Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
The goal of the National Reconnaissance Office's (NRO) Information Review and Release Group (IRRG) is to release as much information as possible, consistent with the need to protect classified or sensitive information under the exemption provision of these laws.
FOIA
FOIA generally provides that any person (with the exception of another federal agency, a fugitive from the law, or a representative of a foreign government) has a right, enforceable in court, to request access to federal agency records, except to the extent that such records (or portions thereof) are protected from disclosure by one of nine exemptions. As part of the Agency's compliance with the Electronic FOIA (E-FOIA) requirements, the NRO has begun to post FOIA information that will inform the public of NRO missions and functions. For information on how to submit a FOIA request, please see the NRO FOIA Handbook.
President Bush signed Executive Order (EO) 13392 on 19 December 2005, setting new standards for Federal Agency FOIA programs by ordering that agencies emphasize a new citizen-centered approach to the FOIA with a results-oriented focus (EO 13392). In response to the EO, the NRO has established a FOIA Requester Service Center and has appointed a Chief FOIA Public Liaison Officer. The FOIA Requester Service Center serves as an initial point of contact for FOIA requesters to receive stats updates and any appropriate information about their current requests. The Chief FOIA Public Liaison Officer is someone to whom requesters can raise concerns about the service received from the FOIA Requester Service Center.
Privacy Act
The Privacy Act (PA) protects and individual's privacy by putting controls on federal agencies in the collection, use, maintenance, and dissemination of personal information. In addition, it entitles individuals to access federal agency records or to request an amendment to records that are maintained in a file retrievable by an individual's name or personal identifier, except to the extent that the information is exempt from release. An individual, in the context of the PA, is defined as a U.S. citizen or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence. The PA also requires that agency records be accurate, relevant, timely, and complete, and amendments are limited to these criteria. However, amendments are normally restricted to correcting factual errors and no matters of official judgments, such as performance ratings, or subjective judgments that relect an individual's observation, evaluation, or opinion.