Dad, cyclist, chef | Director, @DigitalDemocrcy | Editor @ePluribusUnum | @OpenGov advocate | @Epicureanist | @CivicTexts: http://bit.ly/2A9dkOd |4108499808
You can add location information to your Tweets, such as your city or precise location, from the web and via third-party applications. You always have the option to delete your Tweet location history. Learn more
Confirmed! I will be attending the US FOIA Advisory Committee meeting (virtually) at 10 ET: https://www.archives.gov/ogis/foia-advisory-committee/2020-2022-term/meetings …
I hear they’ll consider recommending extending FOIA to legislative branch agencies: https://www.archives.gov/files/ogis/assets/legislation-subcom-rec-draft-2021-05-27.pdf …
Good idea, that: https://firstbranchforecast.com/2020/02/06/foia-legislative-support-agencies-transparency/ … cc @RepTimRyan https://twitter.com/danielschuman/status/1402968131610583045 …pic.twitter.com/Vt17DSAgmc
Fun fact: the US FOIA Advisory Committee exists because of the second US National Action Plan for Open Government for the @OpenGovPart.
Unfun fact: As with @FOIA_Ombuds reports, Congress isn’t obligated to consider (much less enact) its recommendations:https://www.archives.gov/ogis/recommendations …
Today's meeting is off.
Something cool: @USNatArchives is now providing near-real-time transcription: https://www.streamtext.net/player?event=FreedomofInformationAct16558 …
Other agencies can (& should) adopt this to make public meetings more accessible to all Americans.
Livestream:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CY5jxOWde2A …
#opengov #a11ypic.twitter.com/L6AUDPqxYy
Something else of note: AOTUS @dferriero recognized at the outset of today's @USNatArchives meeting that it is being held on the historical lands of the Nacotchtank people. https://aotus.blogs.archives.gov/2021/04/20/the-importance-of-acknowledging-history/ …pic.twitter.com/7IJ5tSJ6s5
On to the meeting. @FOIA_Ombuds Director Alina Semo is leading off, reminding the public that we can ask questions through email (foia-advisory-committee@nara. gov, & suggested chat on WebEx or YouTube is not the optimal place to submit official comments. https://www.archives.gov/ogis/foia-advisory-committee/contact-us-submit-comments …pic.twitter.com/Aa6uNjc3jd
Just emailed NARA.
In 2016, @FOIApost invited public comment on a proactive disclosure policy after @POTUS44 signed FOIA reform:
https://sunlightfoundation.com/2016/12/23/proposed-release-to-one-release-to-all-policy-for-the-freedom-of-information-act/ …
What's the status of "R21R2A" at @TheJusticeDept?
What happened to the FOIA CAP goal?
…https://obamaadministration.archives.performance.gov/content/freedom-information-act-foia.html … cc @OMBPress
Now up: @EmilyManna, speaking to the likelihood of reforms to the Freedom of Information Act in Congress in 2021.
The broad framework of coalition recommendations on FOIA are available from @OpenTheGov: https://www.accountability2021.org/principle-1/ #opengovpic.twitter.com/nN786GyEu4
Now Freddy Martinez (@OpenTheGov) is talking about the Open & Responsive Government Act (#S742) which heal the hole the Supreme Court blew in the Freedom of Information Act in 2019.
@RCFP summarized how this bill would #FixFOIA: https://www.rcfp.org/foia-fix-grassley-bill/ …
#opengov
Good questions from @TuanSamahon, a @VillanovaU professor:
https://foia.blogs.archives.gov/2021/04/26/getting-to-know-the-foia-advisory-committee-tuan-samahon/ …
NB: @USNatArchives created an advisory entity that with a balance of civil society & officials. The outcome, with public meetings, edges closer to participatory governance in federal government.pic.twitter.com/uqehWmltet
Shoutout to @JamesValvo, who I've collaborated with: https://federalnewsnetwork.com/open-datatransparency/2017/11/open-government-advocates-push-for-finalization-of-release-to-one-release-to-all-policy/ … & to @DanielSchuman from Tom Susman (one of the deans of FOIA in the USA) for his groundbreaking work.
Daniel presented on transparency in Congress at the last meeting: https://www.archives.gov/ogis/foia-advisory-committee/2020-2022-term/meetings/foiaac-mtg-transcript-2021-03-03 … #opengovpic.twitter.com/QHrjc1gPDM
46 states + DC apply their freedom of info laws to the legislative branch: https://www.muckrock.com/news/archives/2018/oct/16/legislative-exemptions-overview/ … (I keep asking if Congress should apply to FOIA to itself: https://twitter.com/digiphile/status/1105167315363082240 …) Today's Q: if 1st branch agencies should use a "FOIA-like" process for public records requests.pic.twitter.com/cT08DFoDhf
My Q: Should FOIA apply to @CapitolPolice?
Susman: #FOIA applies to @SecretService & @FBI – & the DC FOIA applies to MPD. Lots of examples across the country where police departments are subject to state information laws.
(Learn more from @MuckRock:
https://www.muckrock.com/place/ )pic.twitter.com/AAy6gpUAuw
The @LibraryCongress is not just for Congress, as Professor Gart just claimed.
It's the world's largest library & the oldest federal cultural institution in our union: https://www.loc.gov/about/fascinating-facts/ …
One could make a case this is the mission of CRS, but its reports have a public functionpic.twitter.com/bXEs5J3FVJ
On the phone, @DanielSchuman is now sharing what he & colleagues of learned from years of research on the @CapitolPolice (USCP) – no FOIA made this work much harder:
https://firstbranchforecast.com/2021/01/06/a-primer-on-the-capitol-police-what-we-know-from-two-years-of-research/ …
USCP has a big budget, but little transparency or accountability:https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/capitol-police-accountabiliy-lapses-oversight/2021/01/12/15cbd23c-5389-11eb-89bc-7f51ceb6bd57_story.html …
On the recommendation to improve access to legislative branch records:
https://www.archives.gov/files/ogis/assets/legislation-subcom-rec-draft-2021-05-27.pdf …
@FOIAPost Director & @FOIA_Ombuds abstain.
Motion carried 16-0-2!
(OGIS says that's considered "unanimous.")
So it's off to AOTUS @dferriero to formally approve, & let Congress knowpic.twitter.com/NTTpbapvqi
Q: 404 CAP goal on FOIA @PerformanceGov?
A: @FOIAPost Director says it didn't go away;
-cites launch of http://FOIA.gov (tho Congress mandated it!) -says OIP is getting "strong support" from @OMBpress
-reaching out for more user feedback
-cited proactive disclosure workpic.twitter.com/nUG9nA8d6U
That's it for today. Next US FOIA Advisory Committee meeting will be in September 2021. The recommendation it adopted is diluted from the legislative mandate I'd favor, but it's still progress from a year ago: https://e-pluribusunum.org/2020/03/06/us-foia-advisory-committee-recommends-agencies-harmonize-foia-and-open-data-programs/ … Turns out this sort of thing takes a while.
Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.
