FOIA Bill Could Still Pass Lame Duck

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FOIA Bill Could Still Pass Lame Duck

November 19, 2014

There is still hope (and perhaps time) for this Congress to pass a bill strengthening the Freedom of Information Act. The Senate Judiciary seems likely to mark up a revised FOIA reform bill Thursday, November 20, 2014. After that will come a push to bring it to the Senate floor and eventually reconcile with a FOIA bill already passed by the House.

Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and John Cornyn (R-TX) released on Tuesday a revised version of their bipartisan bill which will face markup. The revised bill, summarized here, codifies a presumption of openness and includes a 25-year sunset on "deliberative process" exemptions.

The Society of Environmental Journalists has urged support for Congressional passage of such legislation.