SF-311 2017 (Food and Drug Administration)

Emma North-Best filed this request with the Department of Health and Human Services of the United States of America.
Tracking #

FDA1844690
Multi Request SF-311 2017
Submitted June 17, 2018
Due July 16, 2018
Est. Completion None
Status
Awaiting Response

Communications

From: Emma North-Best

Subject: Freedom of Information Act Request: SF-311 2017 (Food and Drug Administration)

Email

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:

Copies of all drafted, submitted or received SF-311 forms (https://www.archives.gov/files/isoo/security-forms/sf311.pdf) produced in the year prior to the receipt of this FOIA request. SF-311 forms may also be identified as Agency Security Classification Management Program Data.

I am a member of the news media and request classification as such. I have previously written about the government and its activities, with some reaching over 100,000 readers. As such, as I have a reasonable expectation of publication and my editorial and writing skills are well established. In addition, I discuss and comment on the files online and make them available through non-profits such as the Internet Archive and MuckRock, disseminating them to a large audience. While my research is not limited to this, a great deal of it, including this, focuses on the activities and attitudes of the government itself. As such, it is not necessary for me to demonstrate the relevance of this particular subject in advance.

Additionally, case law states that “proof of the ability to disseminate the released information to a broad cross- section of the public is not required.” Judicial Watch, Inc. v. Dep’t of Justice, 365 F.3d 1108, 1126 (D.C. Cir. 2004); see Carney v. U.S. Dep’t of Justice, 19 F.3d 807, 814-15 (2d Cir. 1994). Further, courts have held that "qualified because it also had “firm” plans to “publish a number of . . . ‘document sets’” concerning United States foreign and national security policy." Under this criteria, as well, I qualify as a member of the news media.

Additionally, courts have held that the news media status "focuses on the nature of the requester, not its request. The provision requires that the request be “made by” a representative of the news media. Id. § 552(a)(4)(A)(ii)(II). A newspaper reporter, for example, is a representative of the news media regardless of how much interest there is in the story for which he or she is requesting information." As such, the details of the request itself are moot for the purposes of determining the appropriate fee category.

As my primary purpose is to inform about government activities by reporting on it and making the raw data available, I request that fees be waived.

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, 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,

Emma Best

From: Food and Drug Administration

Subject: FOI Request Received

Portal

*** This is an automated message. Please do not reply to this email. ***

Reference: FDA1844690
Dear Requester,
This is to confirm that you submitted a request for record(s) from the Food and Drug Administrationpursuant to the Freedom of Information Act.
FOIA staff will review your request to determine whether it has sufficient information to be processed;if so, you will receive another email as a formal acknowledgement of your request, with a control number for your request. If your request is not sufficiently described,or if there are any other deficiencies with your submission, FOIA staff will contact you via telephone or email.

From: Food and Drug Administration

Subject: FDA Receipt of FOI Request

Portal

Note: Do NOT reply directly to this E-mail
Emma Best Emma Best
Re: Confirmation # FDA1844690
In Reply refer to: 2018-5241
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has received your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for records regarding:
SF-311 FORMS ETC
Original Subject: Copies of all drafted, submitted or received SF-311 forms (https://www.archives.gov/files/isoo/security-forms/sf311.pdf) produced in the year prior to the receipt of this FOIA request. SF-311 forms may also be identified as Agency Security Classification Management Program Data. I am a member of the news media and request classification as such. I have previously written about the government and its activities, with some reaching over 100,000 readers. As such, as I have a reasonable expectation...
We will respond as soon as possible and may charge you a fee for processing your request. If your informational needs change, and you no longer need the requested records, please contact us to cancel your request, as charges may be incurred once processing of your request has begun. For more information on processing fees, please see
http://www.fda.gov/RegulatoryInformation/FOI/FOIAFees/default.htm. If you have any questions about your request, please call Sarah B. Kotler, Director, Division Of Freedom Of Information at (301) 796-8976 or write to us at: (http://www.fda.gov/RegulatoryInformation/FOI/FOIAFees/default.htm)
Division of Freedom of Information, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
5630 Fishers Lane, Room 1035
Rockville, MD 20857
Fax:(301)827-9267
You also have the right to seek dispute resolution services from:
FDA FOIA Public Liaison
Office of the Executive Secretariat
5630 Fishers Lane, Room 1050
Rockville, MD 20857
E-Mail: FDAFOIA@fda.hhs.gov and/or:
Office of Government Information Services
National Archives and Administration
8601 Adelphi Road ? OGIS
College Park, MD 20740-6001
Telephone: 202-741-5770
Toll-Free: 1-877-684-6448
E-mail: ogis@nara.gov
Fax: 202-741-5769

From: Food and Drug Administration

Subject: FDA FOIA 2018-5241

Portal

Dear Ms. Best,

I am writing in regard to your request for:

Copies of all drafted, submitted or received SF-311 forms (https://www.archives.gov/files/isoo/security-forms/sf311.pdf) produced in the year prior to the receipt of this FOIA request.

The records you are seeking are in the custody and control of the Department of Health and Human Services, and not the FDA. We are therefore referring your request to the HHS FOIA Office, which will process your request and respond to you directly. The contact information for the HHS FOIA Office is:

Freedom of Information Officer
Hubert H. Humphrey Building, Room 729H
200 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20201
Email: FOIARequest@hhs.gov<mailto:FOIARequest@hhs.gov>
Phone: 202-690-7453
Fax: 202-690-8320
FOIA Officer: Michael Marquis
FOIA Public Liaison: Michael Bell

Please contact me directly if you have any questions at 301-796-8976 or Sarah.Kotler@fda.hhs.gov. You may also contact the FDA FOIA Public Liaison, Office of the Executive Secretariat, 5630 Fishers Lane, Room 1050, Rockville, MD 20857; email: FDAFOIA@fda.hhs.gov<mailto:FDAFOIA@fda.hhs.gov>.

Sincerely,

Sarah B. Kotler, J.D.
Director
Office of the Executive Secretariat
Division of Freedom of Information
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Tel: 301-796-8976
Sarah.Kotler@fda.hhs.gov<mailto:Sarah.Kotler@fda.hhs.gov>

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