Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests are an important legal tool, which allows for organizations such as Cause of Action and the public to find out about how the government is spending tax dollars. FOIA is the only real method that the public can use to get specific details on certain aspects of spending and government activity, which is necessary to ensure greater transparency. FOIA inquiries often yield huge results that take extensive time and effort for agencies to gather and respond to, which often leads to agencies being unable and unwilling to comply with large requests.
The lack of efficiency in agency compliance with FOIA requests serves as a significant hindrance in using this tool effectively to ensure accountability and transparency by Federal Agencies. Cause of Action submitted a statement for the record to the Congressional Oversight Committee’s hearing on FOIA and Transparency concerning this very issue:
Hearing Before The Committee On Oversight and Government Reform
