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[[underline]] Assistance from the Department of Justice on Basic Legal Issues [[/underline]]

Mr. Ripley reported the following:

a. The Freedom of Information Act, the Federal Advisory Committee Act, and the Privacy Act
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As reported to the Regents at their meeting on September 30, 1975, the advice of the Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel was sought on the question of the applicability of these three Acts to the Institution. The Office of Legal Counsel recently issued an opinion confirming and concurring in the Institution's consistent position that these Acts, which are directed to the executive branch, do not apply to the Smithsonian since it is not an executive branch agency. The Institution's practice of being sensitive to the public policies expressed in these Acts continues.