A CITIZEN'S GUIDE ON USING THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT

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AND THE PRIVACY ACT OF 1974 TO REQUEST GOVERNMENT

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RECORDS

2648

ID

Congress of the United States of America

2005

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Contents

I. Preface 1

II. Introduction . 2

III. Recommendations 4

IV. How to use this guide 5

V. Which act to use 6

VI. The Freedom of Information Act 6

A. The scope of the Freedom of Information Act .. 6

B. What records can be requested under the FOIA? .. 7

C. Making a FOIA request . 9

D. Fees and fee waivers 11

E. Requirements for agency responses 13

F. Reasons access may be denied under the FOIA .. 15

1. Exemption 1.-Classified documents 15

2. Exemption 2.-Internal personnel rules and practices . 16

3. Exemption 3.-Information exempt under other laws .. 16

4. Exemption 4.-Confidential business information .. 16

5. Exemption 5.-Internal Government communications . 17

6. Exemption 6.-Personal privacy . 18

7. Exemption 7.-Law enforcement 18

8. Exemption 8.-Financial institutions .. 19

9. Exemption 9.-Geological information 19

G. FOIA exclusions .. 19

H. Administrative appeal procedures .. 20

I. Filing a judicial appeal . 21

VII. The Privacy Act of 1974 .. 22

A. The scope of the Privacy Act of 1974 . 22

B. The Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act .. 23

C. Locating records .. 24

D. Making a Privacy Act request for access . 26

E. Fees . 27

F. Requirements for agency responses 27

G. Reasons access may be denied under the Privacy Act 27

1. General exemptions . 28

2. Specific exemptions . 29

3. Medical records .. 30

4. Litigation records .. 30

H. Administrative appeal procedures for denial of access .. 31

I. Amending records under the Privacy Act . 31

J. Appeals and requirements for agency responses . 32

K. Filing for judicial appeal ... 33

APPENDIXES

Appendix 1.-Sample request and appeal letters . 35

A. Freedom of Information Act request letter 35

B. Freedom of Information Act appeal letter . 37

C. Privacy Act request for access letter . 39

D. Privacy Act denial of access appeal 40

E. Privacy Act request to amend records . 41

F. Privacy Act appeal of refusal to amend records . 42

Appendix 2.-Bibliography of congressional publications on the Freedom of Information Act . 43

Appendix 3.-Bibliography of congressional publications on the Privacy Act of 1974 . 48

Appendix 4.-Select bibliography on non-congressional materials on using the Freedom of

Information Act and Privacy Act of 1974 .. 51

Appendix 5.-Text of the Freedom of Information Act .. 52

Appendix 6.-Text of the Privacy Act of 1974 . 63