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FEDERAL INFORMATION POUCY OVERSIGHT Y 4, G 74/7: P 75/8 Federal Infornation Policy Oversigh... HEARING BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT MANAGEMENT, INFORMATION, AND TECHNOLOGY OF THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT REFORM AND OVERSIGHT HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED FOURTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION JUNE 13, 1996 Printed for the use of the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight FEDERAL INFORMATION POUCY OVERSlGIir HEARING BEFORE THE SUBCOiMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT MANAGEMENT, INFORMATION, AND TECHNOLOGY OF THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT REFORM AND OVERSIGHT HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED FOURTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION JUNE 13, 1996 Printed for the use of the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 43-928 WASHINGTON : 1997 ForsalebytheU.S.GovernmentPrintingOffice SuperintendentofDocuments,CongressionalSalesOffice,Washington,DC 20402 ISBN 0-16-055834-4 COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT REFORM AND OVERSIGHT WILLIAM F. CLINGER, Jr., Pennsylvania, Chairman BDEANNJBAUMRITNOAN.,OIInLdMiaAnNa, New York CHAERNDRIYSSACWOLALXIMNASN,,IllCianUoifsomia J. DENNIS HASTERT, Illinois TOM LANTOS, California CONSTANCE A. MORELLA Maryland ROBERT E. WISE, Jr., WestVirginia CHRISTOPHER SHAYS, Connecticut MAJOR R. OWENS, New York STEVEN SCHIFF, New Mexico EDOLPHUS TOWNS, New York ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, Florida JOHN M. SPRATT, Jr., South CaroUna WILLIAM H. ZELIFF, Jr., New Hampshire LOUISE McINTOSH SLAUGHTER, New JOHN M. McHUGH, New York York STEPHEN HORN, CaUfomia PAUL E. KANJORSKI. Pennsylvania JOHN L. MICA, Florida GARYA. CONDIT, California PETER BLUTE, Massachusetts COLLIN C. PETERSON, Minnesota THOMAS M. DAVIS, Virginia KAREN L. THURMAN, Florida DAVID M. McINTOSH, Indiana CAROLYN B. MALONEY, New York JON D. FOX, Pennsylvania THOMAS M. BARRETT, Wisconsin RANDY TATE, Washington BARBARA-ROSE COLLINS, Michigan DICK CHRYSLER, Michigan ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON, District of GIL GUTKNECHT, Minnesota Columbia MARK E. SOUDER, Indiana JAMES P. MORAN, Virginia WILLL\M J. MARTINI, New Jersey GENE GREEN, Texas JOE SCARBOROUGH, Florida CARRIE P. MEEK, Florida JOHN B. SHADEGG, Arizona CHAKA FATTAH, Pennsylvania MICHAEL PATRICK FLANAGAN, Illinois BILL BREWSTER, Oklahoma CHARLES F. BASS, New Hampshire TIM HOLDEN, Pennsylvania STEVEN C. LaTOURETTE, Ohio ELIJAH CUMMINGS, Maryland MARSHALL "MARK" SANFORD, South Carolina BERNARD SANDERS, Vermont ROBERT L. EHRLICH, Jr., Maryland (Independent) James L. Clarke, StaffDirector Kevin Sabo, General Counsel Judith McCoy, ChiefClerk Bud Myers, Minority StaffDirector Subcommittee on Government Management, Information, and Technology STEPHEN HORN, California, Chairman MICHAEL PATRICK FLANAGAN, Illinois CAROLYN B. MALONEY, New York PETER BLUTE, Massachusetts MAJOR R. OWENS, New York THOMAS M. DAVIS, Virginia JOHN M. SPRATT, Jr., South CaroUna JON D. FOX, Pennsylvania PAUL E. KANJORSKI, Pennsylvania RANDY TATE, Washington COLLIN C. PETERSON, Minnesota JOE SCARBOROUGH. Florida TIM HOLDEN, Pennsylvania CHARLES F. BASS, New Hampshire Ex Officio WILLIAM F. CLINGER, Jr., Pennsylvania CARDISS COLLINS, lUinois J. Russell George, StaffDirector and Counsel Mark Uncapher, Professional StaffMember and Counsel Mark Brasher, Professional StaffMember Council Nedd, Professional StaffMember Andrew G. Richardson, Clerk Mark Stephenson, Minority Professional StaffMember David McMillen, Minority Professional StaffMember (U) CONTENTS Page Hearingheld onJune 13, 1996 1 Statementof: Leahy, Hon. PatrickJ., a U.S. Senatorfrom the StateofVermont 9 Mazer, RosIjti A., Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Office of Policy Development, DepartmentofJustice 29 O'Brien, Kevin, Section Chief, Freedom ofInformation/Privacy Acts Sec- tion, Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Anthony H. Passarella, Di- rector, Directorate for Freedom of Information and Security Review, Office oftheAssistantSecretaryofDefense (PublicAffairs) 48 Wagner, G. Martin, Associate