The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) recently announced it is seeking nominees to serve on its Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Advisory Committee. The Committee’s purpose is to advise NARA on improvements to the FOIA and to study the current FOIA landscape across the executive branch.
The FOIA Committee’s initial two-year charter will expire in May 2016 and it is expected it will be renewed for an additional two years.
The Committee includes at least eight Government and seven non-Government representatives. Among the non-Government representatives is, “one individual representing the interests of historians and history-related organizations.” National Coalition for History executive director Lee White is stepping down when his term expires in May, leaving a vacancy in that slot.
The Committee meets quarterly in Washington DC. Travel reimbursement and/or per-diem are NOT provided. NARA must receive nominations for Committee membership before 5 p.m. EDT on April 30, 2016. Nominees selected for appointment to the Committee by the Archivist of the United States will be notified in the summer of 2016. For the official notice in the Federal Register go to:
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2016-03-22/pdf/2016-06319.pdf
Please note that individuals must “self-nominate.” As a result, NCH will not be endorsing nominees. In addition, please DO NOT submit names to NCH for submittal to NARA.
All nominations for Committee membership should provide the following information:
- Your name, title, and relevant contact information (including phone, fax, and email address);
- The nominee’s name, title, and relevant contact information, and the Committee position for which you are submitting the nominee;
- A short paragraph or biography about the nominee (fewer than 250 words), summarizing their resume or otherwise highlighting the contributions the nominee would bring to the Committee.
For more information, contact Ms. Kate Gastner by phone at 202-741-5770, by mail at National Archives and Records Administration; Office of Government Information Services; 8601 Adelphi Road; College Park, MD 20740-6001, or by email at foia-advisory-committee@nara.gov. Nominations should be sent to the same email address, faxed to Ms. Gastner’s attention at 202-741-5769, or mailed to the address above.
