The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is a law that gives any person the right to request access to records from any federal agency. It is built on the idea that in a democracy, the people have a right to know what their government is doing.
You can request almost any document, email, report, or data file held by a federal agency. This includes things like environmental reports, FBI files (under certain rules), or information about how tax money is being spent.
There are some things the government can legally keep secret, such as information that would harm national security, trade secrets of private companies, or information that would violate someone's personal privacy.
Most agencies allow you to submit a FOIA request online. You must describe the records you want as specifically as possible. The agency usually has 20 working days to respond and tell you if they will provide the records.