110th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2488
AN ACT
To promote accessibility, accountability, and openness in Government by strengthening section
552 of title 5, United States Code (commonly referred to as the Freedom of Information Act),
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America
in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Openness Promotes Effectiveness in our National
Government Act of 2007' or the `OPEN Government Act of 2007'.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that-(1) the Freedom of Information Act was signed into law on July 4, 1966, because
the American people believe that-(A) our constitutional democracy, our system of self-government, and our
commitment to popular sovereignty depends upon the consent of the
governed;
(B) such consent is not meaningful unless it is informed consent; and
(C) as Justice Black noted in his concurring opinion in Barr v. Matteo (360
U.S. 564 (1959)), `The effective functioning of a free government like
ours depends largely on the force of an informed public opinion. This calls
for the widest possible understanding of the quality of government service
rendered by all elective or appointed public officials or employees.';
(2) the American people firmly believe that our system of government must itself
be governed by a presumption of openness;
(3) the Freedom of Information Act establishes a `strong presumption in favor of
disclosure' as noted by the United States Supreme Court in United States
Department of State v. Ray (502 U.S. 164 (1991)), a presumption that applies to
all agencies governed by that Act;
(4) `disclosure, not secrecy, is the dominant objective of the Act,' as noted by the
United States Supreme Court in Department of Air Force v. Rose (425 U.S. 352
(1976));
(5) in practice, the Freedom of Information Act has not always lived up to the
ideals of that Act; and
(6) Congress should regularly review section 552 of title 5, United States Code
(commonly referred to as the Freedom of Information Act), in order to determine
whether further changes and improvements are necessary to ensure that the

Government remains open and accessible to the American people and is always
based not upon the `need to know' but upon the fundamental `right to know'.

SEC. 3. PROTECTION OF FEE STATUS FOR NEWS MEDIA.
Section 552(a)(4)(A)(ii) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end
the following:
`In this clause, the term `a representative of the news media' means any person or entity
that gathers information of potential interest to a segment of the public, uses its editorial
skills to turn the raw materials into a distinct work, and distributes that work to an
audience. In this clause, the term `news' means information that is about current events or
that would be of current interest to the public. Examples of news-media entities are
television or radio stations broadcasting to the public at large and publishers of
periodicals (but only if such entities qualify as disseminators of `news') who make their
products available for purchase by or subscription by or free distribution to the general
public. These examples are not all-inclusive. Moreover, as methods of news delivery
evolve (for example, the adoption of the electronic dissemination of newspapers through
telecommunications services), such alternative media shall be considered to be newsmedia entities. A freelance journalist shall be regarded as working for a news-media
entity if the journalist can demonstrate a solid basis for expecting publication through that
entity, whether or not the journalist is actually employed by the entity. A publication
contract would present a solid basis for such an expectation; the Government may also
consider the past publication record of the requester in making such a determination.'.

SEC. 4. RECOVERY OF ATTORNEY FEES AND LITIGATION COSTS.
(a) In General- Section 552(a)(4)(E) of title 5, United States Code, is amended-(1) by inserting `(i)' after `(E)'; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
`(ii) For purposes of this subparagraph, a complainant has
substantially prevailed if the complainant has obtained relief
through either-`(I) a judicial order, or an enforceable written agreement or consent
decree; or
`(II) a voluntary or unilateral change in position by the agency, if the
complainant's claim is not insubstantial.'.
(b) Limitation- Notwithstanding section 1304 of title 31, United States Code, no amounts
may be obligated or expended from the Claims and Judgment Fund of the United States
Treasury to pay the costs resulting from fees assessed under section 552(a)(4)(E) of title
5, United States Code. Any such amounts shall be paid only from funds annually
appropriated for any authorized purpose for the Federal agency against which a claim or
judgment has been rendered.

SEC. 5. DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS FOR ARBITRARY AND CAPRICIOUS
REJECTIONS OF REQUESTS.

Section 552(a)(4)(F) of title 5, United States Code, is amended-(1) by inserting `(i)' after `(F)'; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
`(ii) The Attorney General shall-`(I) notify the Special Counsel of each civil action described under the first
sentence of clause (i); and
`(II) annually submit a report to Congress on the number of such civil actions in
the preceding year.
`(iii) The Special Counsel shall annually submit a report to Congress on the actions taken
by the Special Counsel under clause (i).'.

