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United States · Bill · HR

H.R. 3319 (99th)

Freedom of Information Public Improvements Act of 1985

referredUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

17 September 1985

Last action

19 September 1985 · Committee

Status

Referred to Subcommittee on Government Information, Justice and Agriculture.

Sponsors

Rep. Kleczka, Gerald D. [D-WI-4], Rep. English, Glenn [D-OK-6], Rep. Sikorski, Gerry E. [D-MN-6], Rep. Schroeder, Patricia [D-CO-1], F. SENSENBRENNER, Rep. Collins, Cardiss [D-IL-7], Rep. Weaver, James H. [D-OR-4], JOHN CONYERS, Rep. Savage, Gus [D-IL-2], Rep. Weiss, Ted [D-NY-17], Rep. Martinez, Matthew G. [D-CA-30], Rep. Hughes, William J. [D-NJ-2], Rep. Kastenmeier, Robert W. [D-WI-2], Rep. Lehman, Richard H. [D-CA-18], Rep. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA-6], Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-NY-18], Rep. Mineta, Norman Y. [D-CA-13], Rep. Matsui, Robert T. [D-CA-3], Rep. Rose, Charlie [D-NC-7]

Subjects

Discovery layer

Source updated

29 August 2025

Official sourceView documentsShare

Summary

Freedom of Information Public Improvements Act of 1985 - Title I: Amendments to the Freedom of Information Act - Amends the Freedom of Information Act to require each agency, with respect to requests for records, to maintain a log of such requests and responses. Requires each agency to organize and maintain its records in a manner to make them easily accessible and retrievable. Revises provisions regarding fees and waivers for processing such requests. Requires the Archivist of the United States to promulgate guidelines for a uniform schedule of fees for all agencies. Authorizes the appropriate district court to assess monetary penalties against the United States for unwarranted failure to comply with time limits for answering requests. Revises provisions relating to sanctions for such agency noncompliance. Requires that copies of recommendations on disciplinary action for any Federal employee responsible for wrongful noncompliance be submitted additionally to the court and to the House Committee on Government Operations and the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. (Currently, such report is submitted only to the agency and the employee or the employee-representative.) Requires each agency to expedite access to records if the requester demonstrates a compelling need. Requires agencies to include in regulations concerning information disclosure a detailed description of the procedure used to process requests. Includes as information exempt from disclosure: (1) matters which would cause identifiable damage to the national defense; and (2) matters in which the need to protect the information outweighs the public interest. Changes the disclosure exemption for internal personnel rules and practices to an exemption for law enforcement manuals that are internal in nature to the extent that disclosure would risk circumvention of an agency investigation, a regulation, or a statute. Revises the exemption for financial reports by prohibiting disclosure if it would directly injure the financial stability of an institution. Directs each agency to make available to the public a complete list of all statutes determined to authorize the agency to withhold information under the disclosure exemption. Requires each agency, upon notification of the introduction of any bill or resolution constituting authority for that agency to withhold information, to notify the House Committee on Government Operations and the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Prohibits the withholding of information in order to conceal violations of law, inefficiency, or administrative error. Directs the Archivist of the United States to supervise compliance with the Freedom of Information Act. Changes the date of the annual report by agencies under such Act from March 1 to December 1. Revises information to be included in such report to conform to amendments made by this Act. Directs the Archivist to submit an annual report on or before December 1 on activities under the Freedom of Information Act. (Currently, the Attorney General makes such annual report on March 1.) Title II: Recovery of Wrongfully Removed Agency Files - Authorizes any person to commence civil action to recover agency records removed in violation of law.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

  1. 17 September 1985

    Introduced

    Referred to House Committee on Government Operations.

    Source: IntroReferral

  2. 17 September 1985

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  3. 17 September 1985

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  4. 19 September 1985

    Referred

    Referred to Subcommittee on Government Information, Justice and Agriculture.

    Source: Committee

  5. 19 September 1985

    Committee

    Executive Comment Requested from Smithsonian, Admin Office of US Courts, Justice, OMB, GSA, GAO, NCUA, SEC, FDIC, Treasury, Fed Home Loan Bank Brd, Federal Reserve, CEA.

    Source: Committee

Votes

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Versions

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Documents

1 official file

Sponsors

Related records

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Sources

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