Final answer:
Agencies comply with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) through the release of requested records, unless they fall under specific exemptions, such as national security, privacy, and trade secrets. Compliance also includes posting certain information regularly for public access and charging fees for document collection and copying when required.
Step-by-step explanation:
Agencies comply with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) by releasing records requested by the public unless it qualifies for one of the nine exemptions. These exemptions pertain to matters such as national security, internal personnel rules, trade secrets, personal privacy, law enforcement information, and confidential sources. The FOIA requires agencies to routinely post certain types of information, thereby facilitating regular public access without formal requests. In fiscal year 2020, agencies received a vast number of FOIA requests, with some struggling to meet the demand due to limited staffing and resources. Agencies must balance the need for transparency with the protection of sensitive information, and this struggle to comply effectively with FOIA is demonstrated by the Center for Effective Government's findings that many agencies did not achieve satisfactory grades for public disclosure. A part of the compliance involves determining if requested documents are classified for security reasons, and limiting over-classification is encouraged to foster openness. The Sunshine Act complements FOIA by requiring federal agency meetings to be held in public forums, emphasizing openness and the prevention of corruption. Agencies comply with these laws by reviewing each request for information, charging fees where necessary, and redacting sensitive areas, with the goal being to increase openness in government operations.