Congress · Laws

A bill to amend section 552 of title 5, United States Code, known as the Freedom of Information Act.

Public Law 93-502 · H.R. 12471 · 93rd Congress · began in the House

Vetoed by Gerald Ford (R); passed over the veto on Nov 21, 1974 · Government Operations and Politics

Major lawVeto override

Sponsor: Rep. William Moorhead (D-PA-14)

Cosponsors (11): Rep. Bella Abzug, Rep. Bill Alexander,

Passage votesYeaNay

HouseRecorded vote: 349 yea, 2 nay349–2
SenateMethod not stated

Veto override votes

HouseNeeds two-thirds: 371 yea, 31 nay371–31
SenateNeeds two-thirds: 65 yea, 27 nay65–27

Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

Report a correction

Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Revises the Freedom of Information Act by requiring each Government agency to make available for public inspection and copying current indexes providing identifying information for the public as to any matter issued, adopted, or promulgated after July 4, 1967, and required by this Act to be made available and published.

Provides that each agency, upon any request for records which describes such records and is made in accordance with the procedural rules, shall make the records promptly available to any person.

Requires each agency to promulgate a uniform schedule of fees limited to reasonable standard charges for document search and duplication. Sets forth procedures for judicial review when documents or records are withheld.

Requires each agency to submit an annual report to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate detailing statistics relating to requests for records.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 93rd Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 349 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

349 yea2 nay83 present or did not vote

Dimension 2

Economic left–right

More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(203)

