110 STAT. 3048
PUBLIC LAW 104-231—OCT. 2, 1996
Public Law 104-231
104th Congress
An Act
Oct. 2, 1996
[H.R. 3802]
Electronic
Freedom of
Information Act
Amendments of
1996.
Records.
5 USC 552 note.
5 USC 552 note.
To amend section 552 of title 5, United States Code, popularly known as the
Freedom of Information Act, to provide for public access to information in an
electronic format, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the "Electronic Freedom of Information
Act Amendments of 1996".
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
(a) FINDINGS.— The Congress finds that—
(1) the purpose of section 552 of title 5, United States
Code, popularly known as the Freedom of Information Act,
is to require agencies of the Federal Government to make
certain agency information available for public inspection and
cop3ang and to establish and enable enforcement of the right
of any person to obtain access to the records of such agencies,
subject to statutory exemptions, for any public or private purpose;
(2) since the enactment of the Freedom of Information
Act in 1966, and the amendments enacted in 1974 and 1986,
the Freedom of Information Act has been a valuable means
through which any person can learn how the Federal Government operates;
(3) the Freedom of Information Act has led to the disclosure
of waste, fraud, abuse, and wrongdoing in the Federal Government;
(4) the Freedom of Information Act has led to the identification of unsafe consumer products, harmful drugs, and serious
health hazards;
(5) Government agencies increasingly use computers to conduct agency business and to store publicly valuable agency
records and information; and
(6) Government agencies should use new technology to
enhance public access to agency records and information.
(b) PURPOSES. — The purposes of this Act are to—
(1) foster democracy by ensuring public access to agency
records and information;
(2) improve public access to agency records and information;
(3) ensure agency compliance with statutory time
limits; and
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