A bill entitled the "Freedom of Information Reform Act".

openUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

11 March 1983

Last action

9 August 1984 · Committee

Status

Subcommittee Hearings Held.

Summary

Amends the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) with respect to request procedures, time limits, fees, and exemptions. Directs each Agency to set forth regulations specifying a uniform schedule of fees for FOIA requests. Requires that these regulations provide for reasonable standard charges for the costs of processing FOIA requests. Provides that no fee shall be charged when the costs of routine collection and processing are likely to equal or exceed the amount of the fee. Permits the charging of fair value fees or royalties, in addition to processing fees, for records containing commercially valuable technological information acquired by the Government at substantial public cost. Permits an agency to waive or reduce a fee upon its determination that such allowance meets a substantial public interest. Permits, in unusual circumstances, the extension for up to 30 working days of the current time limits for compliance with FOIA requests. Defines six "unusual circumstances" for such purpose. Provides a procedure for business confidentiality with regard to information consisting of trade secrets, or commercial, research, financial or business information. Establishes procedures under which a submitter of information which may be subject to the commercial information exemption is to be notified of a decision allowing disclosure and permitted to provide written objections and seek de novo judicial review of a decision allowing disclosure over such objections. Extends the current exemption given to law enforcement records to include records which: (1) tend to disclose the identity of confidential sources; and (2) would endanger the physical safety of any natural person (currently, only law enforcement personnel). Authorizes an agency to offer a requester of public record information a choice between receiving an index of sources gratis or duplicates of the information for a fee. Exempts certain technical data that may not be exported lawfully outside the United States without proper authorization and certain information maintained or originated by the Secret Service. Authorizes the Attorney General to prescribe regulations limiting the release of information to imprisoned Federal or State felons or persons requesting information on their behalf. Exempts from disclosure requirements any documents compiled in organized crime investigations, for five years after such compilation, except in specified circumstances.

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

Timeline

11 March 1983
Introduced
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
Source: IntroReferral
11 March 1983
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
Source: IntroReferral
21 March 1983
Referred
Referred to Subcommittee on Constitution.
Source: Committee
18 April 1983
Committee
Subcommittee on Constitution. Hearings held.
Source: Committee
21 April 1983
Committee
Subcommittee on Constitution. Hearings concluded. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 98-699.
Source: Committee
13 May 1983
Committee
Subcommittee on Constitution. Approved for full committee consideration with amendments favorably.
Source: Committee
16 June 1983
Reported
Committee on Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
Source: Committee
12 September 1983
Reported
Committee on Judiciary. Reported to Senate by Senator Thurmond with amendments. With written report No. 98-221.
Source: Committee
12 September 1983
Reported
Committee on Judiciary. Reported to Senate by Senator Thurmond with amendments. With written report No. 98-221.
Source: Committee
12 September 1983
Calendars
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 367.
Source: Calendars
27 February 1984
Floor
Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
Source: Floor
27 February 1984
Passed
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with amendments by Voice Vote.
Source: Floor
29 February 1984
Introduced
Referred to House Committee on Government Operations.
Source: IntroReferral
6 March 1984
Referred
Referred to Subcommittee on Government Information, Justice and Agriculture.
Source: Committee
6 March 1984
Committee
Executive Comment Requested from OMB, Justice, GAO, Treasury.
Source: Committee
24 May 1984
Committee
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Source: Committee
30 May 1984
Committee
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Source: Committee
20 June 1984
Committee
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Source: Committee
9 August 1984
Committee
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Source: Committee

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.

Documents

3 official files

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Passed Senate amended
summary · EN · 27 February 1984
Open at official source
Reported to Senate with amendment(s)
summary · EN · 12 September 1983
Open at official source
Leesvertaling
Vertaal dit document naar jouw taal. PoliticalRepo bewaart geen aparte kopie per EU-taal.
Vertaal naar
Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.
Introduced in Senate
summary · EN · 11 March 1983
Open at official source
Leesvertaling
Vertaal dit document naar jouw taal. PoliticalRepo bewaart geen aparte kopie per EU-taal.
Vertaal naar
Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.

Related records

Sources

PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.

Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/98th-congress/senate-bill/774
Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/98/s/774
us · 98-s-774 · source updated 10 August 2026