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FOIA and Government Transparency: A Report Card

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Featuring
Emily-Creighton.jpg
Emily Creighton

Legal Director, Transparency, American Immigration Council

Lauren-Harper.jpg
Lauren Harper

Director of Public Policy and Open Government Affairs, National Security Archive

Quintero-McCall.jpg
Ginger Quintero‐​McCall

Legal Director, Demand Progress

In the more than 50 years that the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) has been on the books, it has helped revolutionize Americans’ understanding of how their government works in practice. But the agencies and departments of the executive branch that are covered by the FOIA have persistently attempted to thwart its effective implementation.

The most recent statutory update to FOIA took place in 2016, and with several years of experience with the revised law behind us, it’s fair to ask: Is FOIA working better now? If not, why not? What is it like to battle federal agencies and departments weekly to pry loose information dealing with immigration policy, telecommunications policy, and the national security establishment? What additional changes to FOIA are needed to truly make the law work as intended? Join our expert panel as we discuss these and related issues.