From BLT:
Before heading off to their vacation homes or onto the campaign trail, members of the Senate approved a bill last Friday that would overhaul parts of the Freedom of Information Act. The bill would create sanctions against federal agencies that don't reply to FOIA requests by the required deadline, an ombudsman to help mediate disputes, and guidelines making it easier for filers to recoup legal fees if they have to sue to pry documents loose from the clutches of the federal government.
In May, Sen. John Kyl (R-Ariz.) used a secret hold (no, it wasn't a body slam or reverse suplex) to stall the bill, supposedly because of concerns from the Justice Department, before he was outed and labeled "Senator Secrecy" by the Society of Professional Journalists.
The House passed a similar bill in March, and the two bills must be reconciled before heading to President Bush. Given his administration's penchant for secrecy in all matters both foreign and domestic, it's no surprise Bush has announced opposition to the bill, although he hasn't yet said whether he will veto the final bill when it reaches his desk. Vice President Dick Cheney also hasn't yet decided whether he is still the fourth branch of government that is immune from all laws, including FOIA
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