Open Government

Knowledge will forever govern ignorance, and a people who mean to be their own governors, must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives. A popular government without popular information or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy or perhaps both. -- James Madison

EPIC's FOIA Docket

Scanned Images of Selected Documents Obtained Under FOIA

EPIC's FOIA Gallery

Top News | Legal Documents | Guides to Using FOIA | Other Resources | Suggestions

Top News

• EPIC Introduces EPIC FOIA Notes, 2005 FOIA Gallery. In celebration of Freedom of Information Day, EPIC has launched EPIC FOIA Notes, a newsletter that will deliver the latest revelations EPIC obtains through the FOIA. You can view the first EPIC FOIA Note—which reports formerly classified documents showing that Choicepoint assured the FBI it could verify legitimate businesses—and subscribe to the newsletter here. EPIC is also proud to introduce its 2005 FOIA Gallery, which contains highlights and scanned images of some of EPIC's FOIA disclosures from the past year. (March 16, 2005)

• Senators Propose Bipartisan Bill to Study FOIA Processing Delays. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) have introduced the Faster FOIA Act, legislation that will create a sixteen-member advisory commission tasked with suggesting ways to decrease delays in the processing of Freedom of Information Act requests. The bill is the second proposed by the Senators in three weeks to improve the Freedom of Information Act. The Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Terrorism, Technology and Homeland Security will hold a hearing on the OPEN Government Act on March 15. (March 11, 2005)

• Bipartisan Bill Introduced to Enhance Open Government. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Pat Leahy (D-VT) have introduced the OPEN Government Act, a bill that will improve government accountability by strengthening federal laws such as the Freedom of Information Act. EPIC is among the many groups supporting this legislation to encourage access to the federal government. (Feb. 16, 2005)

Legal Documents on FOIA and Access to Government Information

• The Freedom of Information Act

• The Electronic Freedom of Information Act Amendments of 1996 and the House Report on the legislation

• The Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). Establishes the right to obtain documents from committees that advise government agencies.

• Executive Order 12958 on Classification of National Security Information (1995).

• Earlier 1982 Executive Order 12356 on National Security Information.

• U.S. Attorney's Office "Laffey Matrix" establishing attorney's fees rates in Washington, DC.

Guides to Using FOIA

• Citizens Guide to the Freedom of Information Act from the U.S. Congress (2002) (excellent resource).

• DOJ 2002 Guide to the Freedom of Information Act. (comprehensive guide designed for government FOIA litigators).

• Your Right to Federal Records: Questions and Answers on the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act from the Federal Information Center (1994).

• FOIA Kit from FOIA, Inc. (1988) (includes addresses of major agency FOIA offices, but somewhat out-of-date).

• September 1995 Justice Department press release concerning DOJ employee compliance with FOIA.

• October 1993 White House Statement on FOIA Policy.

Other Open Government Resources

• Access Reports (a leading newsletter on access issues; includes news items, useful links and text of relevant statutes)

• The FBI's Freedom of Information and Privacy Acts Page

• Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (includes forms for generating FOIA requests)

• Right to Know Network

• The Federation of American Scientists' Project on Government Secrecy

• The Freedom of Information Center at the University of Missouri

• Freedom of Information Sites on the Internet

Suggestions

If you have suggestions for a FOIA request that EPIC should pursue, send us a message. Indicate the information you think we should ask for, the reason that the request is important, and the name of the federal agency (or agencies) most likely to have the documents. Anonymous suggestions are always welcome.

Last Updated: April 30, 2008
Page URL: http://www.epic.org/open_gov/default.html