114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1615 
AN ACT 
To direct the Chief FOIA Officer of the Department of 
Homeland Security to make certain improvements in the 
implementation of section 552 of title 5, United States 
Code (commonly known as the Freedom of Information 
Act), and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘DHS FOIA Efficiency 
Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY FREEDOM 
OF INFORMATION ACT IMPLEMENTATION. 
(a) DEADLINE FOR UPDATING REGULATIONS.—Not 
later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Chief FOIA Officer of the Department of Home-
land Security, as appointed pursuant to section 552(j) of 
title 5, United States Code, shall finalize and issue an up-
dated regulation implementing section 552 of title 5, 
United States Code (commonly known as the Freedom of 
Information Act), which shall include— 
(1) public guidance on procedures to be fol-
lowed when making requests under paragraph (1), 
(2), or (3) of section 552(a) of title 5, United States 
Code; 
(2) updated guidance to the components of the 
Department responsible for processing such re-
quests, which may include information on how to 
adopt automated processing of requests made under 
paragraphs (1), (2), or (3) of section 552(a) of title 
5, United States Code; 
(3) detailed information on fees and costs asso-
ciated with such requests; and
later than 120 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act; and 
(2) eliminate unnecessary and duplicative ac-
tions taken by the Department in the course of proc-
essing requests made under paragraphs (1), (2), and 
(3) of section 552(a) of title 5, United States Code, 
by not later than 12 months after the identification 
of such action under paragraph (1). 
(d) FOIA TRACKING SYSTEMS.—Not later than 90 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Chief 
FOIA Officer shall develop a plan to automate the proc-
essing of requests made under paragraphs (1), (2), and 
(3) of section 552(a) of title 5, United States Code to the 
Department. Such plan shall take into account the specific 
needs of each of the components of the Department re-
sponsible for processing such requests and address re-
quired and recommended technology capabilities and ele-
ments. Such plan shall include an assessment of the costs 
and benefits associated with establishing and using elec-
tronic processing systems to process requests made under 
paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of section 552(a) of title 5, 
United States Code. 
(e) FOIA BACKLOG.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Chief Privacy 
Officer of the Department, in consultation with the Chief
FOIA Officer, shall update and issue guidance to the 
heads of each of the relevant components of the Depart-
ment regarding the goal of reducing the backlog in proc-
essing requests made under paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) 
of section 552(a) of title 5, United States Code, by 50 
percent between fiscal year 2015 and fiscal year 2018. 
(f) REPORT.— 
(1) SEMIANNUAL PRIVACY REPORT.—The Chief 
FOIA Officer shall include in each semiannual pri-
vacy report submitted under section 1062(f) of the 
Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act 
of 2004 (42 U.S.C. 2000ee–1(f)) each of the fol-
lowing: 
(A) The total costs to the Department of 
meeting the requirements of section 552 of title 
5, United States Code, for the period covered 
by the report. 
(B) An assessment of progress made to-
ward meeting the backlog goals pursuant to 
subsection (e) during the period covered by the 
report and the periods covered by the two pre-
ceding reports. 
(C) An assessment of whether the Depart-
ment has adequate staffing and other resources 
to address the backlog goals pursuant to sub-
section (e) for processing requests made under 
paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of section 552(a) 
of title 5, United States Code. 
(D) An assessment of the progress made 
towards automating the processing of requests 
made under paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of sec-
tion 552(a) of title 5, United States Code, dur-
ing the period covered by the report. 
(2) FISCAL
YEAR
2016
REQUIREMENTS.—The 
Chief FOIA Officer shall include in the second semi-
annual privacy report for fiscal year 2016 each of 
the following: 
(A) A description of any cost savings iden-
tified under subsection (d). 
(B) The plan developed under subsection 
(d). 
(g) DUPLICATIVE ACTION DEFINED.—In this sec-
tion, the term ‘‘duplicative actions’’ means actions carried 
out by two or more components or programs that are en-
gaged in the same activities or provide the same services 
related to the processing of FOIA requests to the same 
beneficiaries. 
SEC. 3. PROGRESS ON AUTOMATION. 
Upon completion of the plan to automate the proc-
essing of requests made under paragraphs (1), (2), and
(3) of section 552(a) of title 5, United States Code, the 
Chief FOIA Officer shall provide the plan to the heads 
of the components of the Department and seek written 
feedback from each head of a component agency regarding 
the extent to which that component will adopt the plan, 
the associated costs, and the projected timelines. 
Passed the House of Representatives June 25, 2015. 
Attest: 
Clerk.
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 1615 
AN ACT 
To direct the Chief FOIA Officer of the Depart-
ment of Homeland Security to make certain im-
provements in the implementation of section 552 
of title 5, United States Code (commonly known 
as the Freedom of Information Act), and for 
other purposes.