Freedom of Information Act

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is a U.S. federal law that gives the public a right to request records from federal agencies, subject to statutory exemptions and procedural limits.

FOIA Request: A written request asking a federal agency to disclose records under the Freedom of Information Act. This is the procedure that begins an ordinary disclosure case.
Administrative Procedure Act: A 1946 U.S. law establishing procedures for federal agency rulemaking, adjudication, and public access to information. FOIA began as an amendment to this broader framework for federal administration.
Investigative Journalism: Journalism that uncovers hidden facts through sustained research, source development, and document analysis. Reporters use agency records to document government actions and inform public investigations.
Government in the Sunshine Act: A 1976 U.S. law requiring certain federal agency meetings to be open to public observation. It extends federal transparency to covered meetings, while FOIA governs agency records.
FOIA Exemptions: Nine statutory grounds under which federal agencies may withhold information requested under FOIA. These exemptions define the law’s main limits on disclosure.
John Moss: A U.S. representative from California who led the congressional campaign for federal freedom-of-information legislation. His sustained advocacy helped move FOIA from proposal to statute.
Government Accountability: The principle that public institutions must explain their actions and answer for their performance. FOIA supplies documentary evidence for scrutiny of federal decisions.
Privacy Act of 1974: A U.S. law regulating federal agencies’ collection, use, and disclosure of personal information about individuals. Its privacy protections constrain disclosure where FOIA might otherwise expose personal records.
Glomar Response: An agency response that neither confirms nor denies whether requested records exist. Agencies use it when acknowledging a record’s existence would itself reveal protected information.
Freedom of Information Act of 1966: The 1966 U.S. statute that established enforceable public access to federal agency records. Its enactment created the disclosure right that later amendments reshaped.

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