SEC. 6. TIME LIMITS FOR AGENCIES TO ACT ON REQUESTS.
(a) Time Limits(1) IN GENERAL- Section 552(a)(6)(A) of title 5, United States Code, is
amended by inserting after clause (ii) the following:
`The 20-day period under clause (i) shall commence on the date on which the
request is first received by the appropriate component of the agency, but in any
event not later than ten days after the request is first received by any component
of the agency that is designated in the agency's regulations under this section to
receive requests under this section. The 20-day period shall not be tolled by the
agency except-`(I) that the agency may make one request to the requester for
information and toll the 20-day period while it is awaiting such
information that it has reasonably requested from the requester
under this section; or
`(II) if necessary to clarify with the requester issues regarding fee
assessment. In either case, the agency's receipt of the requester's
response to the agency's request for information or clarification
ends the tolling period.'.
(2) EFFECTIVE DATE- The amendment made by this subsection shall take
effect 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act.
(b) Compliance With Time Limits(1) IN GENERAL(A) SEARCH FEES- Section 552(a)(4)(A) of title 5, United States Code,
is amended by adding at the end the following:
`(viii) An agency shall not assess search fees (or in the case of a
requester described under clause (ii)(II), duplication fees) under
this subparagraph if the agency fails to comply with any time limit
under paragraph (6), if no unusual or exceptional circumstances (as
those terms are defined for purposes of paragraphs (6)(B) and (C),
respectively) apply to the processing of the request.'.
(B) PUBLIC LIAISON- Section 552(a)(6)(B)(ii) of title 5, United States
Code, is amended by inserting after the first sentence the following: `To
aid the requester, each agency shall make available its FOIA Public

Liaison, who shall assist in the resolution of any disputes between the
requester and the agency.'.
(2) EFFECTIVE DATE AND APPLICATION- The amendment made by this
subsection shall take effect 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act and
apply to requests for information under section 552 of title 5, United States Code,
filed on or after that effective date.

SEC. 7. INDIVIDUALIZED TRACKING NUMBERS FOR REQUESTS AND
STATUS INFORMATION.
(a) In General- Section 552(a) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the
end the following:
`(7) Each agency shall-`(A) establish a system to assign an individualized tracking number for each
request received that will take longer than ten days to process and provide to each
person making a request the tracking number assigned to the request; and
`(B) establish a telephone line or Internet service that provides information about
the status of a request to the person making the request using the assigned
tracking number, including-`(i) the date on which the agency originally received the request; and
`(ii) an estimated date on which the agency will complete action on the
request.'.
(b) Effective Date and Application- The amendment made by this section shall take effect
1 year after the date of enactment of this Act and apply to requests for information under
section 552 of title 5, United States Code, filed on or after that effective date.

SEC. 8. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
(a) In General- Section 552(e)(1) of title 5, United States Code, is amended-(1) in subparagraph (B)(ii), by inserting after the first comma `the number of
occasions on which each statute was relied upon,';
(2) in subparagraph (C), by inserting `and average' after `median';
(3) in subparagraph (E), by inserting before the semicolon `, based on the date on
which the requests were received by the agency';
(4) by redesignating subparagraphs (F) and (G) as subparagraphs (N) and (O),
respectively; and
(5) by inserting after subparagraph (E) the following:
`(F) the average number of days for the agency to respond to a request
beginning on the date on which the request was received by the agency,
the median number of days for the agency to respond to such requests, and
the range in number of days for the agency to respond to such requests;
`(G) based on the number of business days that have elapsed since each
request was originally received by the agency-`(i) the number of requests for records to which the agency has
responded with a determination within a period up to and including
20 days, and in 20-day increments up to and including 200 days;

`(ii) the number of requests for records to which the agency has
responded with a determination within a period greater than 200
days and less than 301 days;
`(iii) the number of requests for records to which the agency has
responded with a determination within a period greater than 300
days and less than 401 days; and
`(iv) the number of requests for records to which the agency has
responded with a determination within a period greater than 400
days;
`(H) the average number of days for the agency to provide the granted
information beginning on the date on which the request was originally
filed, the median number of days for the agency to provide the granted
information, and the range in number of days for the agency to provide the
granted information;
`(I) the median and average number of days for the agency to respond to
administrative appeals based on the date on which the appeals originally
were received by the agency, the highest number of business days taken
by the agency to respond to an administrative appeal, and the lowest
number of business days taken by the agency to respond to an
administrative appeal;
`(J) data on the 10 active requests with the earliest filing dates pending at
each agency, including the amount of time that has elapsed since each
request was originally received by the agency;
`(K) data on the 10 active administrative appeals with the earliest filing
dates pending before the agency as of September 30 of the preceding year,
including the number of business days that have elapsed since the requests
were originally received by the agency;
`(L) the number of expedited review requests that are granted and denied,
the average and median number of days for adjudicating expedited review
requests, and the number adjudicated within the required 10 days;
`(M) the number of fee waiver requests that are granted and denied, and
the average and median number of days for adjudicating fee waiver
determinations;'.
(b) Applicability to Agency and Each Principal Component of the Agency- Section
552(e) of title 5, United States Code, is amended-(1) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through (5) as paragraphs (3) through (6),
respectively; and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
`(2) Information in each report submitted under paragraph (1) shall be expressed
in terms of each principal component of the agency and for the agency overall.'.
(c) Public Availability of Data- Section 552(e)(3) of title 5, United States Code, (as
redesignated by subsection (b) of this section) is amended by adding at the end `In
addition, each agency shall make the raw statistical data used in its reports available
electronically to the public upon request.'.

