President Barack Obama is expected to sign a Freedom of Information reform law to help the public to obtain government records. The law requires a “presumption of openness” in dealing with requests for information. The bipartisan bill is a response to criticism that under Obama the White House and federal agencies have stonewalled information needed to hold them accountable. Obama and others have criticized Congress for never passing a freedom of information law that applies to them. (The Detroit News, June 13, 2016, by Matthew Daly of The Associated Press)
Under the new law, federal agencies are required to adopt procedures favoring transparency and held to asserting “foreseeable harm” when withholding information. (The Hill, June 13, 2016, by Mario Trujillo)