Opinion ID: 496195
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: withholding authorized by other statute

Text: 38 Remand would be unnecessary, however, if the other FOIA exemption invoked by DoD will justify withholding. The alternative ground invoked by DoD is 5 U.S.C. Sec. 552(b)(3) (1982). That provision exempts (from FOIA) information that is 39 specifically exempted from disclosure by statute (other than section 552b of this title), provided that such statute ... (B) establishes particular criteria for withholding or refers to particular types of matters to be withheld. 40 DoD argues that 10 U.S.C.A. Sec. 130(a) (West Supp.1987) is such a statute in that it confers on the Secretary of Defense the express authority towithhold from public disclosure any technical data with military or space application in the possession of, or under the control of, the Department of Defense, if such data may not be exported without an approval, authorization or license under the ... Arms Export Control Act. 41 Technical data are defined in section 130(b)(2) as 42 any blueprints, drawings, plans, instructions, computer software and documentation, or other technical information, that can be used, or be adapted for use, to design engineer, produce, manufacture, operate, repair, overhaul, or reproduce any military or space equipment or technology concerning such equipment. 43 DoD argues that the TABs contain technical information[ ] that can be used in the above-described way. Whether that is true, however, turns on whether or not the TABs actually convey any of the contents of the reports whose titles they list. That is the same question as the one upon which the applicability of the national security exemption depends. We decline on this record to assess the applicability of the authorized withholding exemption for the same reason that we have declined at this time to decide the applicability of the national security exemption. 44 The judgment of the district court will therefore be vacated and the case remanded for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.