S. 2520: FOIA Improvement Act of 2014

113th Congress · introduced 2014-06-24 · Government Operations and Politics · Latest: Held at the desk.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2014-06-24 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. [D-VT] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Held at the desk. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

FOIA Improvement Act of 2014

Plain summary

(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the Senate on November 20, 2014. The summary of that version is repeated here.) FOIA Improvement Act of 2014 - (Sec. 2) Amends the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to: require federal agencies to make their disclosable records and documents available for public inspection in an electronic format; require agencies to make available for inspection in an electronic format records that have been requested at least three times (frequently requested records); prohibit an agency from charging a fee for providing records if the agency misses a deadline for complying with an FOIA request unless unusual circumstances apply; prohibit an agency from withholding information requested under FOIA unless the agency reasonably foresees a specific identifiable harm to an interest protected by an FOIA exemption or disclosure is prohibited by law (presumption of openness); require the Office of Government Information Services to offer mediation services to resolve disputes between agencies and FOIA requesters; require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct audits of agency compliance with FOIA requirements; expand the authority and duties of the Chief FOIA Officer of each agency for promoting compliance with FOIA disclosure requirements; and establish a Chief FOIA Officers Council to develop recommendations for increasing compliance with FOIA requirements. (Sec. 3) Requires the head of each federal agency to: (1) review agency regulations and issue regulations on procedures for disclosure of records in accordance with the amendments to FOIA made by this Act, and (2) include in such regulations procedures for engaging in dispute resolution through the FOIA Public Liaison and the Office of Government Information Services. (Sec. 4) Expands the program for the efficient management of federal agency records to require agency heads to establish procedures for identifying records of general interest or use to the public that are appropriate for public disclosure and for posting such records in a publicly-accessible electronic format. (Sec. 5) Prohibits the authorization of additional funds to carry out the requirements of this Act.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed Senate amended), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

FOIA Improvement Act of 2014

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed Senate amended)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. [D-VT] · 7 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

John Cornyn (R-TX), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Christopher A. Coons (D-DE)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (5)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Exemption: A rule that removes certain people, property or activities from a tax or requirement.
Resolution: A formal statement or decision by a legislative body. Simple resolutions often only express an opinion or set rules for one chamber; they do not become law.
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed Senate amended)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-113s2520.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/113/s>

Record fed-us-cong113-s2520 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong113 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong113