Yesterday, the House of Representatives hosted its 2013 Legislative Data and Transparency Conference. More than 100 people attended, with speakers... View Article
Continue readingDATA Act: from OGR to HSGAC, or how I learned to love the budget (and you can too)
On Wednesday, legislation to bring federal spending information into the daylight was favorably reported by the House Oversight and Government... View Article
Continue readingOversight Committee Endorses Public Access to Agency Reports to Congress
Legislation that would require virtually all agency reports to Congress be available online in one central location advanced out of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee yesterday on a voice vote. The Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act, originally sponsored by Rep. Mike Quigley and enjoying the bipartisan support of Committee Chairman Darrell Issa and ranking member Elijah Cummings, will need the sign-off of the Committee on House Administration before it can get a vote on the House floor. In March, 26 organizations wrote to the Oversight Committee to express their support for ACMRA.
Continue readingCommittee on House Administration Supports Public’s Right to Gov’t Docs
The influential Committee on House Administration released a letter yesterday that endorsed the principle that “the documents of our democracy... View Article
Continue readingReflecting on Sunlight
Next Friday will be my last day as Sunlight Foundation’s policy counsel. On June 3rd, I join CREW as policy... View Article
Continue readingAgenda for House’s Legislative Data & Transparency Conference
This Wednesday, the House of Representatives is holding its second annual Legislative Data and Transparency Conference. (RSVP here.) The conference... View Article
Continue readingAfter LDTC, Come Raise a Glass to Open Government!
You're invited to attend a Transparency Happy Hour on Wednesday, May 22, from 5:30-7:30 at Bullfeathers, in Washington, D.C. Join advocates, activists, academics, and staffers for an evening of fun... and the opportunity to unwind after the day's Legislative Data and Transparency Conference!
Continue readingThe White House, Congress, and Open Data Policy
The White House's new Open Data Policy has received many accolades, but its ability to be sustained long term will depend on support from the legislative branch. Fortunately, Congress has been working on these issues for the last several years.
Continue readingNew Series: Legislatures and Legislating Access to Government-Held Information
In a series of upcoming blogposts, I'm going to examine government information ecosystems and make suggestions on how legislatures can do a better job gathering, sharing, combining, and disclosing information.
Continue readingSupreme Court FOI Decision Foolish and Shortsighted
Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Virginia law that generally prohibits non-Virginians from making use of its Freedom of Information law. As part of its decision in McBurney v. Young, the Court held that the Constitution's Article IV "Privileges and Immunities" clause does not extend to a non-Virginian's right to access public information on equal terms with Virginia citizens. The Constitution says that "the Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States," and the clause was intended to prevent a state from treating citizens of another state in a discriminatory manner. This ruling allows states like Virginia, Delaware, New Hampshire, and Tennessee to continue to make the benefits of their freedom of information laws available only to their citizens. The Court squares this logical circle by concluding that the access to public information made available under state FOI laws are not "basic to the maintenance or well-being of the Union," and thus not a "fundamental" privilege or immunity the Constitution was intended to protect. It baldly states, without evidence, that "there is no contention that the Nation's unity founded in [the absence of FOIA laws prior to the 1960s], or that it is suffering now because of the citizens-only FOIA provisions that several States have enacted."
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