The Internet has made it easier than ever before for ordinary citizens to interact with government agencies, obtain important documents and keep track of what their elected officials are doing on their behalf. Digital technology provides an easy, inexpensive means to make vast amounts of information available to the public in a way that can be readily understood.
Having a useful, information-rich Web site is no longer simply a value-added bonus for government agencies. As Americans increasingly manage their business, personal and financial affairs electronically, they rightfully expect their government to make services and information readily available over the Internet. Lawmakers should work to ensure that government agencies are making full use digital technology in providing information to the public. This includes pushing back against efforts to artificially limit the availability of public information online and urging agencies to ensure that their online offerings are equally accessible to users of all major computing platforms.
CDT/OpenTheGovernment.org report on FOIA (July 2006)
Congress Should Enact the Open Government Provisions in the Ethics Reform Package: The Senate has already begun to address digital democracy, by passing two important transparency rules that CDT strongly supports. In the Senate ethics reform package, lawmakers amended the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (LDA) to require electronic filing of disclosures and mandatory free availability to the public over the Internet. Also included in the package was an amendment offered by Sen. Salazar that requires Senate committees and subcommittees to make available by the Internet a video recording, audio recording, or transcript of any meeting not later than 14 business days after the meeting occurs.
Congress Should Adopt Electronic Filing of Campaign Finance Reports: Congress should swiftly adopt Sen. Russ Feingold's (D-Wis.) S. 223, which would require Senate candidates to file their campaign finance reports electronically, bringing the rules for Senate candidates in line with those already applicable to House candidates.
Congress Should Enforce Open Government Obligations and Close Gaps in FOIA: Congress has an opportunity in 2007 to exercise its oversight role by asking serious questions about how well government agencies are living up to their obligations under the Freedom of Information Act and other open government requirements. Lawmakers should take steps to promote greater adherence to open government guidelines by ensuring that agencies are making information readily available online and through other means. In the last Congress, CDT supported the OPEN Government Act, sponsored by Senators Leahy and Cornyn. The bill was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee but never made it to the Floor of the Senate. CDT urges passage of similar legislation in this Congress.
CDT Testimony, "Freedom of Information Act" (May 2005).
Congress Should Make Congressional Research Reports Available to the Public: American taxpayers spend nearly $100 million a year to fund the Congressional Research Service, a think tank that provides reports to members of Congress on a variety of topics relevant to current political events. Despite the fact that these reports are unclassified and are made easily available to members of Congress over the Web, they are not made readily available to the public. In 2005, CDT began the Open CRS project to provide citizens access to CRS Reports that are already in the public domain. Unfortunately, there is no systematic way to obtain all CRS reports. Because of this, not all reports appear on the Open CRS web site. CDT believes that it would be far preferable for Congress to make available to the public all CRS Reports. Congress should adopt the resolutions offered in past years by Sen. McCain, Sen. Leahy and Rep. Shay, which would create an official means to release these important sources of information.