2Day in #OpenGov 10/3/2011
Policy Fellow Matt Rumsey wrote this post.
Here is Monday’s look at the week’s transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events.
News Roundup:
Super Committee
- The Super Committee has grown increasingly opaque, refusing to share details of their meetings with the press and public. Lobbyists, however, are being kept in the loop by aides to committee members. (Politico)
Government
- The Congressional Budget Office has released a cost estimate for the DATA act. According to the report, the act would cost $575 million over five years to implement. (Federal Computer Week)
- One of the FEC’s most respected experts, Bob Biersack, has retired after 30 years with the commission. Biersack has served in a variety of positions during his tenure, but is known as the FEC’s unofficial data guru and was instrumental in creating the agency’s electronic filing system. (Roll Call)
- A new poll shows that most Americans trust their local governments to handle local issues, a marked contrast with respondents low confidence in the Federal government. (Politico)
- Members of the whistleblower community gathered last week for the 2011 Washington Whistleblower Assembly. The meeting focused on ways to protect and increase whistleblower protections. (POGO) To learn more about the current discussion surrounding whistleblowing take a look at our ACT event on the subject .
Relevant committee hearings scheduled for 10/3-10/7:
- Financial Services. Audit the Fed: Dodd-Frank, QE3, and Federal Reserve Transparency. 2128 RHOB. Tues. 10/4, 10:00 am. Subcommittee on Domestic Monetary Policy and Technology.
Relevant bills introduced:
- H.R. 3071 to amend chapter 22 of title 44, United States Code, popularly known as the Presidential Records Act, to establish procedures for the consideration of claims of constitutionally based privilege against disclosure of Presidential records. Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
Transparency events scheduled for 10/3-10/7:
Monday
- Dunja Mijatovic, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media. GW Law. 12:00 pm. Frederick M. Lawrence Student Conference Center, Lisner 201, 730 21st Street, NW Washington DC.
- Access Denied: Science News and Government Transparency. National Press Club. 3:00-5:00 pm. Holeman Lounge, National Press Club, 529 14th Street NW, 13th floor, Washington DC 20045
- Michael Lemov author of “People’s Warrior: John Moss and the Fight for Freedom of Information and Consumer Rights.” Busboys and Poets. 6:30pm. 1025 5th Street NW, Washington DC 20001.
Wednesday
- Roundtable on Corruption, Economic Growth, and Freedom. The Heritage Foundation. 11:00 am-12:30 pm. Lehrman Auditorium, 214 Massachusetts Ave NE, Washington DC 20002.
- Curbing Needless Secrecy: Reducing Overclassification Through Accountability. NYU Law. 12:30-2:00 pm. National Press Club, First Amendment Lounge, 529 14th Street NW, 13th floor, Washington DC 20045.
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