Open Government

No one should be discouraged from making a request under either law. No special expertise is required. Using FOIA and the Privacy Act is as simple as writing a letter. This Citizen’s Guide explains the essentials.

Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., today featured H.R. 2146, the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act (DATA Act), in the release of the new “Citizen CoSponsor Project.” The project is described as “a dynamic communications platform that creates a more open, visible and participatory legislative process. Built on Facebook, Citizen CoSponsor will enable you to follow legislation that you’re interested in. You will then receive first-hand information and updates on the status of ...

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform today launched a reimagined Oversight.House.Gov, built to increase taxpayer access to the Oversight information that supports their participation in the committee’s work securing a government that spends less and serves better.

As part of a broader effort to conduct oversight over FOIA to help improve government transparency, on January 25, 2011, Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa sent a letter to 180 entities representing 100 government agencies requesting information about their FOIA tracking systems. The ability and willingness of agencies to submit this information (or lack thereof) served as the basis of an objective evaluation by committee staff of agency FOIA management.

“We have promised the highest ethical standard and we will deliver it, in an open and honest government.”- Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), July 31, 2007 WASHINGTON. D.C. – House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Ranking Member Darrell Issa (R-CA) issued the following statement tonight after the Democrat Majority decided to shut down the open amendment process following debate on the first Republican Amendment: “Once again, Speaker Pelosi and congressional ...