Ad-hoc Groups Dedicated to FOIA Matters within the Committee Structure
The Federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Advisory Committee has announced the subcommittees for its 2024-2026 term, each with a distinct role in enhancing the administration of the FOIA. The three subcommittees are the Implementation Subcommittee, the Statutory Reform Subcommittee, and the Volume and Frequency Subcommittee.
The Implementation Subcommittee, co-chaired by Jason R. Baron from the University of Maryland and Marianne Manheim from the Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health, will focus on how FOIA policies and procedures are put into practice by federal agencies, advising on ways to enhance compliance and efficiency.
The Statutory Reform Subcommittee, co-chaired by Ryan Mulvey from Americans for Prosperity Foundation and Whitney Frazier-Jenkins from the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, will review and develop recommendations regarding changes to FOIA statutes to improve transparency and effectiveness.
The Volume and Frequency Subcommittee, co-chaired by Nicholas Wittenberg, representing the interests of requesters in the "commercial" FOIA fee category, and Nieva Brock from the Department of Defense Defense Intelligence Agency, will examine the number and regularity of FOIA requests, aiming to address challenges related to request volume and repetitive or vexatious requests.
These subcommittees will conduct research, discuss findings, and prepare recommendations that they will present during the committee meetings to guide improvements in FOIA implementation and legislation.
It's worth noting that the 2020-2022 term had four subcommittees: Classification, Legislation, Process, and Technology, but details about the co-chairs are not provided. The 2016-2018 term also had subcommittees for Efficiency and Resources, Proactive Disclosure, and FOIA Searches, but details about the co-chairs are not available.
In the past, the 2014-2016 term created the Fees, Oversight and Accountability, and Proactive Disclosures subcommittees, and during that term, there was a working group for the FOIA Advisory Committee Bylaw. The Vision Subcommittee and the Records Management Subcommittee submitted their final reports and recommendations in May 2020 and May 2019, respectively.
The Time/Volume Subcommittee also submitted its final report and recommendations on May 31, 2020. However, details about the subcommittees for the 2018-2020 and 2022-2024 terms, as well as the 2016-2018 term's Proactive Disclosure subcommittee, are not provided.
The work of these subcommittees is crucial in ensuring the FOIA continues to serve its purpose of promoting transparency and accountability in government. As these subcommittees delve into their respective areas of focus, we can expect to see improvements in the administration of the FOIA, making it easier for the public to access government information.
The focus of the Implementation Subcommittee will be on enhancing the administration of FOIA by providing advice on FOIA policies and procedures, thereby contributing to politics and policy-and-legislation discussions related to general-news topics such as transparency and accountability in government. The Statutory Reform Subcommittee will conduct research and develop recommendations regarding changes to FOIA statutes, aiming to improve transparency and effectiveness in government operations and politics, which are significant components of general-news coverage.
