Getting to Greater Government Transparency

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February 1, 2013

The federal government needs to take concrete steps to be open and transparent by default, said OpenTheGovernment.org executive director Patrice McDermott in an op-ed on The Hill’s Congress Blog.

McDermott offered a series of specific actions the federal government could take to become more open.

To ensure that the actions of federal agencies in complying with the Freedom of Information Act match the mandated "presumption in favor of disclosure," the Justice Department’s litigation strategy must reflect that mandate. We also recommend a deadline for agencies to update Freedom of Information Act regulations, with a focus on making it easier to obtain information. Also, agencies should be pushed to join the multiagency shared service, FOIAonline. FOIA needs to become a vehicle of last resort, not the first, by requiring federal agencies to post information that helps the public better hold them accountable.

See the many other specific suggestions for a more transparent federal government in the full article.

Topics: Open Government

Related Content: FOIA

Authors: Andre Francisco

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