HAI’s Director of Litigation Research Appointed to FOIA Advisory Committee

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: September 24, 2020
Contact: Jen Giambrone
Telephone: 301.279.9697

ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, UNITED STATES

Jason H. Gart, PhD, Vice President and Director of Litigation Research at HAI, has been appointed to the 2020-2022 FOIA Advisory Committee.

HAI is pleased to announce that Jason H. Gart was recently appointed to the National Archives and Records Administration’s (NARA) 2020-2022 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Advisory Committee. Dr. Gart is one of the Committee’s 11 non-governmental members who were selected through a competitive application process and appointed by the Archivist of the United States, David S. Ferriero. Nine federal government members also sit on the Committee, and their work is governed by the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, 5 U.S.C. App.  The purpose of the Committee is to “foster dialogue between the executive branch and the requester community, solicit public comments, and recommend improvements to FOIA administration and proactive disclosures.”

Dr. Gart joins an accomplished group of appointees with considerable FOIA expertise, including representatives of the New York Times, the American Bar Association, and four academic institutions as well as members from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the US Departments of Commerce and Agriculture, the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the US Environmental Protection Agency, among others. Dr. Gart will represent the interests of the “commercial” requester fee category, ensuring that the Committee considers the needs and concerns of professional research firms and other commercial requesters.

Dr. Gart’s appointment reflects nearly 15 years of historical research and FOIA experience at HAI. As Director of Litigation Research, he has successfully managed upward of 200 historical research investigations and has overseen the submission of hundreds of FOIA requests as well as numerous local Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests. An experienced FOIA end‐user, Dr. Gart’s expertise is sought after by legal and corporate clients, including numerous high-profile Fortune 100 companies, who require assistance in navigating the complexities of the FOIA system. A professionally-trained historian, Dr. Gart also helped design several proprietary databases at HAI that enable our staff to identify materials stored at Federal Records Centers throughout the United States.

“Jason’s research and analysis background and extensive FOIA experience make him an ideal addition to the Committee,” said Beth Maser, HAI President. “The current FOIA system faces many challenges—from enhancing online access to embracing new technologies such as e-Discovery tools.  Jason understands the importance of FOIA for his clients and the broader commercial community and is well-placed to make an important contribution as a non-governmental appointee.”

The inaugural meeting of the 2020-2022 term of the FOIA Advisory Committee was held on September 10, 2020, and the next meeting is scheduled for December 10, 2020.  Information on previous and upcoming meetings is here.