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What is FOIA?
 Enacted
in 1966, FOIA established for the first time an effective statutory right of
access to government information. The principles of government openness and
accountability underlying the FOIA, however, are inherent in the democratic
ideal. The basic purpose of FOIA is to ensure an informed citizenry and
to hold the governors accountable to the governed, both of which are vital
to the function of a democratic society.
The Supreme Court has emphasized that "official information that
sheds light on an agency's performance of its statutory duties falls squarely
within that statutory purpose." This was emphasized also in the statement
of FOIA policy issued by President Clinton on October 4, 1993, in which
he called upon all federal agencies to renew their commitment to the Act
and to enhance its effectiveness as a vital mechanism of government openness
and accountability: For more than a quarter century now, the Freedom of
Information Act has played a unique role in strengthening our democratic
form of government. The statute was enacted based upon the fundamental
principle that an informed citizenry is essential to the democratic process
and that the more the American people know about their government the
better they will be governed. Openness in government is essential to accountability
and the Act has become an integral part of that process.
Achieving an informed citizenry is a goal often counterpoised against
other vital societal aims. Though tensions among these competing interests
are characteristic of a democratic society, their resolution lies in providing
a workable formula that encompasses, balances, and appropriately protects
all interests, while placing emphasis on the most responsible public disclosure
possible. It is this task of accommodating countervailing concerns, with
disclosure as the predominant objective, that the FOIA seeks to accomplish.
Source: Department of Justice FOIA Guide
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