FOIA Reading Room Frequently Requested Records
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) gives the public the right to request records from federal agencies. The "Rule of 3" requires agencies to make records requested three or more times available for public inspection in an electronic format.
The FOIA requires agencies to post certain categories of information online, including frequently requested records.
Hot topics are subjects requested more than three times in a calendar year. You can find these files in the FOIA Reading Room:
The FOIA also includes nine exemptions that protect interests such as personal privacy, national security, and law enforcement. For example, Exemption 4 protects "trade secrets and commercial or financial information obtained from a person privileged or confidential".
Records obtainable under the FOIA include all "agency records". These include print documents, photographs, videos, maps, e-mail, and electronic records.