[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 30 (Wednesday, February 14, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 7063]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-2571]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-5131-N-01]


Notice of Realignment of HUD's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 
Processing Functions

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, HUD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that HUD has realigned its 
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) processing functions from the Office 
of General Counsel to the Office of the Executive Secretariat in the 
Office of Administration. The realignment of FOIA processing functions 
will improve the efficiency and consistency of HUD's FOIA operations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Vicky Lewis, Assistant Executive 
Secretary, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Office, Office of the 
Executive Secretariat, Office of Administration, Department of Housing 
and Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW., Room 10139, Washington, 
DC 20410-0001; telephone (202) 708-3866 (this is not a toll-free 
number). Persons with hearing or speech impairments may access this 
number via TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Information Relay 
Service at (800) 877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 
552) provides the means by which the public can obtain information 
regarding federal agencies. Under FOIA, the public can request records 
from any agency, which the agency must provide, subject to certain 
statutory exemptions and exclusions. HUD's regulations at 24 CFR part 
15, entitled ``Public Access to HUD Records under the Freedom of 
Information Act and Testimony and Production of Information by HUD 
Employees,'' describe the policies and procedures governing public 
access to HUD records under FOIA.
    On December 14, 2005, President Bush issued Executive Order 13392, 
entitled ``Improving Agency Disclosure of Information,'' which 
acknowledged the importance of participation by an informed citizenry 
in the effective functioning of our constitutional democracy. Executive 
Order 13392 was published in the Federal Register on December 19, 2005 
(70 FR 75373). It required federal agencies to develop agency-wide 
plans to ensure the efficient and timely administration of FOIA 
requests. Such plans were to include specific activities that the 
agency would implement to eliminate or reduce the agency's FOIA 
backlog, and activities that would increase public awareness of the 
agency's FOIA processing. HUD submitted its plan to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) and the Attorney General on June 14, 2006. 
(See http://www.hud.gov/offices/ogc/foia/hudfoiaplanfinal.pdf.) An 
integral part of HUD's plan is the realignment of FOIA processing 
functions from the Office of General Counsel to the Office of the 
Executive Secretariat in the Office of Administration. The realignment 
of FOIA processing functions will improve the efficiency and 
consistency of HUD's FOIA operations.
    This notice announces to the public that HUD has realigned its FOIA 
processing functions from the Office of General Counsel to the Office 
of the Executive Secretariat in the Office of Administration. FOIA 
requests that were formerly submitted to the Office of General Counsel 
should now be submitted to the FOIA Office in the Office of the 
Executive Secretariat in the Office of Administration. Members of the 
public requesting records from HUD may continue to use the FOIA 
electronic request form on HUD's Internet site at http://www.hud.gov/offices/ogc/foia/foia.cfm. HUD is also undertaking rulemaking to update 
its FOIA regulations in 24 CFR part 15 to reflect the realignment of 
the Department's FOIA processing functions. This notice advises the 
public of the realignment, pending issuance of HUD's updated 
regulations.

    Dated: February 5, 2007.
Keith A. Nelson,
Assistant Secretary for Administration.
 [FR Doc. E7-2571 Filed 2-13-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P