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National Security Archive

CIA makes use of review process of classification documents more difficult

donal brown February 13, 2012

The Central Intelligence Agency has made it harder to use the Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) process to challenge classification status of government records. Classifications have been overturned  through the MDR, but now the CIA is charging those using the review process up to $72 per hour even if no documents are found or released. -db From a commentary in Secrecy News, February 13, 2012 by Steven Aftergood. Full story  

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New Pentagon policy favors ‘presumption in favor of disclosure’

donal brown August 16, 2011

The Defense Department has revised its policy regarding the Freedom of Information Act to include the “presumption in favor of disclosure”. The change is to promote  transparency and accountability involving the FOIA with prompt response to requests. Despite President Barack Obama’s early assurances that transparency would be a priority, the White House has come under criticism for failing to deliver on the stated goals if its open government initiative. -db From Fierce Government, August 14,

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DIY State Department Cable Decoder

FAC November 29, 2010

Want to investigate the cables Wikileaks has released? The National Security Archive has posted a guide to deciphering State Department Cables that should help you interpret the lingo. How to Decipher a State Department Cable November 29, 2010 by Nate Jones This guide –originally written by Kristin Adair– might come in handy as you peruse the 251,287 Department of State cables recently released by wikileaks. [As of today only 243 cables are available on the

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Freedom of Information Act requests down in 2009

donal brown June 8, 2010

The Obama administration attributes a significant drop in FOIA requests in 2009 to their efforts to post more government data online. But a recent report said that less than a third of federal agencies had changed their FOIA procedures since his first day in office when President Obama ordered them to “adopt a presumption in favor” of requests. -db The Washington Post June 7, 2010 By Ed O’Keefe Formal requests for federal data and information

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