What the FOIA is GLOMAR?!

Images courtesy of Central Intelligence Agency. FOIA can be a challenge for even the most seasoned requester, and jargony language and acronyms make things even more confusing. Case in point: the term “Glomar” is often used to describe a FOIA response where the agency neither confirms nor denies (NCND) the existence of responsive records. Knowing where … Continue reading What the FOIA is GLOMAR?!

OGIS 2023 Holiday Wish List

https://giphy.com/gifs/usnationalarchives-vintage-christmas-3oz8xJVpGNtM2g8Mhy Santa Claus Christmas by US National Archives via GIPHY. From National Archives Identifier 93140. Last year we shared our OGIS Holiday Wish List here on The FOIA Ombudsman. The jolly man from the North Pole did not bring us our wishes, so we are revising it to reflect upon what OGIS has encountered over … Continue reading OGIS 2023 Holiday Wish List

OGIS at the Council on Government Ethics Laws Conference

Last week staff from OGIS attended and presented two sessions at the annual Council on Government Ethics Laws (COGEL) conference, held in Kansas City, MO. Our presentations included a panel on best practices regarding FOIA compliance – OGIS staff highlighted the value of training FOIA professionals to understand the FOIA itself as well as the … Continue reading OGIS at the Council on Government Ethics Laws Conference

FOIA Advisory Committee Meets on December 7

A portable electric megaphone is demonstrated by Commander Robert E. Coombs, Coast Guard Assistant Chief of Merchant Marine Inspection. The megaphone, having a self-contained amplifying unit, is used in cases of power failure aboard ships, to give commands from the bridge. National Archives Identifier 205581775 The next meeting of the 2022-2024 term of the Freedom … Continue reading FOIA Advisory Committee Meets on December 7

Giving Our Thanks this November

https://giphy.com/gifs/usnationalarchives-vintage-weird-irbY9jQpbV4Qg Vintage Dress Up by US National Archives via GIPHY. From National Archives Identifier 234273518. This week many Americans will gather with friends and/or family to celebrate Thanksgiving and give thanks. OGIS is no different as we all plan to share time with our loved ones. With that in mind, we also want to say … Continue reading Giving Our Thanks this November

Chief FOIA Officers Meeting Recap

https://giphy.com/gifs/usnationalarchives-vintage-throwback-3oz8xYn9tp0AbewbhS Welding World War II by US National Archives via GIPHY. From National Archives Identifier 535579. The Chief FOIA Officers Council (CFOC) met on November 9 to discuss a variety of topics of interest to Chief FOIA Officers and FOIA professionals. Deputy Archivist of the United States, Debra Steidel Wall, and Associate Attorney General of the … Continue reading Chief FOIA Officers Meeting Recap

Register for November 9 Chief FOIA Officers Meeting

https://giphy.com/gifs/usnationalarchives-archives-archivesgif-naid12065-iK45mgOPCt5MsqcKhq Your National Archives by US National Archives via GIPHY. From National Archives Identifier 12065. Plan to attend the next Chief FOIA Officers Council meeting at 10 a.m. ET on Thursday, November 9. The meeting is open to Chief FOIA Officers, FOIA professionals and the public. We invite you to either watch the livestream of the meeting … Continue reading Register for November 9 Chief FOIA Officers Meeting

Workshop on Using, Sharing Resources Set for October 25

https://giphy.com/gifs/usnationalarchives-archives-archivesgif-naid12065-896NyHxKgOwc8UoIar  Your National Archives by US National Archives via GIPHY. From National Archives Identifier 12065. Federal government employees are invited to a Chief FOIA Officers (CFO) Council best practices workshop from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 25. The Council’s Committee on Cross-Agency Collaboration and Innovation (COCACI) Resources Working Group is hosting  the … Continue reading Workshop on Using, Sharing Resources Set for October 25

Getting to Know the FOIA Advisory Committee: Eira Tansey

Today we present an interview with Eira Tansey, founder and manager of Memory Rising, 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 Archivist of the United States. What prompted … Continue reading Getting to Know the FOIA Advisory Committee: Eira Tansey

OGIS Publishes Updated Immigration Observer

The President's Committee For Hungarian Refugees, Prospectus for Kilmer Operation. National Archives Identifier 24443. A popular resource for using FOIA to access immigration records across the federal government has been updated with the publication of an updated Immigration Ombuds Observer on our website. This document supersedes our 2018 Immigration Observer, now archived. The webpage serves … Continue reading OGIS Publishes Updated Immigration Observer