ࡱ> AC@ q$bjbjT~T~ 4:66<4  WWWWWkkk8<kf(#(KKK`"*WWWKKxpWKWKQK8k3pi0q,,"p,","W," : Media Access to Government Information Conference (MAGIC) April 12, 2011 Washington, DC Session 1: Media Access to Government Records\ Comments by panel member MIRIAM NISBET, Director, Office of Government Information Services, ˹ֳ and Records Administration HYPERLINK "http://www.archives.gov/ogis"www.archives.gov/ogis The federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), passed in 1966 and one of the older FOI statutes in the world, is fairly straightforward in concept: anyone can ask for records of the Executive branch agencies, which then within strict time limits - must release the records or tell the requester why the information is being withheld, under specific exceptions. But the law proved to be more difficult and costly than any of us could have imagined and so Congress has continued to make improvements in the law. About every 10 years or so, Congress has acted to fine-tune targeted provisions to address fees, time limits, the exemptions from disclosure, the impact of technology attempting to make FOIA work smoothly and efficiently. For example, one concern that surfaced early on was that the news media were opting not to use the FOIA because of excessive delays and issues with fees, which was very troubling in view of the role journalists serve in acting as a government watchdog and the public's eyes and ears. To remedy this, the law was amended to provide journalists favorable fee treatment. One enforcement mechanism in our law is that a FOIA requester, if dissatisfied with an agencys response, can file an administrative appeal within the agency, and then file a lawsuit in federal court to challenge the agencys action. Of course, litigation is time-consuming and costly both for requesters and for agencies. The most recent FOIA amendments in 2007 created the Office of Government Information Services, or OGIS, to offer mediation services to resolve disputes between FOIA requesters and the executive branch agencies, hopefully avoiding some of the lawsuits in federal courts. In addition to resolving disputes, the statute directs OGIS to review agency FOIA policies, procedures and compliance with the goal of improving the FOIA process. Both aspects of the OGIS mission resolving disputes without litigation and making the process work better dovetail nicely with President Obamas Open Government initiative. (The President issued two Memoranda for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies dated January 21, 2009, one on the FOIA and one on Transparency and Open Government.) In fact, we have realized that much of our work falls under the designation that Congress gave us as the FOIA ombudsman. As an ombudsman, OGIS acts as a confidential and informal information resource, communications channel and complaint handler. OGIS supports and advocates for the FOIA process and does not champion requesters over agencies or vice versa. We encourage a more collaborative, accessible FOIA process for everyone. In handling requests for assistance from individual FOIA requesters (nearly 600 to date), we have heard from requesters from 43 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and 12 foreign countries. Our cases have involved 32 departments and agencies, including all 15 Cabinet- level departments. We have answered questions, provided information, listened to complaints and tried to help in any way we could. For the more substantive disputes, we have facilitated discussions between the parties, both over the phone and in person, and worked to help them find mutually acceptable solutions. Since September 2009, OGIS has closed 541 cases, 124 of them true disputes between FOIA requesters and agencies, such as disputes over fees charged and FOIA exemptions as applied. As a facilitator