More Ideas For Member Office Transparency

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Last month Daniel Schuman shared five ideas that members of Congress can implement to make their offices more open and transparent. A few weeks later the Advisory Committee on Transparency heard two more ways that Representatives and Senators could show their commitment to transparency without passing legislation or changing broader policies.

Lorelei Kelly, the Smart Congress Pilot Lead at the New America Foundation’s Open Technology Institute, and Josh Tauberer, who runs GovTrack.US, argued that members of Congress should hire staff specifically dedicated to working on innovative projects and open government issues.

Lorelei Kelly argued that members of Congress should hire, what she dubbed, “Technology Mashup Fellows” to work in their district offices and find expertise, innovation, and perspective from outside of the Beltway.

Turning his attention to Washington, Josh Tauberer encouraged members to consider hiring a Transparency Director. The director could focus on open government policy and help coordinate new initiatives to make member office operations more transparent.

You can view all of the presentations from the event here. The Advisory Committee on Transparency brings groups and individuals together to discuss transparency issues and share ideas. The Advisory Committee and the Sunlight Foundation do not necessarily endorse the ideas presented in these videos.