Bill > HR1564

Introduced Session

Faster FOIA Act of 2011 - Establishes the Commission on Freedom of Information Act Processing Delays to conduct a study to: (1) identify methods that will help reduce delays in processing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests submitted to federal agencies; (2) ensure the efficient and equitable administration of FOIA throughout the federal government; (3) examine whether the system for charging fees for such requests and granting waivers of such fees needs to be reformed; (4) determine why the government's use of FOIA exemptions increased during FY2009, whether the increase contributed to delays, what efforts were made by federal agencies to comply with President Obama's January 21, 2009, Presidential Memorandum on Freedom of Information Act Requests, whether those efforts were successful, and how the use of exemptions may be limited; and (5) determine whether any disparities in processing, processing times, and completeness of responses to FOIA requestors have occurred based upon political considerations, ideological viewpoints, the identity of the requestors, affiliation with the media, or affiliation with advocacy groups, why such disparities occurred, and the extent to which political appointees have been involved in the FOIA process.

Committee Categories

Steve Cohen (D),  John Conyers (D),  Sam Farr (D),  Bob Filner (D),  Raúl Grijalva (D),  Maurice Hinchey (D),  Mazie Hirono (D),  Jesse Jackson (D),  Carolyn Maloney (D),  Carolyn McCarthy (D),  James Moran (D),  Eleanor Holmes Norton (D),  Bill Pascrell (D),  Jared Polis (D),  Charles Rangel (D),  Laura Richardson (D),  Steven Rothman (D),  Dutch Ruppersberger (D),  Brad Sherman (D),  Chris Van Hollen (D),  Peter Welch (D),  Lynn Woolsey (D), 

Referred to the Subcommittee on Technology, Information Policy, Intergovernmental Relations and Procurement Reform . (on 04/27/2011)

Official Document