The House Subcommittee on Information, Census and National Archives of the Government Oversight and Reform Committee held a hearing on the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Feb. 14. The hearing served as an update on the implementation of Executive Order 13392, which requires agencies to develop and implement FOIA improvement plans, and as an opportunity to air the virtues and vices of FOIA and possible legislative solutions to improve public access to information.

On Feb. 14, Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Reps. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Hilda Solis (D-CA) announced companion bills to restore the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) and undo the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) recently finalized reporting rollbacks. At the same time, President George W. Bush issued an executive order which may exempt all federal facilities from reporting requirements, resulting in another severe attack on the TRI program.

The incredible growth in the amount of money spent by the federal government on contractors, with almost no corresponding increase in oversight or management, was highlighted in a recent New York Times article, "In Washington, Contractors Take on Biggest Role Ever." According to the article, the amount spent on federal contracts has doubled since 2000, from $207 billion to $400 billion. The lack of sufficient government oversight has led to a virtual free reign for contractors, who are not answerable to the public and have not been called to account by the federal government.

In the 110th Congress, transparency provisions have quickly moved into a central role in efforts to bring about greater oversight and accountability. From lobbying reform to national security oversight, the new Congress has made legislative strides toward a more open government.