Bush to Ease Public Access to Information

[Judi Lynn]

Bush to Ease Public Access to Information
By MARK SHERMAN, Associated Press Writer

Wednesday, December 14, 2005
(12-14) 12:03 PST WASHINGTON, (AP) --

The White House is issuing a new policy easing public access to government information in response to complaints by news organizations that too much is withheld under the landmark disclosure law.

President Bush was expected to sign an executive order later Wednesday to improve public disclosure under the federal Freedom of Information Act, White House press secretary Scott McClellan said.

The policy change requires each federal agency to designate a senior official as the chief FOIA officer, who must take a close look at the agency's FOIA programs and come up with a plan to improve them. The agencies are directed to make their FOIA processes "citizen-centered and goal oriented," McClellan said.
(snip)

But it was unclear whether Bush's order would reverse a 4-year-old directive from then-Attorney General John Ashcroft, issued shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks, that restricted access to information.
(snip/...)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2005/12/14/national/w095503S29.DTL

[Lowell]

1. Lets see if I got this right

he is going to correct the problem he started. Geeeze, what's next, is he going to eliminate free speech zones? If he'd simply abide by the laws in place this wouldn't be necessary.

[MichiganVote]

2. So what information can they have access to? The tax returns of Dem's?