Needed: a Congressional Freedom of Information Act

Publication Date: September 2002

Publisher: Heritage Foundation (Washington, D.C.)

Author(s): Kenneth R. Weinstein

Research Area: Media, telecommunications, and information

Keywords: Government reform

Type: Report

Abstract:

The recent growth of the Internet has spurred demand to make information on Congress readily available electronically. At the same time, newly elected House and Senate leaders have pledged to continue the significant reforms that made the 104th Congress more open and responsive to the public than its predecessors. The 105th Congress should marry internal reform and external electronic information efforts by establishing rules and procedures through a Congressional Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to guarantee that basic legislative information is available electronically. By taking the initiative in placing all disclosable information on the Internet, Congress could avoid the contentious process of specific requests for materials as well as the necessarily more complex freedom of information procedures established for the executive branch.