SEC. 9. OPENNESS OF AGENCY RECORDS MAINTAINED BY A PRIVATE
ENTITY.
Section 552(f) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by striking paragraph (2) and
inserting the following:
`(2) `record' and any other term used in this section in reference to information
includes-`(A) any information that would be an agency record subject to the
requirements of this section when maintained by an agency in any format,
including an electronic format; and
`(B) any information described under subparagraph (A) that is maintained
for an agency by an entity under Government contract, for the purposes of
records management.'.

SEC. 10. OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SERVICES.
(a) In General- Section 552 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the
end the following:
`(h)(1) There is established the Office of Government Information Services within the
National Archives and Records Administration.
`(2) The Office of Government Information Services shall-`(A) review policies and procedures of administrative agencies under this section;
`(B) review compliance with this section by administrative agencies; and
`(C) recommend policy changes to Congress and the President to improve the
administration of this section.
`(3) The Office of Government Information Services shall offer mediation services to
resolve disputes between persons making requests under this section and administrative
agencies as a non-exclusive alternative to litigation and, at the discretion of the Office,
may issue advisory opinions if mediation has not resolved the dispute.
`(i) The Government Accountability Office shall conduct audits of administrative
agencies on the implementation of this section and issue reports detailing the results of
such audits.
`(j) Each agency shall designate a Chief FOIA Officer who shall be a senior official of
such agency (at the Assistant Secretary or equivalent level).
`(k) The Chief FOIA Officer of each agency shall, subject to the authority of the head of
the agency-`(1) have agency-wide responsibility for efficient and appropriate compliance
with this section;
`(2) monitor implementation of this section throughout the agency and keep the
head of the agency, the chief legal officer of the agency, and the Attorney General
appropriately informed of the agency's performance in implementing this section;
`(3) recommend to the head of the agency such adjustments to agency practices,
policies, personnel, and funding as may be necessary to improve its
implementation of this section;

`(4) review and report to the Attorney General, through the head of the agency, at
such times and in such formats as the Attorney General may direct, on the
agency's performance in implementing this section;
`(5) facilitate public understanding of the purposes of the statutory exemptions of
this section by including concise descriptions of the exemptions in both the
agency's handbook issued under subsection (g), and the agency's annual report on
this section, and by providing an overview, where appropriate, of certain general
categories of agency records to which those exemptions apply; and
`(6) designate one or more FOIA Public Liaisons.
`(l) FOIA Public Liaisons shall report to the agency Chief FOIA Officer and shall serve
as supervisory officials to whom a requester under this section can raise concerns about
the service the requester has received from the FOIA Requester Center, following an
initial response from the FOIA Requester Center Staff. FOIA Public Liaisons shall be
responsible for assisting in reducing delays, increasing transparency and understanding of
the status of requests, and assisting in the resolution of disputes.'.
(b) Effective Date- The amendments made by this section shall take effect on the date of
enactment of this Act.

SEC. 11. REPORT ON PERSONNEL POLICIES RELATED TO FOIA.
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Office of Personnel
Management shall submit to Congress a report that examines-(1) whether changes to executive branch personnel policies could be made that
would-(A) provide greater encouragement to all Federal employees to fulfill their
duties under section 552 of title 5, United States Code; and
(B) enhance the stature of officials administering that section within the
executive branch;
(2) whether performance of compliance with section 552 of title 5, United States
Code, should be included as a factor in personnel performance evaluations for any
or all categories of Federal employees and officers;
(3) whether an employment classification series specific to compliance with
sections 552 and 552a of title 5, United States Code, should be established;
(4) whether the highest level officials in particular agencies administering such
sections should be paid at a rate of pay equal to or greater than a particular
minimum rate; and
(5) whether other changes to personnel policies can be made to ensure that there is
a clear career advancement track for individuals interested in devoting themselves
to a career in compliance with such sections; and
(6) whether the executive branch should require any or all categories of Federal
employees to undertake awareness training of such sections.

SEC. 12. REQUIREMENT TO DESCRIBE EXEMPTIONS AUTHORIZING
DELETIONS OF MATERIAL PROVIDED UNDER FOIA.

Section 552(b) of title 5, United States Code, is amended in the matter after paragraph
(9)-(1) in the second sentence, by inserting after `amount of information deleted' the
following: `, and the exemption under which the deletion is made,'; and
(2) in the third sentence, by inserting after `amount of the information deleted' the
following: `, and the exemption under which the deletion is made,'.
Passed the Senate December 14, 2007.
Attest:
Secretary.
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2488
AN ACT
To promote accessibility, accountability, and openness in Government by strengthening section
552 of title 5, United States Code (commonly referred to as the Freedom of Information Act),
and for other purposes.
END