text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``DHS FOIA Efficiency Act of 2015''.
  
  SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 
                IMPLEMENTATION.
  
      (a) Deadline for Updating Regulations.--Not later than 90 days 
  after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Chief FOIA Officer of 
  the Department of Homeland Security, as appointed pursuant to section 
  552(j) of title 5, United States Code, shall finalize and issue an 
  updated regulation implementing section 552 of title 5, United States 
  Code (commonly known as the Freedom of Information Act), which shall 
  include--
              (1) public guidance on procedures to be followed when 
          making requests under paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of section 
          552(a) of title 5, United States Code;
              (2) updated guidance to the components of the Department 
          responsible for processing such requests, which may include 
          information on how to adopt automated processing of requests 
          made under paragraphs (1), (2), or (3) of section 552(a) of 
          title 5, United States Code;
              (3) detailed information on fees and costs associated with 
          such requests; and
              (4) detailed information on the appeals process for such 
          requests.
      (b) Identification of Costs.--
              (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
          the enactment of this Act, the Chief FOIA Officer, in 
          coordination with the Chief Financial Officer of the Department 
          and the heads of each of the relevant components of the 
          Department, shall identify the total annual cost to the 
          Department of implementing section 552 of title 5, United 
          States Code.
              (2) Guidance.--The Chief FOIA Officer shall develop 
          guidance on reporting standards related to the direct and 
          indirect costs to the Department associated with the processing 
          of requests made under paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of section 
          552(a) of title 5, United States Code.
      (c) Cost Savings.--The Chief FOIA Officer, in collaboration with 
  the heads of each of the relevant components of the Department, shall--
              (1) identify unnecessary and duplicative actions taken by 
          the Department in the course of processing requests made under 
          paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of section 552(a) of title 5, 
          United States Code, by not later than 120 days after the date 
          of the enactment of this Act; and
              (2) eliminate unnecessary and duplicative actions taken by 
          the Department in the course of processing requests made under 
          paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of section 552(a) of title 5, 
          United States Code, by not later than 12 months after the 
          identification of such action under paragraph (1).
      (d) FOIA Tracking Systems.--Not later than 90 days after the date 
  of the enactment of this Act, the Chief FOIA Officer shall develop a 
  plan to automate the processing of requests made under paragraphs (1), 
  (2), and (3) of section 552(a) of title 5, United States Code to the 
  Department. Such plan shall take into account the specific needs of 
  each of the components of the Department responsible for processing 
  such requests and address required and recommended technology 
  capabilities and elements. Such plan shall include an assessment of the 
  costs and benefits associated with establishing and using electronic 
  processing systems to process requests made under paragraphs (1), (2), 
  and (3) of section 552(a) of title 5, United States Code.
      (e) FOIA Backlog.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
  enactment of this Act, the Chief Privacy Officer of the Department, in 
  consultation with the Chief FOIA Officer, shall update and issue 
  guidance to the heads of each of the relevant components of the 
  Department regarding the goal of reducing the backlog in processing 
  requests made under paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of section 552(a) of 
  title 5, United States Code, by 50 percent between fiscal year 2015 and 
  fiscal year 2018.
      (f) Report.--
              (1) Semiannual privacy report.--The Chief FOIA Officer 
          shall include in each semiannual privacy report submitted under 
          section 1062(f) of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism 
          Prevention Act of 2004 (42 U.S.C. 2000ee-1(f)) each of the 
          following:
                      (A) The total costs to the Department of meeting 
                  the requirements of section 552 of title 5, United 
                  States Code, for the period covered by the report.
                      (B) An assessment of progress made toward meeting 
                  the backlog goals pursuant to subsection (e) during the 
                  period covered by the report and the periods covered by 
                  the two preceding reports.
                      (C) An assessment of whether the Department has 
                  adequate staffing and other resources to address the 
                  backlog goals pursuant to subsection (e) for processing 
                  requests made under paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of 
                  section 552(a) of title 5, United States Code.
                      (D) An assessment of the progress made towards 
                  automating the processing of requests made under 
                  paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of section 552(a) of title 
                  5, United States Code, during the period covered by the 
                  report.
              (2) Fiscal year 2016 requirements.--The Chief FOIA Officer 
          shall include in the second semiannual privacy report for 
          fiscal year 2016 each of the following:
                      (A) A description of any cost savings identified 
                  under subsection (d).
                      (B) The plan developed under subsection (d).
      (g) Duplicative Action Defined.--In this section, the term 
  ``duplicative actions'' means actions carried out by two or more 
  components or programs that are engaged in the same activities or 
  provide the same services related to the processing of FOIA requests to 
  the same beneficiaries.
  
  SEC. 3. PROGRESS ON AUTOMATION.
  
      Upon completion of the plan to automate the processing of requests 
  made under paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of section 552(a) of title 5, 
  United States Code, the Chief FOIA Officer shall provide the plan to 
  the heads of the components of the Department and seek written feedback 
  from each head of a component agency regarding the extent to which that 
  component will adopt the plan, the associated costs, and the projected 
  timelines.
  
              Passed the House of Representatives June 25, 2015.
  
              Attest:
  
                                                   KAREN L. HAAS,
  
                                                                   Clerk.
target: (This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House of Representatives on June 11, 2015.  DHS FOIA Efficiency Act of 2015 (Sec. 2) Directs the Chief FOIA Officer of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS):  within 90 days after enactment of this Act, to issue an updated regulation implementing the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and to identify the total annual implementation costs;  to develop guidance on reporting standards related to costs of processing FOIA requests;  within 120 days after enactment of this Act, to identify unnecessary and duplicative actions taken by DHS in processing such requests;  to eliminate such actions within 12 months after identifying them; and  within 90 days after enactment of this Act, to develop a plan to automate the processing of requests and to issue guidance to the relevant DHS components regarding the goal of reducing the backlog in processing requests by 50% between FY2015 and FY2018.  Requires the regulation implementing FOIA to include: (1) public guidance on procedures to be followed when making requests for DHS rules, opinions, orders, records, or proceedings; (2) updated guidance to the DHS components for processing such requests, which may include information on automated processing; and (3) detailed information on fees and costs associated with, and on the appeals process for, requests. Directs the Chief FOIA Officer to include: (1) in each semiannual privacy report submitted under the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, the total costs to DHS of meeting FOIA requirements and assessments of progress made toward meeting backlog goals, of whether DHS has adequate staffing and other resources to address such goals, and of progress made toward automating the processing of requests; and (2) in the second semiannual privacy report for FY2016, a description of any cost savings identified from, and the plan developed for, automating the processing of requests. (Sec. 3) Directs the Chief FOIA Officer to provide such plan, upon completion, to DHS components and seek written feedback regarding the extent to which each component will adopt the plan, the associated costs, and the projected time lines.
feat_title: DHS FOIA Efficiency Act of 2015