FOIA REQUEST AREA. Freedom of Information Act. The Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552, is the United States federal freedom of information law that requires the full or partial disclosure of previously unreleased or uncirculated information and documents controlled by the U.S. government upon request. Acronyms (colloquial): FOIA Public law: 89-487 Statutes at Large: 80 Stat. 250