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2004

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2001

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The Information and Access Program focuses on defending and advancing the public's right to know. Unfortunately access to government information is under near constant attack. This program tracks and analyzes policies that affect the public's right to know and works to improve them. Our goal is to increase the quality of, access to, and use of government information.

Information & Access News for 2005. For news from previous years, see the Archive.

News

Joe the Discloser -- Government Transparency in 2008 12/16/2008
This year's historic presidential campaign introduced the country to a plethora of vocational symbols. It not only featured Joe the Plumber, but also Tito the Bricklayer, Rose the Teacher, and more. There were also a few Joes and Janes who had prominent roles in the restriction — and in a few cases, the expansion — of public information that may have gone unnoticed during the year. Hopefully for the last time in the life of our Republic, the government transparency events of 2008 are presented below according to vocational nomenclature. Read More

Gas Drilling Threatens Public with Undisclosed Chemicals 12/02/2008
The natural gas drilling industry refuses to disclose what potentially harmful chemicals are used in thousands of hydraulic fracturing gas wells across the country, despite evidence that the chemicals are poisoning drinking water supplies. As concerns mount, several states are considering action to curb use of the process despite the federal government's efforts to encourage it with large subsidies and environmental exemptions. Read More

Five Change.gov Clues to Obama's Approach to Governing 12/02/2008
As the Obama transition team gathers policy information and vets potential appointees, many outsiders are eager to know what the new administration will do and how it will govern. The transition website, change.gov, may hold clues to some of these questions. Read More

Outdated Virginia Laws Lack E-mail Transparency 12/02/2008
County supervisors in Loudoun County, VA, recently discussed a proposal to change the state's freedom of information laws in light of a court case that seeks personal e-mails from the county board. The controversy in Virginia reflects the broader problem of distinguishing between official and personal electronic records that plagues federal and state governments. Read More

Coalition Makes Right-to-Know Recommendations to President-elect 11/18/2008
On Nov. 12, the right-to-know community published a set of transparency recommendations for President-elect Barack Obama and the 111th Congress. These recommendations are supported by a group of over 280 individuals and organizations and published in a report, titled Moving Toward a 21st Century Right-to-Know Agenda: Recommendations to President-elect Obama and Congress. Read More

Groups Seek More Congressional Transparency 11/18/2008
The Sunlight Foundation recently launched the Open Senate Project as part of its ongoing attempt to improve congressional transparency. The project is a bipartisan initiative to study the Senate's current information sharing practices and subsequently develop recommendations for improvement, particularly through the use of technology. Read More

Public Wants More Info on Food Labels 11/18/2008
A national poll shows strong consumer support for improved food labeling and more frequent inspections of food-processing facilities. According to food safety advocates, Americans want labels that identify use of genetically engineered or cloned ingredients, as well as expanded country-of-origin labeling. Labels are one of the most effective means to inform the public about the health, safety, origins, and environmental impact of a product. Read More

200+ Organizations, Individuals Press Obama and Congress on Government Openness Issues 11/12/2008
WASHINGTON, Nov. 12, 2008—Today, more than 240 individuals and organizations called on President-elect Barack Obama and the 111th Congress to act on a series of government openness recommendations. The recommendations are included in a report from the 21st Century Right to Know Project, titled Moving Toward a 21st Century Right-to-Know Agenda: Recommendations to President-elect Obama and Congress. Read More

Court Rules CIA Can Keep Any Secret It Wants 11/04/2008
On Oct. 29, a federal court refused to examine statements made by Guantanamo Bay detainees during their tribunals; the statements were redacted by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The statements, which reportedly contain allegations of torture committed against the detainees while they were in U.S. custody, come at a time when the British government is seeking to investigate the treatment of one of its own residents held at the detention facility. Read More

Climate Change Disclosure Becomes an Investor Thing 11/04/2008
Recent actions by investors and the New York State Attorney General are pressuring companies to disclose their greenhouse gas emissions and the risks they face from climate change. Many regard such information as essential to investors' right to know about the potential liabilities facing thousands of industries as the climate warms and new emissions regulations become a near certainty. Read More

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