One Small Policy Step, but One Huge Leap for Government Openness: Statement of Gary D. Bass
Apr 7, 2010
WASHINGTON, April 7, 2010—The Obama administration took several actions today that will likely have a lasting and positive impact on government transparency. Each federal agency announced its Open Government Plan, complemented by Office of Management and Budget (OMB) policy changes to reduce certain impediments to transparency and to improve both regulatory and federal spending transparency.
read in fullOpen Government Day Arrives April 7
Apr 6, 2010
Several key requirements of the Open Government Directive are due on April 7, turning the day into a critical moment for government transparency. The main materials being released are specialized Open Government Plans that federal agencies are mandated to produce based on stakeholder input. There will also be a document to address federal spending transparency, as well as a review of policies that impede open government efforts.
read in fullSunshine Week 2010 Concludes with a Number of Federal Initiatives
Mar 23, 2010
Each year, advocates of open and accountable government celebrate the birthday of former president James Madison, a founding father and advocate of open government, by hosting a week of events and increased public advocacy called Sunshine Week. In 2009, Attorney General Eric Holder released a memo during Sunshine Week regarding Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) implementation that encouraged disclosure of agency records. This year, transparency was highlighted through public events, legislative initiatives, and op-eds.
read in fullNational Broadband Plan Seeks to Increase Civic Engagement
Mar 23, 2010
On March 16, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released its 376-page National Broadband Plan, setting forth a strategy to expand access to broadband Internet services to millions of people. Chapter 15 of the broadband plan is specifically intended to make it easier for Americans to actively participate in civil society and hold their government accountable.
Agencies Make Data More Widely Available Through Data.gov
Jan 27, 2010
On Jan. 22, executive agencies posted hundreds of datasets onto Data.gov as required under the Open Government Directive (OGD). Many transparency advocates have lauded the administration’s efforts while at the same time raising questions about how well this first initiative under the OGD actually worked. The release of the datasets has triggered discussions about the value of the data, how individual privacy rights are protected, whether the datasets being released are new, and the quality of the data that has been released.
read in fullTransparency: Change You can Trust
Dec 21, 2009
In 2008, we heard a lot about "change." In this 2009 year-end summary, we use another type of "change" to rate the Obama administration's transparency efforts thus far.
read in fullFederal FOIA Mediator Begins to Use Technology to Reach Public
Oct 28, 2009
On Oct. 22, the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) launched the website for the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS), which will mediate disputes between the government and those who seek its information. The office, once in danger of being all but muted by the Bush administration, is showing signs of emerging as an independent arbiter seeking out creative solutions to old problems.
read in fullRead the Bill Act Stalled in Congress
Oct 14, 2009
Recently introduced House and Senate resolutions seek to illuminate the legislative process, giving Congress, as well as the American people, the opportunity to read legislation and formulate an informed opinion prior to any debate or votes.
read in fullSecrecy Report Card Gives Modest Grades to Bush and Obama
Sep 15, 2009
On Sept. 8, OpenTheGovernment.org, a coalition of 70 open government advocates, released its sixth annual Secrecy Report Card. Focusing on 2008, the report card serves primarily as a final assessment of the Bush administration but also addresses early actions of the Obama administration. Overall, the report notes a decrease in secrecy at the end of the Bush years but concludes that greater efforts are needed to increase federal transparency.
read in fullEPA Pushing Data Out to the Public
Sep 15, 2009
The Obama administration has made government transparency a high priority in its early months, and of all the federal agencies, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) appears to be making the quickest progress in turning rhetoric into action. Across a range of issues, the EPA is taking proactive steps to improve transparency, collecting and releasing to the public important environmental data needed to protect the environment and public health.
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