More Aggressive Oversight Of Agency FOIA Compliance Is Needed, GAO Says

The government ombudsman for evaluating agencies’ compliance with the Freedom of Information Act should be more aggressive, a congressional auditor said on Tuesday.

The four-year-old Office of Government Information Services, or OGIS, should be more proactive and comprehensive in suggesting improvements to proposed FOIA regulations and in assessing agencies’ compliance with current law, the Government Accountability Office said.

OGIS has begun developing a standard methodology for reviewing agency FOIA compliance but should establish a timeline for when that methodology will be complete, GAO said.