Document: 456 U.S. 595 102 S.Ct. 1957 72 L.Ed.2d 358 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE, et al., Petitionersv.The WASHINGTON POST COMPANY. No. 81-535. Argued March 31, 1982. Decided May 17, Syllabus Respondent filed a request with petitioner United States Department of State under the Freedom Information Act for documents indicating whether certain Iranian nationals held valid passports. The denied on ground that requested information was exempt from disclosure Exemption 6 Act, which provides Act's requirements do not apply to "personnel and medical files similar would constitute clearly unwarranted invasion personal privacy." Pending an ultimately unsuccessful administrative appeal, respondent brought action in Federal District Court enjoin petitioners withholding documents, court granted summary judgment respondent. Appeals affirmed, holding because citizenship status individuals question less intimate than normally contained personnel files, it "similar files" within meaning 6, therefore there no need consider privacy. Held: sought by satisfies requirement hence Department's denial should have been sustained upon showing release Although 6's language sheds little light what Congress meant files," legislative history indicates did mean limit narrow class containing only discrete kind information, but broad, rather narrow, meaning. protection is determined merely nature file its lost agency stores about individual records other "personnel" or "medical" files. Pp. 599-603. 207 U.S.App.D.C. 372, 647 F.2d 197, reversed remanded. Kenneth S. Geller, Washington, D.C., petitioners. David E. Kendall, Justice REHNQUIST delivered opinion Court. 1 In September 1979, Washington Post Co. (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. § 552, requesting State. subject defined as "documents Dr. Ali Behzadnia Ibrahim Yazdi . hold U. passports." App. 8. indicated "accept any record Passport Office either these persons American citizen." Ibid. At time request, both were living Iran. 2 respondent's following month, stating "would be 'a [the] privacy' persons," id., at 14 (quoting 552(b)(6)), FOIA.1 Denial affirmed appeal Council Classification Policy, concluded "the privacy interests protected are incidental ones, such they outweigh public might served information." Id., 22-23. 3 While pursuing Columbia documents. Both sides affidavits motions judgment. Petitioners' affidavit, Assistant Secretary Near Eastern South Asian Affairs, explained prominent figures Iran's Revolutionary Government compliance "cause real threat physical harm" men.2 nonetheless motion 4 Petitioners appealed, Circuit affirmed. 197 (1981). As construed Appeals, permits when two met: first, must personnel, medical, "similar" second, 373, F.2d, 198. argued first satisfied files." disagreed, phrase applies those contain " ' "of same magnitude highly nature—as stake records." 373-374, 198-199 Simpson v. Vance, 208 270, 273, 648 10, 13 (1980), turn quoting Board Trade Commodity Futures Trading Comm'n, 200 339, 345, 627 392, 398 (1980)). Because found Therefore, reasoned, privacy; having failed meet had disclosed mandate FOIA. We certiorari, 454 1030, 565, 70 473 (1981), review Appeals' construction language, we now reverse. Fortunately, somewhat more illuminating. House Senate Reports, although defining suggest Congress' primary purpose enacting protect injury embarrassment can result unnecessary information. After referring "great quantities [Federal Government] details millions citizens," Report explains exemption "general" seeks individuals: "A general [this] category much practical separate statutes protecting each type record. limitation 'clearly proper balance between individual's right preservation public's excluding kinds harm individual." H.R.Rep.No.1497, 89th Cong., 2nd Sess., 11 (1966), U.S.Code Cong. & Admin.News 1966, pp. 2418, 2428 (emphasis added). 7 Similarly, Judiciary Committee reached "consensus [personal] opened public, decided number specific statutory authorizations various agencies." S.Rep.No.813, 1st 9 (1965) balancing private against interests, contained, scope exemption: "It believed bounds use privacy.' Thus, concern drafting provide confidentiality matters." Air Force Rose, 425 352, 375, n. 14, 96 1592, 1605, 48 (1976). 8 relies passing references argue does include all particular individuals, instead limited "intimate details" "highly personal" See supra, 11; 9. disagree. Passing isolated phrases controlling analyzing history. statements creating "general exemption" 11, This impression confirmed frequent characterization "clearly privacy" "limitation" holds "within bounds." also, S.Rep.No.1219, 88th 2d (1964). Had words intended addition seem reason exemption's being "held bounds," surely clear suggestions intended. none. A analysis also take into account fact benchmarks measuring term likely intimate. place birth, date marriage, employment history, comparable data regarded personal, yet disagree if file, passport here requested, exists, presumably Such least required applicant. 22 213. It strains normal word say 10 agree petitioners' argument adoption view produce anomalous results. Under plain exemption, nonintimate happens withheld And very non-intimate mandatory happened "[T]he achieve preventing [information] individual," p. 2428, label contains damaging S.Ct., 1604, recognized contained: "Congressional confidential usually included abundantly clear. But made nonconfidential matter insulated stored 'personnel' 12 By reasoning, lose sum, think Rather, "[t]he [was] cover detailed identified applying 2428.3 When records, courts determine person's privacy.4 privacy.5 expressly declined effect Yazdi, left remand. reversed, case remanded further proceedings consistent this opinion. 15 so ordered. O'CONNOR concurs FOIA 552(b)(6). original affidavit stated: "There intense anti-American sentiment Iran several revolutionary leaders strongly criticized press their alleged ties States. Any who suspected citizen connections looked mistrust. An official reputed would, my opinion, danger some groups prone violence. * position statement could misconstrued indicate currently cause person." Affidavit Harold H. Saunders, Jan. 1980, 17. reported previously Foreign Minister, member responsible solving problems regions senior Ministry National Guidance, received report his activities recent weeks. supplemental executed three months after stated elected Assembly, still unreported. Supplemental Apr. 22, 41. adopted Attorney General shortly enactment memorandum explaining federal agencies: apparent exclude which, amount General's Memorandum Public Section Administrative Procedure 36 (June 1967) will render meaningless threshold reducing test fails screen out screened interests. point out, undoubtedly many individual, persons. unrelated person satisfy test. relied decision (1980). Simpson, portions Biographical Register considered file" available public. 275, 15. time, pertaining marital name spouse appropriate." 277, contends concerning likewise cannot Even however, somewhere Nation decisive, since almost records. addition, come equally Place status, past criminal convictions, acquisition examples. may conclude, circumstances given case, privacy," militate conclusion files..

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