Administrator, Office of Policy, Planning and Evaluation, General Services Administration, accompanied by James L. Dean, Director, Committee Management Secretariat Staff, General Services Administration; Randolph J. May, Esq., Sutherland, Asbill & Brennan; and Paul Kamenar, executive director, Washington LegalFoundation 127 Welsome, Eileen, Society of Professional JovuTialists, American Society of Newspaper Editors, Newspaper Association of America; Larry Klajmaan, chairman. Judicial Watch, Inc.; Jane E. Kirtley, executive director, the Reporter's Committee forFreedom ofthe Press; and Byron York, reporter, theAmerican Spectator 88 Letters, statements, etc., submitted fortherecordby: Dean, James L., Director, CommitteeManagementSecretariat Staff, Gen- eral ServicesAdministration: Information concerningrecentFederal AdvisoryCommitteeAct inter- pretations 178 List of all discretionary Federal Advisory Committees created since Executive Order 12838 was issued 190 Flanagan, Hon. Michael P., a Representative in Congress from the State oflUinois, prepared statementof 26 Horn, Hon. Stephen, a Representative in Congress from the State of California: Information concerning supportpersonnel enhancementrequests 83 Letterdated October21, 1995 80 Prepared statementof 3 Kamenar, Paul, executive director, Washington Legal Foundation, prepared statementof 158 Kirtley, Jane E., executive director, the Reporter's Committee for Free- dom ofthe Press, prepared statementof 116 Klayman, Larry, chairman.Judicial Watch, Inc., prepared statementof ... 103 Leahy, Hon. Patrick J., a U.S. Senator from the State ofVermont, prepared statementof 11 Maloney, Hon. Caroljni B., a Representative in Congress from the State ofNewYork, prepared statementof 7 May, Randolph J., Esq., Sutherland, Asbill & Brennan, prepared statementof 140 Mazer, Roslyn A., Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Office of Policy Development, DepartmentofJustice: Informationconcerningbacklogdata 39, 44 Information concerningnormal clearancereview 46 Prepared statementof 32 O'Brien, Kevin, Section Chief, Freedom ofInformation/Privacy Acts Sec- tion, Federal BureauofInvestigation, prepared statementof 52 (III) IV Page — Letters, statements, etc., submitted fortherecordby Continued Passarella, Anthony H., Director, Directorate for Freedom ofInformation and Security Review, Office ofthe Assistant Secretary ofDefense (Pub- licAffairs): Information concerningFOIArequests 65 Informationconcerning subclassifications 77 Tate, Hon. Randy, a Representative in Congress from the State ofWash- ington, prepared statementof 18 Wagner, G. Martin, Associate Administrator, Office of Policy, Planning and Evaluation, General Services Administration, prepared statement of 130 Welsome, Eileen, Society of Professional Journalists, American Society of Newspaper Editors, Newspaper Association of America, prepared statementof 91 FEDERAL INFORMATION POLICY OVERSIGHT THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 1996 House of Representatives, Subcommittee on Government Management, Information, and Technology, Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, Washington, DC. The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 9:30 a.m., in room 2154, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Stephen Horn (chairman ofthe subcommittee) presiding. Present: Representatives Horn, Flanagan, Blute, Maloney, Owens, Peterson, and Clinger (ex officio). Staff present: J. Russell George, staff director and counsel; Mark Uncapher, professional staff member and counsel; Council Nedd and Mark Brasher, professional staffmembers; Andrew G. Richard- son, clerk; Ian Davidson, staff assistant; and Mark Stephenson and David McMillen, minority professional staffmembers. Mr. Horn. Good morning. The Subcommittee on Gk)vernment Management, Information, and Technology will come to order, a quorum being present. It is a hallmark of a free society that those who are governed have access to the information within the control ofthose who govern. James Madison said it most eloquently when he wrote, "A popular government without popular information or the means to ac- quiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy, or perhaps both. Knowledge will forever govern ignorance," said