Faster FOIA
Time to call your Congressional Reps and demand they vote for this.
Faster FOIA Act Clears Senate Hurdle
SHARON THEIMER | 04/15/10 12:43 PM |
WASHINGTON - Legislation to speed the government's response to open records requests is a step closer to becoming law.
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted Thursday to send the Faster FOIA Act of 2010 to the full Senate. The measure would create a commission to investigate government delays in responding to Freedom of Information Act requests and recommend ways to get information out faster.
The legislation's lead sponsors, Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, say FOIA delays are a long-standing problem. They have been seeking a FOIA commission for years.
"It would be a great benefit to the American people, who deserve to be treated as valued customers when they seek answers from their government," said Cornyn, a Judiciary Committee member.
The panel would also examine why government use of FOIA loopholes to withhold information rose in the last fiscal year. Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, sought that inquiry in response to an Associated Press analysis that found agencies were more often citing FOIA exemptions to withhold records, even as requests decreased and President Barack Obama ordered more transparency.
Attorney General Eric Holder told Grassley at a Judiciary Committee hearing Wednesday that he also finds the numbers troubling and will look into the issue.
There was no immediate word on when the Senate might vote on the FOIA legislation.
Read the legislation, S.3111, at http://thomas.loc.gov/
e-mail that Sen. Leahy sent to me.
Last month I asked you to join me as a cosponsor of the Faster FOIA Act of 2010 to streamline the Freedom of Information Act and defend the American public's "right to know."
After earning the support of 10,309 citizen cosponsors at LeahyForVermont.com, this important legislation passed the Senate unanimously late yesterday.
But before we can establish a bipartisan commission to examine the root causes of FOIA backlogs and delays, the Faster FOIA Act of 2010 must first pass the House of Representatives, too.
Please click here to urge your representative to take up and pass this legislation promptly.
The original Freedom of Information Act -- which requires federal agencies to release government records requested by individual citizens and the press -- epitomizes the universal values of open, transparent, and accountable government. I am pleased that yesterday the Senate unanimously agreed to ensure it continues to advance those goals in practice, too.
Thank you for all you have done over the years to improve, modernize and streamline the Freedom of Information Act -- and for taking action once more to get the job done in the House.
Sincerely,
Patrick Leahy
U.S. Senator
This is a very important piece of legislature that needs to be passed. It got passed by the Senate (the most difficult chamber to get liberal bills through) so all we need are the Representatives.
Faster FOIA Act Clears Senate Hurdle
SHARON THEIMER | 04/15/10 12:43 PM |
WASHINGTON - Legislation to speed the government's response to open records requests is a step closer to becoming law.
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted Thursday to send the Faster FOIA Act of 2010 to the full Senate. The measure would create a commission to investigate government delays in responding to Freedom of Information Act requests and recommend ways to get information out faster.
The legislation's lead sponsors, Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, say FOIA delays are a long-standing problem. They have been seeking a FOIA commission for years.
"It would be a great benefit to the American people, who deserve to be treated as valued customers when they seek answers from their government," said Cornyn, a Judiciary Committee member.
The panel would also examine why government use of FOIA loopholes to withhold information rose in the last fiscal year. Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, sought that inquiry in response to an Associated Press analysis that found agencies were more often citing FOIA exemptions to withhold records, even as requests decreased and President Barack Obama ordered more transparency.
Attorney General Eric Holder told Grassley at a Judiciary Committee hearing Wednesday that he also finds the numbers troubling and will look into the issue.
There was no immediate word on when the Senate might vote on the FOIA legislation.
Read the legislation, S.3111, at http://thomas.loc.gov/
e-mail that Sen. Leahy sent to me.
Last month I asked you to join me as a cosponsor of the Faster FOIA Act of 2010 to streamline the Freedom of Information Act and defend the American public's "right to know."
After earning the support of 10,309 citizen cosponsors at LeahyForVermont.com, this important legislation passed the Senate unanimously late yesterday.
But before we can establish a bipartisan commission to examine the root causes of FOIA backlogs and delays, the Faster FOIA Act of 2010 must first pass the House of Representatives, too.
Please click here to urge your representative to take up and pass this legislation promptly.
The original Freedom of Information Act -- which requires federal agencies to release government records requested by individual citizens and the press -- epitomizes the universal values of open, transparent, and accountable government. I am pleased that yesterday the Senate unanimously agreed to ensure it continues to advance those goals in practice, too.
Thank you for all you have done over the years to improve, modernize and streamline the Freedom of Information Act -- and for taking action once more to get the job done in the House.
Sincerely,
Patrick Leahy
U.S. Senator
This is a very important piece of legislature that needs to be passed. It got passed by the Senate (the most difficult chamber to get liberal bills through) so all we need are the Representatives.