2007-08-11 13:11:27 · 5 answers · asked by David C 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
Basically, it says that if your tax dollars pay for it, then you have a right to see how your tax money is spent.
2007-08-11 14:30:00 · answer #1 · answered by cyanne2ak 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
FOIA = Freedom of Information Act
The government has to keep all kinds of records to do its job, and various people are obligated to file papers with the government under all sorts of laws. The government is of the people, and the people have a right to access to the government information, except where it would violate privacy of other people, compromize criminal justtice, or needs to be kept secret for national security reasons.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_Information_Act_(United_States)
FOIA has been enacted at the federal level and in mnay US states, as a vehicle for the citizenry gaining access to records that ought to be public. Usually there is a long wait between request and delivery of docuemnts ... could be years.
Official links
http://www.usdoj.gov/oip/index.html
http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/foia/foiatoc.html
http://www.cdc.gov/od/foia/index.htm
http://www.state.gov/m/a/ips/
2007-08-11 21:06:53 · answer #2 · answered by Al Mac Wheel 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Where are you? Law is not generic. Each place has different legislation.
2007-08-11 20:17:01 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Legislation. Google it and read about it yourself.
2007-08-11 20:14:11 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
Google "FOIA" - you'll get everything you need.
2007-08-11 20:18:46 · answer #5 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