Rep. Ronald DellumsD-CA-7
Rep. Pete StarkD-CA-8
Rep. Don EdwardsD-CA-9
Rep. John MossD-CA-3
Rep. Elizabeth HoltzmanD-NY-16
Rep. Bella AbzugD-NY-20
Rep. Edward RoybalD-CA-30
Rep. Phillip BurtonD-CA-5
Rep. Herman BadilloD-NY-21
Rep. Louis StokesD-OH-21
Rep. Robert KastenmeierD-WI-2
Rep. Parren MitchellD-MD-7
Rep. John BurtonD-CA-6
Rep. Gus HawkinsD-CA-21
Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-19
Rep. Patricia SchroederD-CO-1
Rep. Shirley ChisholmD-NY-12
Rep. Jerome WaldieD-CA-14
Rep. Ralph MetcalfeD-IL-1
Rep. Andrew YoungD-GA-5
Rep. John DingellD-MI-16
Rep. Henry GonzálezD-TX-20
Rep. William FordD-MI-15
Rep. Benjamin RosenthalD-NY-8
Rep. Michael HarringtonD-MA-6
Rep. Leo RyanD-CA-11
Rep. Glenn AndersonD-CA-35
Rep. Patsy MinkD-HI-2
Rep. Barbara JordanD-TX-18
Rep. George BrownD-CA-38
Rep. Cardiss CollinsD-IL-7
Rep. Frank ThompsonD-NJ-4
Rep. Robert NixD-PA-2
Rep. Floyd HicksD-WA-6
Rep. Charles WilsonD-CA-31
Rep. James O’HaraD-MI-12
Rep. Charles CarneyD-OH-19
Rep. Lucien NedziD-MI-14
Rep. John SeiberlingD-OH-14
Rep. William BarrettD-PA-1
Rep. John DentD-PA-21
Rep. Henry HelstoskiD-NJ-9
Rep. Lloyd MeedsD-WA-2
Rep. John BrademasD-IN-3
Rep. James CormanD-CA-22
Rep. Teno RoncalioD-WY
Rep. George DanielsonD-CA-29
Rep. Donald FraserD-MN-5
Rep. Robert LeggettD-CA-4
Rep. Jonathan BinghamD-NY-22
Rep. Richard Vander VeenD-MI-5
Rep. Robert DrinanD-MA-4
Rep. William LehmanD-FL-13
Rep. Dante FascellD-FL-15
Rep. James BurkeD-MA-11
Rep. Joshua EilbergD-PA-4
Rep. Julia HansenD-WA-3
Rep. Henry ReussD-WI-5
Rep. Paul SarbanesD-MD-3
Rep. Edward KochD-NY-18
Rep. Spark MatsunagaD-HI-1
Rep. James HowardD-NJ-3
Rep. Joseph AddabboD-NY-7
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7
Rep. Chester HolifieldD-CA-19
Rep. William BurlisonD-MO-10
Rep. Clarence LongD-MD-2
Rep. Gerry StuddsD-MA-12
Rep. Jerome TraxlerD-MI-8
Rep. Frank DenholmD-SD-1
Rep. Kenneth GrayD-IL-24
Rep. John MelcherD-MT-2
Rep. William GreenD-PA-3
Rep. Jack BrooksD-TX-9
Rep. Leslie AspinD-WI-1
Rep. Mike McCormackD-WA-4
Rep. Sidney YatesD-IL-9
Rep. Douglas OwensD-UT-2
Rep. John PatmanD-TX-1
Rep. Harold JohnsonD-CA-2
Rep. William HungateD-MO-9
Rep. Ray MaddenD-IN-1
Rep. James WrightD-TX-12
Rep. John McFallD-CA-15
Rep. Peter RodinoD-NJ-10
Rep. Fernand St. GermainD-RI-1
Rep. Edward MezvinskyD-IA-1
Rep. Harley StaggersD-WV-2
Rep. Peter KyrosD-ME-1
Rep. Charles VanikD-OH-22
Rep. Frank AnnunzioD-IL-11
Rep. Charles WilsonD-TX-2
Rep. John MurphyD-NY-17
Rep. Leonor SullivanD-MO-3
Rep. Robert BerglandD-MN-7
Rep. Joseph GaydosD-PA-20
Rep. Thomas FoleyD-WA-5
Rep. Charles PriceD-IL-23
Rep. Bill AlexanderD-AR-1
Rep. Morris UdallD-AZ-2
Rep. Bernice SiskD-CA-16
Rep. Joseph KarthD-MN-4
Rep. John KluczynskiD-IL-5
Rep. Richard FultonD-TN-5
Rep. Thomas MorganD-PA-22
Rep. Gillis LongD-LA-8
Rep. William MoorheadD-PA-14
Rep. Kenneth HechlerD-WV-4
Rep. Mario BiaggiD-NY-10
Rep. Richard BollingD-MO-5
Rep. Morgan MurphyD-IL-2
Rep. Harold DonohueD-MA-3
Rep. Lionel Van DeerlinD-CA-41
Rep. Abraham KazenD-TX-23
Rep. Joseph VigoritoD-PA-24
Rep. Lindy BoggsD-LA-2
Rep. Martha GriffithsD-MI-17
Rep. Robert MollohanD-WV-1
Rep. Frederick RooneyD-PA-15
Rep. Torbert MacdonaldD-MA-7
Rep. Robert JonesD-AL-5
Rep. Daniel FloodD-PA-11
Rep. Carl PerkinsD-KY-7
Rep. Edward PattenD-NJ-15
Rep. Gus YatronD-PA-6
Rep. Robert RoeD-NJ-8
Rep. Frank EvansD-CO-3
Rep. Neal SmithD-IA-4
Rep. John YoungD-TX-14
Rep. Clement ZablockiD-WI-4
Rep. Daniel RostenkowskiD-IL-8
Rep. Frank ClarkD-PA-25
Rep. William CotterD-CT-1
Rep. Lester WolffD-NY-6
Rep. John SlackD-WV-3
Rep. Joseph MinishD-NJ-11
Rep. William NatcherD-KY-2
Rep. Thomas AshleyD-OH-9
Rep. Kika de la GarzaD-TX-15
Rep. John CulverD-IA-2
Rep. Thomas SteedD-OK-4
Rep. Jake PickleD-TX-10
Rep. James HanleyD-NY-32
Rep. James DelaneyD-NY-9
Rep. Jerry LittonD-MO-6
Rep. Koln McKayD-UT-1
Rep. Ray ThorntonD-AR-4
Rep. Charles RoseD-NC-7
Rep. Edward BolandD-MA-2
Rep. Clem McSpaddenD-OK-2
Rep. John BreauxD-LA-7
Rep. George ShipleyD-IL-22
Rep. John RoushD-IN-4
Rep. Sam GibbonsD-FL-7
Rep. Tom BevillD-AL-4
Rep. John DavisD-GA-7
Rep. Richard WhiteD-TX-16
Rep. Bo GinnD-GA-1
Rep. John BreckinridgeD-KY-6
Rep. Mendel DavisD-SC-1
Rep. William RandallD-MO-4
Rep. Ed JonesD-TN-7
Rep. Williamson StuckeyD-GA-8
Rep. Otis PikeD-NY-1
Rep. Frank StubblefieldD-KY-1
Rep. Thaddeus DulskiD-NY-37
Rep. Robert StephensD-GA-10
Rep. Ike AndrewsD-NC-4
Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
Rep. James StantonD-OH-20
Rep. Robert CaseyD-TX-22
Rep. David HendersonD-NC-3
Rep. Romano MazzoliD-KY-3
Rep. Walter FlowersD-AL-7
Rep. Walter JonesD-NC-1
Rep. Bill GunterD-FL-5
Rep. David BowenD-MS-2
Rep. Thomas GettysD-SC-5
Rep. Don FuquaD-FL-2
Rep. Richard IchordD-MO-8
Rep. Phillip LandrumD-GA-9
Rep. William ChappellD-FL-4
Rep. Otto PassmanD-LA-5
Rep. Roy TaylorD-NC-11
Rep. Jamie WhittenD-MS-1
Rep. Jack BrinkleyD-GA-3
Rep. William NicholsD-AL-3
Rep. Edith GreenD-OR-3
Rep. Lawrence FountainD-NC-2
Rep. Paul RogersD-FL-11
Rep. Charles BennettD-FL-3
Rep. Thomas DowningD-VA-1
Rep. James MannD-SC-4
Rep. Dale MilfordD-TX-24
Rep. Joseph WaggonnerD-LA-4
Rep. James HaleyD-FL-8
Rep. Goodloe ByronD-MD-6
Rep. John FlyntD-GA-6
Rep. Ovie FisherD-TX-21
Rep. Sonny MontgomeryD-MS-3
Rep. Dan DanielD-VA-5
Rep. John JarmanD-OK-5
Rep. David SatterfieldD-VA-3

