Court Rules FOIA Requires Disclosure of Congressional-Agency Communications on ACA Repeal

A federal court ruling has affirmed that communications between federal agencies and congressional staff related to the Trump administration's 2017 efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) must be accessible under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This decision disallows congressional staff from using boilerplate disclaimers to shield agency communications from FOIA disclosure.

The case originated when American Oversight sued the Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of Management and Budget for records concerning the rollback attempt of the ACA, which could have affected coverage for approximately 17 million Americans. The court emphasized FOIA's intent to maintain transparency, especially in policy debates impacting healthcare coverage and costs.

This ruling follows a previous victory for American Oversight that limited the government's use of the deliberative process exemption to withhold related records. The decision strengthens public access to policymaking communications involving Congress and executive agencies, reinforcing accountability in healthcare policy formation during the Trump administration's attempt to alter healthcare coverage frameworks.