Signed into law in 1966 by President Lyndon Johnson, the Freedom of Information Act gives American citizens the right to access records of United States agencies.
References
Fast Facts
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Amended in 1974 to ensure greater government agency compliance.
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Amended in 1996 to address electronic records.
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Amended in 2002 to permit intelligence agencies to deny information requests if the requesting entity is a foreign or international government organization.
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In 2007, the U.S. House of Representatives approved further amendments which it states will lead to greater public access to government information
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Barack Obama stressed that the act was one of the most important government oversights, promising a new era of transparency in his administrationWired: Obama Establishes New Era of Openness