Madison, "and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power that knowledge gives." It was in this spirit that three decades ago. Congress passed the Freedom of Information Act, or, as it is commonly referred to, the FOIA Act. As the 1966 committee report which introduced the act stated, the Freedom ofInformation Act would provide a, "True Fed- eral public record statute by requiring the availability to any member of the public of all the executive branch records described in its requirements." It is noteworthy that the first report issued by the House Com- mittee on Government Reform and Oversight in this Congress is "A Citizens' Guide on Using the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act of 1974 To Request Government Records." In the years since its enactment, the types of information and the format in which they are maintained have advanced tremendously. The number ofrequests which the departments and agencies receive exceeds 600,000 each year. The Federal Bureau ofInvestigation has a back- log of 4 years on its responses to FOIA requests. I should know; (1) I was informed ofthat fact when I sent a letter, knowing this hearing would eventually be coming, seeking information under the act. We hope to learn from our witnesses this morning how the Free- dom of Information Act has fulfilled its mandate and their sugges- tions for improving its implementation. The subcommittee will hear from Rosljoi A. Mazer, the Deputy Assistant Attorney Greneral in the Office of Policy Development of the Department of Justice. The Department of Justice has general oversight responsibility for the Freedom ofInformation Act. We will next hear from representatives of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Defense, and, as many ofyou are undoubtedly aware, the actions ofthe FBI have come under fire when it was revealed that highly confidential records have been misused by the White House. These records pertained to former White House staffmembers from the Reagan and Bush administra- tions, some ofwhom have been working on Capitol Hill. The records were requested in the name of a high White House official. The FBI seemed to have no problem immediately providing 339 files about which we now know, and there are probably others. These records were to be reviewed by the employees of the Clinton administration, seeking derogatory information on the former White House employees. This is a most serious matter. It will be handled by the full committee next week. The Privacy Act was en- acted to prevent this unwarranted intrusion into the privacy of Americans using information maintained by the Federal Govern- ment. In brief, the Privacy Act is designed to prevent Big Brother, whether President, Presidential aide. Members of Congress, or a career civil servant, from looking into possible confidential information unless there is a legitimate need to know. Dirty politics is not a legitimate need to know. The Office of Management and Budget will be brought before this subcommittee to discuss its oversight of the Privacy Act in the next few days. The subcommittee will also receive testimony this morning from representatives of groups which frequently make requests under the Freedom ofInformation Act. Our last panel will consist of officials from the General Services Administration, public interest groups, and private attorneys com- menting on the effectiveness and implementation of the Govern- ment in the Sunshine Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act. As with the Freedom of Information Act, the Sunshine Act af- fords Americans firsthand access to the decisionmaking process of the Federal Government. The Federal Advisory Committee Act re- quires the General Services Administration to review the number of advisory committees in use and to determine whether they are fulfilling their intended purpose. I will now ask the gentleman who represents the minority, Mr. Peterson, if you have an opening statement. If you don't, we will move to Senator Leahy. I know he is pressed for time. But if you do. [The prepared statement ofHon. Stephen Horn follows:] ONEHUNDREDFOURTHCONGRESS Congress of tije Winitth States ^ouitofi&rpre£(entdtitaes COMMITTEEONGOVERNMENTREFORMANDOVERSIGHT 2157RayburnHouseOfficeBuilding Washington,DC20515-6143 Openingstatementof