Republicans who voted yea(145)

Rep. Donald RiegleR-MI-7
Rep. Charles WhalenR-OH-3
Rep. Margaret HecklerR-MA-10
Rep. Gilbert GudeR-MD-8
Rep. Peter PeyserR-NY-23
Rep. Matthew RinaldoR-NJ-12
Rep. Edward BiesterR-PA-8
Rep. Paul CroninR-MA-5
Rep. Mark AndrewsR-ND
Rep. Joseph McDadeR-PA-10
Rep. Silvio ConteR-MA-1
Rep. John StantonR-OH-11
Rep. Frank HortonR-NY-34
Rep. Ronald SarasinR-CT-5
Rep. Stewart McKinneyR-CT-4
Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-26
Rep. Charles MosherR-OH-13
Rep. William WalshR-NY-33
Rep. Wendell WyattR-OR-1
Rep. Thomas RailsbackR-IL-19
Rep. Marvin EschR-MI-2
Rep. Charles SandmanR-NJ-2
Rep. Hamilton FishR-NY-25
Rep. Henry HeinzR-PA-18
Rep. Donald ClausenR-CA-1
Rep. Robert CoughlinR-PA-13
Rep. Donald BrotzmanR-CO-2
Rep. Elwood HillisR-IN-5
Rep. Charles ThoneR-NE-1
Rep. Pierre du PontR-DE
Rep. William HarshaR-OH-6
Rep. Don YoungR-AK
Rep. James AbdnorR-SD-2
Rep. William WamplerR-VA-9
Rep. Garner ShriverR-KS-4
Rep. John AndersonR-IL-16
Rep. Tennyson GuyerR-OH-4
Rep. Norman LentR-NY-4
Rep. Lawrence WilliamsR-PA-7
Rep. Angelo RoncalloR-NY-3
Rep. Edward MadiganR-IL-21
Rep. Jerry PettisR-CA-33
Rep. Vernon ThomsonR-WI-3
Rep. Guy Vander JagtR-MI-9
Rep. Joe SkubitzR-KS-5
Rep. Lawrence HoganR-MD-5
Rep. Albert QuieR-MN-1
Rep. James ClevelandR-NH-2
Rep. Herbert BurkeR-FL-12
Rep. Thad CochranR-MS-4
Rep. Larry WinnR-KS-3
Rep. James HastingsR-NY-39
Rep. James BroyhillR-NC-10
Rep. James GroverR-NY-2
Rep. Bob WilsonR-CA-40
Rep. Albert JohnsonR-PA-23
Rep. Edwin EshlemanR-PA-16
Rep. Philip RuppeR-MI-11
Rep. Louis FreyR-FL-9
Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16
Rep. John MyersR-IN-7
Rep. Trent LottR-MS-5
Rep. John BuchananR-AL-6
Rep. Dan KuykendallR-TN-8
Rep. Samuel YoungR-IL-10
Rep. Joel BroyhillR-VA-10
Rep. Burt TalcottR-CA-12
Rep. Edwin ForsytheR-NJ-6
Rep. Jack EdwardsR-AL-1
Rep. John DuncanR-TN-2
Rep. Charles GubserR-CA-10
Rep. Vinegar Bend MizellR-NC-5
Rep. William BroomfieldR-MI-19
Rep. Victor VeyseyR-CA-43
Rep. Elford CederbergR-MI-10
Rep. Louis WymanR-NH-1
Rep. James QuillenR-TN-1
Rep. William BrayR-IN-6
Rep. George O’BrienR-IL-17
Rep. Charles ChamberlainR-MI-6
Rep. John DellenbackR-OR-4
Rep. John McCollisterR-NE-2
Rep. Robert PriceR-TX-13
Rep. Stanford ParrisR-VA-8
Rep. Henry SmithR-NY-36
Rep. Delbert LattaR-OH-5
Rep. Roger ZionR-IN-8
Rep. Marjorie HoltR-MD-4
Rep. William FrenzelR-MN-3
Rep. Howard RobisonR-NY-27
Rep. Robert HanrahanR-IL-3
Rep. Edward DerwinskiR-IL-4
Rep. Floyd SpenceR-SC-2
Rep. Robert McCloryR-IL-13
Rep. Manley ButlerR-VA-6
Rep. William ScherleR-IA-5
Rep. Alphonzo BellR-CA-28
Rep. Keith SebeliusR-KS-1
Rep. Harold FroehlichR-WI-8
Rep. Clair BurgenerR-CA-42
Rep. Earl RuthR-NC-8
Rep. Garry BrownR-MI-3
Rep. Robert McEwenR-NY-30
Rep. Wiley MayneR-IA-6
Rep. William DickinsonR-AL-2
Rep. Jack KempR-NY-38
Rep. John ErlenbornR-IL-14
Rep. John WydlerR-NY-5
Rep. John WareR-PA-5
Rep. William SteigerR-WI-6
Rep. Leslie ArendsR-IL-15
Rep. LaMar BakerR-TN-3
Rep. Peter FrelinghuysenR-NJ-5
Rep. Carlos MoorheadR-CA-20
Rep. Barry GoldwaterR-CA-27
Rep. James RobinsonR-VA-7
Rep. Chalmers WylieR-OH-15
Rep. Skip BafalisR-FL-10
Rep. Harold CollierR-IL-6
Rep. Robin BeardR-TN-6
Rep. Robert LagomarsinoR-CA-13
Rep. John CampR-OK-6
Rep. David MartinR-NE-3
Rep. Donald ClancyR-OH-2
Rep. Clarence MillerR-OH-10
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-6
Rep. William KetchumR-CA-36
Rep. David TreenR-LA-3
Rep. Edward HutchinsonR-MI-4
Rep. Herman SchneebeliR-PA-17
Rep. Charles WigginsR-CA-25
Rep. Robert MichelR-IL-18
Rep. Sam SteigerR-AZ-3
Rep. Robert HuberR-MI-18
Rep. Glenn DavisR-WI-9
Rep. Bud ShusterR-PA-9
Rep. David DennisR-IN-10
Rep. Samuel DevineR-OH-12
Rep. John ConlanR-AZ-4
Rep. George GoodlingR-PA-19
Rep. John RousselotR-CA-24
Rep. John AshbrookR-OH-17
Rep. James CollinsR-TX-3
Rep. Phil CraneR-IL-12
Rep. Harold GrossR-IA-3

