FY2013 FOIA Log (Department of Veterans Affairs)
| Tracking # |
14-00809-F |
| Submitted | Oct. 21, 2013 |
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Communications
From: Jason Smathers
To Whom It May Concern:
This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act. I hereby request the following records:
A log of all FOIA requests made in fiscal year 2013.
I also request that, if appropriate, fees be waived as I believe this request is in the public interest. The requested documents will be made available to the general public free of charge as part of the public information service at MuckRock.com, processed by a representative of the news media/press and is made in the process of news gathering and not for commercial usage.
In the event that fees cannot be waived, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 20 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Jason Smathers
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Oct. 21, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.
Thank you for your help.
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Oct. 21, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.
Thank you for your help.
From: VACO FOIA Service Inbox
Mr. Smathers:
I am in the process of reviewing the Fiscal Year 2013 FOIA Log as you requested. Please note that we will we redact the names of the requesters in order to better protect the privacy of those Veterans who have filed a FOIA request pursuant to Exemptions 3 and 6 (5 U.S.C. § 552 (b)(3) and 5 U.S.C. § 552 (b)(6)). The applicable statute is 38 U.S.C. § 5701(a), which exempts from disclosure the names and addresses of present or former members of the armed forces and their dependents. And due to the significant number of Veterans who file FOIA requests at the VA, and in light of the volume of requests the VA receives, it is not possible for the FOIA Service to review all FOIA requesters against the Veteran community to determine which requester is in fact a Veteran.
The names of organizations and other commercial entities will be released.
Let me know if you agree to this.
Regards,
Laurie L. Karnay
Department of Veterans Affairs
Office of Privacy and Records Management
VACO FOIA Service (005R1C)
1100 First St., NE
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 632-7465 (direct)
From: VACO FOIA Service Inbox
Mr. Smathers:
My apologies for the delay in providing you with a copy of our FOIA Log for fiscal year 2013. Just so are aware, we will not be releasing the names of the requesters as the majority of our requesters are veterans. We have statutory authority (38 USC § 5701) to withhold the identities of veterans. So FOIA Logs that we have released in the past, the names of requesters have been withheld (citing exemptions b3 and b6) as trying to determine thousands of requesters’ status as a veteran or not is operationally a challenge; requiring me to check each name. We can release the identities of organizations associated with a requester and the subject of the request with redactions (personal privacy) as necessary.
Regards,
Laurie L. Karnay
Department of Veterans Affairs
Office of Privacy and Records Management
VACO FOIA Service (005R1C)
1100 First St., NE
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 632-7465 (direct)
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Oct. 21, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #OR2014-01073.
Thank you for your help.
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Oct. 21, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #OR2014-01073.
Thank you for your help.
From: VACO FOIA Service Inbox
Mr. Smathers:
I am completing my review of the redacted log. I expect finalizing my review this week with the log being emailed to you.
Laurie L. Karnay
Department of Veterans Affairs
Office of Privacy and Records Management
VACO FOIA Service (005R1C)
1100 First St., NE
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 632-7465 (direct)
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Oct. 21, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #OR2014-01073.
Thank you for your help.
From: VACO FOIA Service Inbox
Mr. Smathers:
I have not forgotten about this request for the 2013 FOIA Logs. I thought they were ready to go when I sent my last email but due to the size of the log, we have had to break it down into four sections and finalize the actual redactions (personal privacy/third parties). I don't want to give you another expected date and not be able to meet it. If you don't hear from me by next Thursday, please contact me.
The FOIA number for this request is 14-00809-F.
Regards,
Laurie L. Karnay
Department of Veterans Affairs
VACO FOIA Service (005R1C)
1100 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 632-7465 - direct
From: Karnay, Laurie
Mr. Smathers:
Please see the attached letter containing the agency's response to this request and the first of four attachments containing the FOIA Log. Please confirm receipt.
Regards,
Laurie L. Karnay
Department of Veterans Affairs
Office of Privacy and Records Management
VACO FOIA Service (005R1C)
1100 First St., NE
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 632-7465 (direct)
From: Karnay, Laurie
2 of 4 Logs - see attached.
Laurie L. Karnay
Department of Veterans Affairs
Office of Privacy and Records Management
VACO FOIA Service (005R1C)
1100 First St., NE
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 632-7465 (direct)
From: Karnay, Laurie
3 of 4 Logs - see attached
Laurie L. Karnay
Department of Veterans Affairs
Office of Privacy and Records Management
VACO FOIA Service (005R1C)
1100 First St., NE
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 632-7465 (direct)
From: VACO FOIA Service Inbox
Mr. Smathers:
Please see our agency response to your request and the first of four FOIA Logs attachments. Please confirm receipt.
Thank you for your patience.
Laurie L. Karnay
Department of Veterans Affairs
Office of Privacy and Records Management
VACO FOIA Service (005R1C)
1100 First St., NE
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 632-7465 (direct)
From: VACO FOIA Service Inbox
Part 2 of 4 FOIA Logs
From: VACO FOIA Service Inbox
Part 3 of 4 FOIA Logs
From: MuckRock
Hello,
Parts 1, 2 and 3 were received, but not part 4. Please confirm whether it is still being processed or will be sent later.
Thank you.
From: VACO FOIA Service Inbox
I tried sending part 4 but believe it may be blocked by a firewall as the numbers in your email address are being interpreted a social security numbers.
From: MuckRock
Hello,
Apologies for the difficulty. As an alternative, you can send the remaining documents to requests@muckrock.com.
Thank you!
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Oct. 21, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #14-00809-F.
Thank you for your help.
From: VACO FOIA Service Inbox
Mr. Smathers:
This is the final portion of the FOIA Logs you requested. Please confirm receipt and ability to open.
Greatly appreciate your patience.
Regards,
Laurie Karnay
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