TheHonorableStephenHorn,Chairman June13,1996 Goodmorning.Thesubcommitteewillcometoorder. Itisthehallmarkofafreesocietythatthosewhoaregovernedhaveaccesstothe informationwithinthecontrolofthosewhogovern. JamesMadisonsaiditmosteloquently whenhewTote: "ApopularGovernmentwithoutpopularinformationorthemeansofacquiringit.isbuta ProloguetoaFarceoraTragedyorperhapsboth. Knowledgewillforevergovernignorance, andapeoplewhomeantobetheirowngovernors,mustarmthemselveswiththepower knowledgegives." Itwasinthisspiritthatthreedecadesago.CongresspassedtheFreedomofInformation Act.orasitiscommonlyreferredto.theFOIA.Asthe1966committeereportwhich accompaniedtheActstatedtheFreedomofInformationActwouldprovidea"trueFederal publicrecordsstatutebyrequiringtheavailability,toanymemberofthepublic,ofallofthe executivebranchrecordsdescribedinitsrequirements...." Itisnoteworthy,thatthefirstreportissuedbytheHouseCommitteeonGovernment ReformandOversightis"ACitizensGuideonusingtheFreedomofInformation.Actandthe PrivacyActof1974toRequestGovernmentRecords." Intheyearssinceitsenactment,thetypesofinformation,andtheformatinwhichthey aremaintainedhaveadvancedtremendously. Thenumberofrequestswhichthedepartmentsand agenciesreceiveexceedsSIXHUNDREDTHOUSAND(600.000)eachyear. TheFederal BureauofInvestigationhasabacklogoffouryearsonitsresponsestoFOIArequests. Ishould know.IwasinformedofthatfactwhenIsentaletterseekinginformationundertheact. We hopetolearnfromourwitnessesthismorninghowtheFOIAhasfulfilleditsmandate,andtheir suggestionsforimprovingitsimplementation. ThesubcommitteewillhearfromRoslynMazer.DeputyAssistantAttorneyGeneralin theOfficeofPolicyDevelopment.DepartmentofJustice. TheJusticeDepartmenthasgeneral oversightresponsibilityoftheFreedomofInformationAct. Wewillnexthearfrom representativesoftheFederalBureauofInvestigationandtheDepartmentofDefense. Asmany areundoubtedlyaware,theactionsoftheFBIhavecomeunderfirewhenitwasrevealedthat highlyconfidentialrecordshavebeenmisused. TheserecordspertainedtoformerWhiteHouse staffmembersfromtheReaganandBushadministrations—someofwhomhavebeenworking (Over) onCapitolHill. TherecordswererequestedinthenameofahighWhiteHouseofficial. The F.B.I,seemedtohavenoproblemimmediatelyprovidingthe339filesaboutwhichwenow know. TheserecordsweretobereviewedbyemployeesoftheClintonadministrationseeking "derogatoryinformation"ontheformerWhiteHouseemployees. Thisisamostseriousmatter. ThePrivacyActwasenactedtopreventthisunwarrantedintrusionintheprivacyofAmericans usinginformationmaintainedbytheFederalGoverrunent. InbriefthePrivacyActisdesigned topreventBigBrother~whetherthePresident,Presidentialaide,orcareercivilservant--from lookingintopossibleconfidentialinformationunlessthereisalegitimateneedtoknow. Dirty politicsisnotalegitimateneedtoknow. TheOfficeofManagementandBudgetwillbebrought beforethissubcommitteetodiscussitsoversightofthePrivacyActinthenextfewdays. Thesubcommitteewillalsoreceivetestimonythismorningfromrepresentativesof groupswhichfrequentlymakerequestsundertheFreedomofInformationAct. Ourlastpanels willconsistofofficialsfromtheGeneralServicesAdministration,publicinterestgroupsand privateattorneyscommentingontheeffectivenessandimplementationoftheGovernmentinthe SunshineActandtheFederalAdvisoryCommitteeAct. AswiththeFreedomofInformation Act.theSunshineActaffordsAmericansfirsthandaccesstothedecisionmakingprocessofthe FederalGovernment. TheFederalAdvisoryCommitteeActrequirestheGeneralServices Administrationtoreviewthenumberofadvisorycorrunitteesinusetodeterminewhetherthey arefulfillingtheirintendedpurpose. Wethankyouallforjoiningus. Welookforwardtoyourtestimony. Withoutobjection,wearebeingjoinedthismorningbytheSenatorfromVermont,Mr. Leahy. Hehasdevotedasubstantialpartofhisdistinguishedlegislativecareertoadvancing citizenaccesstogovernmentinformation. Hehasrequestedtheopportunitytotestifyonhisbill S. 1090,the"ElectronicFreedomofInformationImprovementAct,"aproposalthe subcommitteewillconsiderduringtomorrow'slegislativehearing. SenatorLeahy'slegislation isintendedtoensurethatgovernmentrecordsmaintainedinanelectronicformatarefully availableundertheFreedomofInformationAct. Althoughcompanionlegislationhasnotyet beenintroducedintheHouse,IsharetheSenator'sinterestinmakingsurethatinformation accesslawskeeppacewithchangingtechnology. WewelcomeyouSenatorLeahy.