The Senate voted on Friday, June 24, to better explain when Congress keeps information from the public. The move is intended to push Congress to be clear when keeping secrets from the public and stop secrecy that Congress does not intend.

Two Virginia citizens' fight under the state's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) helped to uncover an African safari that Virginia state officials took on the public's dime. The citizens ended up going to court and winning their case, which could have significance in other states.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) published a final rule June 2, allowing individuals or organizations access to classified information on agency licensing activities if they can demonstrate a "need to know." The agency originally published an identical final rule Dec. 15, 2004, but withdrew it after negative comments. The rule amends NRC's regulations (10 CFR 25, 10 CFR 95) governing access to classified information and the procedures for getting the security clearance necessary to handle the information.

The New York Times recently uncovered startling security flaws at chemical plants in Dallas and New Orleans after a writer "milled about" for some time around the fence line of plants before even being approached by facility security personnel. Reporters have regularly penetrated chemical plant security with great ease, notwithstanding claims by the chemical industry that it is voluntarily improving security. A May 22 New York Times editorial reported on these gaping security holes surrounding chemical plants that use large quantities of the most hazardous substances.