Federal freedom of information policy: Highlights of recent developments

For the Federal government of the United States, freedom of information policy is expressed in statutory law — the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), enacted in 1966, being the first such expression in this regard. Other transparency laws would follow. The FOIA, however, was legislated in the face of considerable opposition by the executive branch. No department or agency supported the legislation, and the President signed it into law with no small amount of reluctance. This climate of opinion resulted in a hostile environment for the initial administration of the statute. To maintain faithful administration of the FOIA and to preserve its purpose, congressional committees found it necessary to conduct vigorous oversight of its implementation and, on occasion, to take remedial action by amending its provisions. Those amendments are reviewed here, the most recent development occurring in the closing days of 2007. Related legislative activities during the 110th Congress (2007–2008) are also examined, as well.