Boehner Guts Sherman's Faster FOIA Act to Pass Partisan Debt Limit Bill

Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Brad Sherman called on Speaker Boehner to restore the text of the Senate-passed Leahy/Sherman Faster FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) Act (S. 627), which the Speaker plans, as a procedural maneuver, to replace with the language of the Budget Control Act.

The FOIA created a system for citizens to obtain government records. Unfortunately, significant delays in processing and responding to FOIA requests have become too frequent.

The Faster FOIA Act (S. 627), which was passed by the Senate on May 26th by unanimous consent, would have established the Commission on Freedom of Information Act Processing Delays. The Commission would have up to one year to study methods to reduce delays in processing FOIA requests and recommend legislative and administrative actions that can be taken to limit those delays. Congressman Sherman introduced identical legislation in the House (H.R. 1564).

"It is a shame that the Speaker has decided to replace a piece of bipartisan legislation with the partisan, ill-conceived Budget Control Act," Sherman said. "I call on Speaker Boehner to bring to the floor the text of the original Faster FOIA Act, which would help prevent excessive delays in the government's response to Freedom of Information Act requests."

"Taxpayers should have the opportunity to quickly and easily obtain information from the federal government," Sherman said. "As former Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis said, ‘Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants.' The Faster FOIA Act should not be used as a pawn in the debt limit debate."

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