H.R. 1615DHS FOIA Efficiency Act of 2015

1 recorded action124 of these members are on the 2026 ballotWhat the measure does Read on Congress.gov

Sponsor: Earl L. "Buddy" Carter [R-GA-01]
Cosponsors: 9 · 9 Republicans
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Committees: Homeland Security Committee, Judiciary Committee
Latest action: Jul 7, 2015 · Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

IntroducedMar 25, 2015
Passed the HouseJun 25, 2015
Passed the SenateNot yet reached
Sent to the PresidentNot yet reached
Became lawNot yet reached

What the measure doesCRS summary

(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House of Representatives on June 11, 2015. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

DHS FOIA Efficiency Act of 2015

(Sec. 2) Directs the Chief FOIA Officer of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS):

within 90 days after enactment of this Act, to issue an updated regulation implementing the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and to identify the total annual implementation costs;

to develop guidance on reporting standards related to costs of processing FOIA requests;
within 120 days after enactment of this Act, to identify unnecessary and duplicative actions taken by DHS in processing such requests;
to eliminate such actions within 12 months after identifying them; and
within 90 days after enactment of this Act, to develop a plan to automate the processing of requests and to issue guidance to the relevant DHS components regarding the goal of reducing the backlog in processing requests by 50% between FY2015 and FY2018.

Requires the regulation implementing FOIA to include: (1) public guidance on procedures to be followed when making requests for DHS rules, opinions, orders, records, or proceedings; (2) updated guidance to the DHS components for processing such requests, which may include information on automated processing; and (3) detailed information on fees and costs associated with, and on the appeals process for, requests.

Directs the Chief FOIA Officer to include: (1) in each semiannual privacy report submitted under the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, the total costs to DHS of meeting FOIA requirements and assessments of progress made toward meeting backlog goals, of whether DHS has adequate staffing and other resources to address such goals, and of progress made toward automating the processing of requests; and (2) in the second semiannual privacy report for FY2016, a description of any cost savings identified from, and the plan developed for, automating the processing of requests.

(Sec. 3) Directs the Chief FOIA Officer to provide such plan, upon completion, to DHS components and seek written feedback regarding the extent to which each component will adopt the plan, the associated costs, and the projected time lines.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service, describing H.R. 1615 as passed House amended on Jun 25, 2015. It is not the text of the measure; a later amendment may have changed what it does.

How every member votedHouse roll call 387

House Jun 25, 2015

On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended

DHS FOIA Efficiency Act of 2015

Passed · Two-thirds required

423 Yea 0 Nay 10 not voting

Crossed both parties No voting member broke with their own party.

Open the official roll call

How the chamber split

One dot per member. Select a seat or a bar to filter the list.

DemocratsRepublicansFilled: YeaRing: NayGrey: not voting or present

By party select a segment to filter

All members433 members

Democratic188 members

Republican245 members

marks half of the votes cast. A party’s majority is the side most of its voting members took.

Cosponsors9 · 9 Republicans

Signing on is not a vote: a member can cosponsor H.R. 1615 and vote against it. 7 signed when it was filed.