What can you get with a FOIA request?

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) provides public access to all federal agency records except for those records (or portions of those records) that are protected from disclosure by any of nine exemptions or three exclusions (reasons for which an agency may withhold records from a requester).

What information can be released under FOIA?

FOIA covers records from all federal regulatory agencies, cabinet and military departments, offices, commissions, government-controlled corporations, the Executive Office of the President, and other organizations of the Executive Branch of the federal government.

Are private companies subject to FOIA?

The FOIA does not apply to private companies; persons who receive Federal contracts or grants \18\; private organizations; or State or local governments.

Are FOIA requests confidential?

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests are not confidential. Once a FOIA request is received, it becomes a public record of the USGS. If the request contains personally identifying information or the request is deemed “sensitive,” we may redact information under FOIA Exemption 6 (personal privacy).

Can you FOIA the White House?

About FOIA NOTE: The White House Office is a separate component of the Executive Office of the President (EOP). If you wish to request information from the White House Office, you may do so at whitehouse.gov/contact. OSTP does not process FOIA requests for the White House Office.

Why would someone make a FOIA request?

The purpose of the FOIA is to provide access to specific documents or records; it does not obligate federal agencies to conduct in-depth research, analyze data, answer research questions, or create records in order to respond to a request.

Can you be denied a FOIA request?

When information is withheld, whether partially or fully, this constitutes a denial under FOIA. If your request is partially denied, you will receive a document in which the information that is exempted from disclosure has been redacted. A request may be denied for one or more of the aforementioned exemptions.

Is the President exempt from FOIA?

Office of Administration — FOIA The Office of Administration (OA), whose sole function is to provide common administrative support and services to all units within the Executive Office of the President, is not subject to FOIA and any related legislation.

Why are FOIA denied?

Where does the government handle FOIA requests?

There is no central office in the government that handles FOIA requests for all federal departments and agencies. Each federal agency processes its own records in response to FOIA requests. There are many different officials at these agencies who work hard every day to make sure that the FOIA works.

What can I ask under the Freedom of Information Act?

What can I ask for under the FOIA? A FOIA request can be made for any agency record. You can also specify the format in which you wish to receive the records (for example, printed or electronic form). The FOIA does not require agencies to create new records or to conduct research, analyze data, or answer questions when responding to requests.

How do I request CCTV footage of myself?

Request CCTV footage of yourself. You have the right to request closed circuit television ( CCTV) footage of yourself. The CCTV owner must provide this within 1 calendar month. Most CCTV footage is deleted 30 days after it’s recorded. You need to make a request in writing to the owner of the CCTV system.

How much does it cost to submit a FOIA request?

There is no initial fee required to submit a FOIA request, but the FOIA does provide for the charging of certain types of fees in some instances. For a typical requester the agency can charge for the time it takes to search for records and for duplication of those records.

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