May 9, 2024 FOIA Meeting. OGIS Ombuds Reports, FOIA Budgets, Unauthorized Records Dispositions. Jackson

Hello. This is Jackson.

I would have liked to have participated contemporaneously in today’s
discussions through the YouTube chat where my unfiltered and time-stamped
comments would be preserved for the thousands who will view the YouTube video
of this meeting, live and later. I cannot imagine how hearing and speech
impaired citizens may participate at all.

I would like to see more participation from FOIA requesters who qualify for
the, quote all other FOIA requester fee category. And more opportunities for
meetings devoted specifically to private citizen FOIA requesters.
This Committee is doing an awesome job at great investment of your personal
time. I hope that most of you will return for the 2024 – 2026 term.

I am confused as to why OGIS has not conducted an annual open meeting to
discuss OGIS’s 2023 Freedom of Information Act Ombudsman Report for Fiscal
Year 2022 (Published in June 2023). The Freedom of Information Act Five
U.S.C. at five fifty-two (h)(6) requires this. I am wondering if I missed
that meeting.

I have concerns about the dispute resolution figures reported each year,
which appear absurdly overstated and do not align with statute. Such
inaccurate overstatements work against efforts to obtain urgently needed
funding for OGIS. If OGIS mediation were properly funded, countless disputes
could be resolved without appeal or litigation. Global, unrelated matters may
also be resolved through mediation, with professionally credentialed
mediators having grade levels commensurate with their contacts and
responsibilities.

I have been reading some things about top-level line-item budgets for FOIA
and records management for all agencies to elevate the service to our nation
that our leaders contemplate. And to hold senior leaders accountable for
properly funding FOIA personnel career path development, retention, and
professional certifications and for technology enhancements.

I have been reading about an America First Legal FOIA case concerning
unauthorized records disposition cases involving the Archivist of the United
States and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Case Number.
1:24-cv-1092 in the District Court of Columbia. It is very interesting.

It would be great if cases like this one could be resolved through mediation.

Once again, this Committee is doing an awesome job.

Thank you.