FOIA to take a voluntary survey to help inform its understanding … Continue reading Share Your Thoughts with the FOIA Advisory Committee

Join us Online for Today’s Chief FOIA Officers Council Meeting

August 5, 2019 by cmcguire, posted in Government information, OGIS events, Ombudsman, Open Government

Recent changes to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) landscape and an update on FOIA and technology will be discussed at the August 5, 2019 public meeting of the Chief FOIA Officers Council, beginning at 10:00 a.m. EDT. You may join us online via the National Archives YouTube channel. The recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in Food … Continue reading Join us Online for Today’s Chief FOIA Officers Council Meeting

Getting to Know the FOIA Advisory Committee: Abioye Mosheim

July 10, 2019 by cmcguire, posted in FOIA Advisory Committee, Ombudsman

Today we present an interview with Abioye Mosheim, Chief FOIA Officer and Assistant General Counsel for FOIA, Privacy and Records at the Consumer Product Safety Commission and a member of the FOIA Advisory Committee. Over the next year, we will share our interviews with other members of the Advisory Committee so that you can get … Continue reading Getting to Know the FOIA Advisory Committee: Abioye Mosheim

It’s a Wrap: OGIS’s Open Meeting

June 20, 2019 by cmcguire, posted in Ombudsman

If you missed the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) annual meeting on June 14, 2019, it is not too late to listen in on the conversation—we invite you to watch the meeting on the National Archives YouTube channel. The Freedom of Information Act directs OGIS to host an annual meeting to inform the public … Continue reading It’s a Wrap: OGIS’s Open Meeting

Join Us for Our Annual Open Meeting!

June 3, 2019 by cmcguire, posted in OGIS events, OGIS's Reports, Ombudsman

Got a question for the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS)? Or do you want to hear more about our work as the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Ombudsman over the past year? If so, please join us for the OGIS annual open meeting on Friday, June 14, 2019, in the William G. McGowan Theater … Continue reading Join Us for Our Annual Open Meeting!