Getting to Know the FOIA Advisory Committee: Luke Nichter

Today we present an interview with Luke Nichter, Professor of History and James H. Cavanaugh Endowed Chair in Presidential Studies at Chapman University and a member of the FOIA Advisory Committee. This is part of a series of posts on the Committee, whose members are FOIA experts from inside and outside of government who are … Continue reading Getting to Know the FOIA Advisory Committee: Luke Nichter

Getting to Know the FOIA Advisory Committee: Catrina Pavlik-Keenan

Today we present an interview with Catrina Pavlik-Keenan, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Deputy Chief Freedom of Information Act Officer and a member of the FOIA Advisory Committee. This is part of a series of posts on the Committee, whose members are FOIA experts from inside and outside of government who are appointed by the … Continue reading Getting to Know the FOIA Advisory Committee: Catrina Pavlik-Keenan

OGIS Publishes Assessments on Agency FOIA Websites and FOIA in Agency Performance Plans

Building Survey, Photographs ca. 1930 – ca. 1949. National Archives Identifier 32200323 The Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) recently published two assessment reports examining Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) websites and FOIA’s inclusion in agency performance plans. The assessments fulfill recommendations from the 2018-2020 term of the FOIA Advisory Committee. Recommendation 2020-01 was for OGIS to "undertake … Continue reading OGIS Publishes Assessments on Agency FOIA Websites and FOIA in Agency Performance Plans

FOIA Advisory Committee Meets on December 1

"Keep'em Flying is Our Battle Cry. Do Your Part for Duty - Honor - Country." National Archives Identifier 513525 The next meeting of the 2022-2024 term of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Advisory Committee is on Thursday, December 1, 2022, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET.  This virtual meeting is open to the … Continue reading FOIA Advisory Committee Meets on December 1

Understanding the Office of Government Information Services (part 4/4)

"Information" World War II Posters, 1942 - 1945. National Archives Identifier 514625 In our previous blog posts “Understanding the Office of Government Information Services,” parts 1, 2 and 3,  we provided a basic overview of OGIS and highlighted our dispute resolution and compliance work. In this wrap-up post we’ll further explain the important work of … Continue reading Understanding the Office of Government Information Services (part 4/4)

Understanding the Office of Government Information Services (part 3/4)

https://giphy.com/gifs/usnationalarchives-archives-archivesgif-naid12065-1alh12SmIXpUoZEQar Your National Archives by US National Archives via GIPHY. National Archives Identifier 12065 In our previous two blog posts “Understanding the Office of Government Information Services” parts 1 and 2, we provided a basic overview of how OGIS is structured and highlighted aspects of our dispute resolution program. In this post we’ll touch on … Continue reading Understanding the Office of Government Information Services (part 3/4)

FOIA Advisory Committee Organizes into Three Subcommittees

Front-runners take off from the starting line at the beginning of the US Air Force (USAF) Marathon, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (AFB), Ohio (OH). National Archives Identifier 6684302 The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Advisory Committee shared information and heard ideas from previous Committee terms to organize itself into three subcommittees for the 2022-2024 term.  … Continue reading FOIA Advisory Committee Organizes into Three Subcommittees

2022-2024 FOIA Advisory Committee Members Appointed

A woman Marine sergeant, who is a member of the band blows her trumpet, during a Marine Corps Birthday Pageant held in the stadium, 11/9/1979. National Archives Identifier 6367479 Acting Archivist of the United States Debra Steidel Wall appointed 20 individuals to the National Archives and Records Administration’s 2022–2024 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Advisory … Continue reading 2022-2024 FOIA Advisory Committee Members Appointed

OGIS Is Yet Again Interested in “Still Interested” Letters

Address Your Letters Plainly. National Archives Identifier 44266146 As federal agencies approach the end of fiscal year 2022 in September, we know many are aiming to close old FOIA requests and reduce their FOIA backlogs. Some have begun to send requesters “still interested” letters to ensure that the information in a FOIA request is still … Continue reading OGIS Is Yet Again Interested in “Still Interested” Letters

OIP Director recaps AG Garland FOIA Memo

U.S. Department of Justice Office of Information Policy Director Bobby Talebian. U.S. Department of Justice Office of Information Policy (OIP) Director Bobby Talebian provided an update on the Attorney General guidelines at this year’s American Society of Access Professionals National Training Conference in Arlington, Va. With regard to FOIA’s  foreseeable harm standard, which Congress added … Continue reading OIP Director recaps AG Garland FOIA Memo