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 959 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. 1 yea vote was cast by members of neither major party and is highlighted on the compass but not listed. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.

Report a correction

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Oversight and Accountability Committee · House · referred to, reported by

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

Report a correction

Timeline

From introduction to the override, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 22 actions.

Nov 21, 1974VetoVeto · Motion to override veto passed Senate, roll call #494 (65-27).Senate roll call 494
VetoVeto · Passed Senate over veto: Motion to override veto passed Senate, roll call #494 (65-27).Senate roll call 494
PresidentPresident · Public law 93-502.
Nov 20, 1974VetoVeto · Motion to override veto passed House, roll call #634 (371-31).House roll call 634
VetoVeto · Passed House over veto: Motion to override veto passed House, roll call #634 (371-31).House roll call 634
Oct 17, 1974PresidentPresident · Vetoed by President, H. Doc. 93-383.
Oct 8, 1974PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
Oct 7, 1974Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to conference report, roll call #574 (349-2).House roll call 574
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House agreed to conference report, roll call #574 (349-2).House roll call 574
Oct 1, 1974Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed in Senate, S. Rept. 93-1200.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in Senate, S. Rept. 93-1200.
Sep 25, 1974Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 93-1380.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 93-1380.
Jun 10, 1974Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in Senate.
Jun 6, 1974Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in House.
May 30, 1974FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended, in lieu of S. 2543, roll call #221 (64-17).Senate roll call 221
Mar 14, 1974FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #89 (383-8).House roll call 89
Mar 5, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
Jan 31, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House

Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

Report a correction

Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.