First Meeting of the 2024-2026 FOIA Advisory Committee Recap

The 2024-2026 term of the FOIA Advisory Committee met on Monday, September 9 at the National Archives in Washington, DC, to launch the Committee's sixth term. It was the first in-person meeting of the Committee since March 2020. Archivist of the United States Dr. Colleen Shogan welcomed the Committee. OGIS Director and Committee Chairperson Alina M. Semo noted that after five terms, FOIA's toughest challenges remain and suggested three board categories for the Committee members to consider for study. They are:

• volume and frequency of requests;
• FOIA statutory reform; and
• implementation of past recommendations.

Former Committee members, Jason R. Baron (University of Maryland), Dr. David Cuillier (University of Florida), and Bobak Talebian (Department of Justice) spoke to members about getting the most out of their Committee experience. Committee members then asked questions about the work that has been done to date and the FOIA Advisory Committee Recommendations Dashboard.

Two members of the public offered public comments.

Please join us for the next meeting at 10 a.m. ET on Friday, September 13. Committee members are expected to continue discussing what they would like the Committee to accomplish during the two-year term, and form into subcommittees. Information about the meeting, which will be virtual, can be found here.