for the FOIA process to work as it is intended, we were not calling balls or strikes, but letting the parties try to work matters out with our assistance in an effort to avoid litigation. In three-quarters of the disputes we handled, we believe that the parties walked away satisfied and that OGIS involvement helped to resolve their disputes. The final result of our process is not both parties getting exactly what they want sometimes not even close but if we are able to help them in some way, by providing more information or by helping them understand the other partys interests, we have provided a valuable service. When OGIS first set out, we spoke of changing a culture or mindset from one of reacting to a dispute in an adversarial setting to one of actively managing conflict in a neutral setting. As an entity that works side-by-side with agency FOIA professionals to improve the process from within and that also works closely with requesters on the outside to address shortcomings, we have seen the importance of building relationships and trust among the members of the FOIA community. One concrete step that we believe will help with building trust and public participation is the new statutory designation in each agency of a FOIA Public Liaison, a person whose responsibilities include working with requesters to address their concerns and assisting in resolving disputes. In addition to an emphasis on customer service, the President directed government agencies to use innovative tools, methods, and systems to cooperate among themselves, across all levels of Government, and with nonprofit organizations, businesses, and individuals in the private sector. And to harness new technologies to put information about their operations and decisions online and readily available to the public. We will certainly need to do that to keep up with what has been called information inflation. Approximately 30 billion e-mails are created or received by federal government agencies each year. At the same time, of course, agencies are creating an awesome number of digital records including photographs, maps, multimedia documentation, databases, audio and video recordings, not to mention Web 2.0 applications. Some of these must be preserved forever because they have historical value, while others must be managed for varying periods of time, whether for agency business, congressional oversight, litigation or public availability (proactively or through FOIA). Our ability to manage these records and to make them accessible -- is severely threatened. At the same time, the government has the ability, more than it ever has, to make its records available to the governed, the public, in an affirmative way, without waiting for a request to be made under the FOIA. Searching for ways to embed openness and transparency into the operations of the government remains a difficult, but exciting, challenge. Public participation and collaboration with agencies, to help identify information that is of greatest interest and use to the public, will aid that effort enormously. Contact information: Miriam M. Nisbet Director, Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) ˹ֳ and Records Administration 8601 Adelphi Road College Park, MD 20740 301-837-3787 (direct dial) miriam.nisbet@nara.gov HYPERLINK "http://www.archives.gov/ogis"www.archives.gov/ogis     Page  PAGE 1 of  NUMPAGES 3  :Z[   > ? T U V W ɼ덅reP;)h#Mh)B*CJOJQJ^JaJph)h#MhJG+B*CJOJQJ^JaJphh#Mh?OJQJ^Jh#Mh?0JOJQJ^Jh+Rjh+RU'h#Mhj25B*OJQJ\^Jph h#Mh{'h#Mh{5B*OJQJ\^Jphh#MhJG+OJQJ^Jh#MhJG+5OJQJ^J'h#MhAv5B*OJQJ\^Jph'h#MhJG+5B*OJQJ\^Jph:Z[ V W 45 [ 8]8gd#M dxgd#M d1$7$8$H$gd#Mgd#Mgd#M$a$gd#M$a$gd#M  . R n w W    9 t_J_J8#hO-B*CJOJQJ^JaJph)h#Mh{g B*CJOJQJ^JaJph)h#Mhu~B*CJOJQJ^JaJph)h#Mh&X-B*CJOJQJ^JaJph)h#MhB*CJOJQJ^JaJph h#Mhu~CJOJQJ^JaJ h#MhJG+CJOJQJ^JaJ)h#MhJG+B*CJOJQJ^JaJph)h#Mh)B*CJOJQJ^JaJph)h#MhlB*CJOJQJ^JaJph9 ; X u!"