Sunlight Foundation

Washington, DC - The Obama administration has set an unprecedented plan into action today in its Open Government Directive that will open public access to the information and policy-making process of the federal government. Today's release of the Open Government Directive shows that the administration takes its commitment to transparency seriously. The Sunlight Foundation applauds this long-anticipated action by the Administration and is pleased to see its own recommendations heeded.

"The Open Government Directive issued today demonstrates the seriousness of administration's commitment to data transparency and citizen engagement," said Ellen Miller, executive director and co-founder of the Sunlight Foundation. "It is evidence that the administration recognizes that transparency is government's responsibility. At the same time, it shows the administration is matching aspirational goals with concrete policies and accountability measures."

This new directive reinforces Sunlight's position that public information must be online by establishing timely Internet access as a priority for disclosing the operations, activities and data of the federal government. Sunlight has long-advocated for the Obama administration to increase government transparency by improving online disclosure, erring on the side of openness so as to not put the burden on the public to file Freedom of Information Act requests to liberate data and by enabling greater public participation in the policy-making process. The Directive calls for federal agencies to do exactly that. Likewise, the Directive heeds Sunlight's call for government data to be released in machine-readable, open formats.

Sunlight heralded these actions, as they emphasize the administration's understanding of the Internet's importance as a vehicle for creating more accountability and for strengthening citizens' relationship to government.

In the time between the publication of President Obama's Memo on Transparency in Government and today's announcement, Sunlight participated in a series of public initiatives online that the White House created in order to inform and shape the Open Government Directive. That the process of crafting the Directive itself occurred in such collaborative fashion indicates just how dedicated the administration is to comprehensively and fundamentally rewire how the government officials and citizens interact in policy-making and governance issues.

The Sunlight Foundation is a non-partisan non-profit that uses cutting-edge technology and ideas to make government transparent and accountable. Visit SunlightFoundation.com to learn more about Sunlight’s projects, including Transparency Corps and Party Time.
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