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 Homeland 
Security, as appointed pursuant to section 552(j) of title 
5, United States Code, shall finalize and issue an updated 
regulation implementing section 552 of title 5, United 
States Code (commonly known as the Freedom of Informa-
tion Act), which shall include— 
(1) public guidance on procedures to be followed 
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 requests, 
which may include information on how to adopt 
automated processing of requests made under para-
graphs (1), (2), or (3) of section 552(a) of title 5, 
United States Code; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:31 Jun 11, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H1615.RH
H1615
srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(3) detailed information on fees and costs associ-
ated with such requests; and 
(4) detailed information on the appeals process 
for such requests. 
(b) IDENTIFICATION OF COSTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Chief FOIA 
Officer, in coordination with the Chief Financial Of-
ficer of the Department and the heads of each of the 
relevant components of the Department, shall identify 
the total annual cost to the Department of imple-
menting section 552 of title 5, United States Code. 
(2) GUIDANCE.—The Chief FOIA Officer shall 
develop guidance on reporting standards related to 
the direct and indirect costs to the Department associ-
ated with the processing of requests made under para-
graphs (1), (2), and (3) of section 552(a) of title 5, 
United States Code. 
(c) COST SAVINGS.—The Chief FOIA Officer, in col-
laboration with the heads of each of the relevant components 
of the Department, shall— 
(1) identify unnecessary and duplicative actions 
taken by the Department in the course of processing 
requests made under paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of 
section 552(a) of title 5, United States Code, by not 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:31 Jun 11, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H1615.RH
H1615
srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
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 De-
partment. Such plan shall take into account the specific 
needs of each of the components of the Department respon-
sible for processing such requests and address required and 
recommended technology capabilities and elements. Such 
plan shall include an assessment of the costs and benefits 
associated with establishing and using electronic 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 Of-
ficer, shall update and issue guidance to the heads of each 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:31 Jun 11, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H1615.RH
H1615
srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
of the relevant components of the Department regarding the 
goal of reducing the backlog in processing 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 In-
telligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 
2004 (42 U.S.C. 2000ee–1(f)) each of the following: 
(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 toward 
meeting the backlog goals pursuant to subsection 
(e) during the period covered by the report and 
the periods covered by the two preceding reports. 
(C) An assessment of whether the Depart-
ment has adequate staffing and other resources to 
address the backlog goals pursuant to subsection 
(e) for processing requests made under para-
graphs (1), (2), and (3) of section 552(a) of title 
5, United States Code. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:31 Jun 11, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H1615.RH
H1615
srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(D) An assessment of the progress made to-
wards automating the processing of requests 
made under paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of sec-
tion 552(a) of title 5, United States Code, during 
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 section, 
the term ‘‘duplicative actions’’ means actions carried out 
by two or more components or programs that are engaged 
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 com-
ponents of the Department and seek written feedback from 
each head of a component agency regarding the extent to 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:31 Jun 11, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H1615.RH
H1615
srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
which that component will adopt the plan, the associated 
costs, and the projected timelines. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:31 Jun 11, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H1615.RH
H1615
srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:31 Jun 11, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H1615.RH
H1615
srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
Union Calendar No. 106 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 1615 
[Report No. 114–148] 
A BILL 
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. 
JUNE 11, 2015 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Com-
mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 
and ordered to be printed 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:31 Jun 11, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6651
Sfmt 6651
E:\BILLS\H1615.RH
H1615
srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS