A bill to amend section 552 of title 5, United States Code, known as the "Freedom of Information Act."

Summary

Provides, under the Freedom of Information Act, that each Federal agency, upon a request under the Act that records be made available to the public, shall: (1) determine within ten days after the receipt of any such request whether to comply with such request and immediately notify the person making such request that such person has a period of twenty days within which to appeal such determination to such agency; and (3) make a determination with respect to such appeal within twenty days after the receipt of such appeal. Provides that in the case of an action in the United States district courts to enjoin an agency from withholding agency records and to order the production of any agency records improperly withheld the United States or an officer or agency thereof shall serve an answer to any complaint made in such action within twenty days after the service upon the United States attorney of the pleading in which such complaint is made. Provides that the court may assess against the United States reasonble attorney fees and other litigation costs reasonably incurred in such action in which the United States or an officer or agency thereof has not prevailed. Provides that such disclosures under the Act may be obtained in the case of investigatory records for law enforcement purposes to the extent that such records are scientific tests, reports, or data, inspection reports of any agency which relates to health or safety, or records which serve as a basis for any public policy statement made by any agency or officer or employee of the United States or which serves as a bisis for rulemaking by any agency. Provides that each agency shall submit an annual report to the Committee on Government Operations of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Government Operations of the Senate which shall include statistics on the request and appeal procedures of the Act. (Amends 5 U.S.C. 552)

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1 official file

• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 8 March 1973

  Open at official source

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