Access to Government Information in the United States: A Primer

"No provision in the U.S. Constitution expressly establishes a procedure for public access to executive branch records or meetings. Congress, however, has legislated various public access laws. Among these laws are two records access statutes,

the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA; 5 U.S.C. §552), and
the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. §552a), and two meetings access statutes:

the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA; 5 U.S.C. App.), and
the Government in the Sunshine Act (5 U.S.C. §552b).

These four laws provide the foundation for access to executive branch information in the American federal government. The records-access statutes provide the public with a variety of methods to examine how executive branch departments and agencies execute their missions. The meeting-access statutes provide the public the opportunity to participate in and inform the policy process. These four laws are also among the most used and most litigated federal access laws..."
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