Which 1966 law requires federal agencies to disclose information to the public upon request, with some exceptions?

• A. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
• B. Privacy Act
• C. Open Records Act
• D. Sunshine Act

Answer: (A)

FOIA, enacted in 1966, is the law that requires federal agencies to disclose information to the public upon request, with narrowly defined exceptions. The idea is to promote transparency by letting people know what the government is doing, while still protecting certain sensitive areas. The common exemptions cover things like classified national security information, internal agency deliberations, trade secrets or confidential business information, personal privacy, and certain law enforcement records. Requests can be denied for material that falls under these exemptions, but the agency must justify the decision and, in many cases, provide the information if it can be released with redactions.

The other options don’t fit this exact requirement. The Privacy Act concentrates on protecting individuals’ personal information and gives individuals rights to access and correct records about themselves, but it isn’t a blanket requirement for agencies to disclose all information upon request. The Open Records Act is a state-level concept, not a federal statute, and the Sunshine Act focuses on open meetings of certain federal agencies rather than the disclosure of records on request.