The Ombuds Blog: House Panel Approves Bill That Would Create Federal FOIA Ombuds

March 06, 2007

House Panel Approves Bill That Would Create Federal FOIA Ombuds

A House committee has approved legislation to make federal agencies more responsive to requests under the Freedom of Information Act. In addition to policy changes, H.R. 1309 would create a FOIA ombudsman at the National Archives to help requesters resolve problems without resorting to litigation. The FOIA ombudsman would also review agency compliance with FOIA. (House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.)

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Organizational Ombuds

Organizational Ombuds serve as a confidential, independent, neutral and informal dispute resolution resource for a specific entity. They are accessible to a defined population and can advocate for fairness. These unique characteristics distinguish Organizational Ombuds from Classical Ombuds, mediators, arbitrators, and other alternative dispute resolution professionals. The term "Ombuds" is shorthand for "Ombudsman," "Ombudsperson" and "Ombuds Officer," which also are used widely.

Some other variants include:

Austria -- Ombudsstelle

Brazil -- Ouvidor

Croatia -- pravobranitelji

France -- médiateur/defénseur

Germany -- Ombudspersonen

Italy -- difensore

Netherlands -- ombudspersoon

Norway -- ombudet

Poland -- Rzecznik

Portugal -- provedor

Russia -- омбудсмен

Spain -- ombudsman organizacional

Sweden -- studentombud

Switzerland -- ombudsmann

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March 06, 2007

House Panel Approves Bill That Would Create Federal FOIA Ombuds

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