#UYZꯞ|kZZMh#MhOJQJ^J!h#MhJG+B*OJQJ^Jph!h#MhB*OJQJ^Jph!h#Mh&X-B*OJQJ^Jph!h#Mh)B*OJQJ^Jph!h#MhB*OJQJ^Jph!h#MhOB*OJQJ^Jph)h#MhrB*CJOJQJ^JaJph)h#MhOB*CJOJQJ^JaJph)h#MhRB*CJOJQJ^JaJph#6=@\wVYqrٿvi\i\Oh#MhOJQJ^Jh#MhlOJQJ^Jh#MhEcFOJQJ^Jh#Mh5OJQJ^Jh#Mh4 "0J5OJQJ^Jh#Mh 0J5OJQJ^Jh#Mh 5OJQJ^Jh#Mh OJQJ^Jh#Mh4 "OJQJ^Jh#MhAvOJQJ^Jh#Mh)OJQJ^Jh#MhOJQJ^Jh#Mhi2OJQJ^J457Q^Z[\/8!!ټs`K6)h#MhAvB*CJOJQJ^JaJph)h#MhdlB*CJOJQJ^JaJph%h#Mh#MB*OJQJ^JaJphhdlB*OJQJ^JaJph%h#MhAvB*OJQJ^JaJph%h#MhdlB*OJQJ^JaJph%h#MhOB*OJQJ^JaJphh#MB*OJQJ^JaJphh#MhdlOJQJ^Jh#MhlOJQJ^Jh#Mhi2OJQJ^Jh#MhAvOJQJ^J[\! # #!#2#m######7$8$9$:$;$<$>$?$ dgddgd#Mgd#Md7$8$H$gd#M dgd#M dxgd#Mxgd#M!P"b" # # # #!#####$ $5$6$7$8$:$;$꫔ld`dMd@h#Mhi2OJQJ^J$h#MhAv0JCJOJQJ^JaJh+Rjh+RU,h#MhAv>*B*CJOJQJ^JaJph h#MhAvCJOJQJ^JaJ,h#MhAv>*B*CJOJQJ^JaJph)h#MhAvB*CJOJQJ^JaJph)h#Mh&7B*CJOJQJ^JaJph)h#MhB*CJOJQJ^JaJph)h#Mh4 "B*CJOJQJ^JaJph;$<$=$?$@$B$C$E$F$H$I$J$O$P$V$W$X$Y$]$^$i$j$k$l$m$n$p$q$˶˶˶˶ h)h#Mh)h3WOJQJ^JmHnHu)jh)h+RCJOJQJU^JaJh)h)OJQJ^Jh4 "5B*\phh+ jh+ U h#MhI<CJOJQJ^JaJ?$A$B$D$E$G$H$I$J$m$n$o$p$q$dgd#Mgd) dCgd@ dgd 21h:p#M/ =!"#$% j  666666666vvvvvvvvv666666>666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666hH6666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666662 0@P`p2( 0@P`p 0@P`p 0@P`p 0@P`p 0@P`p 0@P`p8XV~ OJPJQJ_HmH nH sH tH J`J Normal dCJ_HaJmH sH tH DA`D Default Paragraph FontRiR 0 Table Normal4 l4a (k ( 0No List ^o^ Default 7$8$H$)B*CJOJQJ_HaJmH phsH tH ,O, 0CM6 B*ph>> 0HeaderdH$>!> 0 Header CharOJPJQJ^J> @2> 0FooterdH$>A> 0 Footer CharOJPJQJ^J6U@Q6 ?0 Hyperlink >*B*phTB@bT dl Body Text dCJOJPJQJaJmH sH LqL dlBody Text CharCJOJPJQJmH sH *W@*  `Strong5\B'B ;Hx0Comment ReferenceCJaJ<< ;Hx0 Comment TextCJaJ:: ;Hx0Comment Text Char@j@ ;Hx0Comment Subject5\FF ;Hx0Comment Subject Char5\RR ;Hx0 Balloon Text dCJOJQJ^JaJNN ;Hx0Balloon Text CharCJOJQJ^JaJPK![Content_Types].xmlj0Eжr(΢Iw},-j4 wP-t#bΙ{UTU^hd}㨫)*1P' ^W0)T9<l#$yi};~@(Hu* Dנz/0ǰ $ X3aZ,D0j~3߶b~i>3\`?/[G\!-Rk.sԻ..a濭?PK!֧6 _rels/.relsj0 }Q%v/C/}(h"O = C?hv=Ʌ%[xp{۵_Pѣ<1H0ORBdJE4b$q_6LR7`0̞O,En7Lib/SeеPK!kytheme/theme/themeManager.xml M @}w7c(EbˮCAǠҟ7՛K Y, e.|,H,lxɴIsQ}#Ր ֵ+!,^$j=GW)E+& 8PK!Ptheme/theme/theme1.xmlYOo6w toc'vuر-MniP@I}úama[إ4:lЯGRX^6؊>$ !)O^rC$y@/yH*񄴽)޵߻UDb`}"qۋJחX^)I`nEp)liV[]1M<OP6r=zgbIguSebORD۫qu gZo~ٺlAplxpT0+[}`jzAV2Fi@qv֬5\|ʜ̭NleXdsjcs7f W+Ն7`g ȘJj|h(KD- dXiJ؇(x$( :;˹! I_TS 1?E??ZBΪmU/?~xY'y5g&΋/ɋ>GMGeD3Vq%'#q$8K)fw9:ĵ x}rxwr:\TZaG*y8IjbRc|XŻǿI u3KGnD1NIBs RuK>V.EL+M2#'fi ~V vl{u8zH *:(W☕ ~JTe\O*tHGHY}KNP*ݾ˦TѼ9/#A7qZ$*c?qUnwN%Oi4 =3ڗP 1Pm \\9Mؓ2aD];Yt\[x]}Wr|]g- eW )6-rCSj id DЇAΜIqbJ#x꺃 6k#ASh&ʌt(Q%p%m&]caSl=X\P1Mh9MVdDAaVB[݈fJíP|8 քAV^f Hn- "d>znNJ ة>b&2vKyϼD:,AGm\nziÙ.uχYC6OMf3or$5NHT[XF64T,ќM0E)`#5XY`פ;%1U٥m;R>QD DcpU'&LE/pm%]8firS4d 7y\`JnίI R3U~7+׸#m qBiDi*L69mY&iHE=(K&N!V.KeLDĕ{D vEꦚdeNƟe(MN9ߜR6&3(a/DUz<{ˊYȳV)9Z[4^n5!J?Q3eBoCM m<.vpIYfZY_p[=al-Y}Nc͙ŋ4vfavl'SA8|*u{-ߟ0%M07%<ҍPK! ѐ'theme/theme/_rels/themeManager.xml.relsM 0wooӺ&݈Э5 6?$Q ,.aic21h:qm@RN;d`o7gK(M&$R(.1r'JЊT8V"AȻHu}|$b{P8g/]QAsم(#L[PK-![Content_Types].xmlPK-!֧6 +_rels/.relsPK-!kytheme/theme/themeManager.xmlPK-!Ptheme/theme/theme1.xmlPK-! ѐ' theme/theme/_rels/themeManager.xml.relsPK] q : 3336 9 !;$q$[?$q$>T5qXX!-/6!P$ # AA@H  0(   0(  B S  ?/8+1<<>>??ABDEGHor  }<<>>??ABDEGHor33;<<>>??ABDEGHOY]lr43~n^`" 527v+ {g / i2? 4 "t"JG+&X-j2&7I<`@EcF#M+Q+R3WU.Z'`c\hdln<n;HxR@My0x+7lPOO-)Av)1?f9GMrVCu~{<>@qX@UnknownG* Times New Roman5Symbol3. * Arial7.{ @Calibri5& *aTahomaACambria Math"1h::6363!n0..2X  $P6!xx Oh+'0d   , 8DLT\ Normal.dotm1Microsoft Office Word@@8@86՜.+,D՜.+,, hp|  3.  Title, 8@ _PID_HLINKSA X_http://www.archives.gov/ogisX_http://www.archives.gov/ogis  !"#$%&'()*+,-./12345679:;<=>?BRoot Entry Fg8D1Table<"WordDocument4:SummaryInformation(0DocumentSummaryInformation88CompObjy  F'Microsoft Office Word 97-2003 Document MSWordDocWord.Document.89q