Congress moves to ease access to records (expanding Freedom of Information Act)

[maddezmom]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON - Congress is moving to reverse one area of the Bush administration's trend toward secrecy since the 2001 terrorist attacks by expanding the Freedom of Information Act, increasing penalties for noncompliance and making records held by government contractors subject to the law.

The White House isn't saying whether President Bush will sign the bill once the House acts on it Tuesday. With a congressional recess starting at the end of the week, that raises the possibility that the act's first makeover in a decade could become law without his signature. The Senate passed the bill last week.

The legislation reverses an order by former Attorney General John Ashcroft in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks instructing agencies to lean against releasing information if there was any uncertainty about how it would affect national security.

A previously passed version was rewritten this month to meet House concerns about how government agencies would pay for attorneys' fees when they lose or settle a FOIA lawsuit. That money will now have to come from other programs within each agency.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071218/ap_on_go_co/freedom...

[BOSSHOG]

1. It would reverse an order by ashcroft

IN THE WAKE OF SEPTEMBER 11TH which would make it harder to find out what the fucking conniving criminals in the white house were up to.

ADD:

- an informed public, to the list of things conservatives fear the most.

[mike_c]

2. can't wait to hear the signing statement that'll go along with that one....

Oh wait-- it'll be a secret.

[fascisthunter]

3. And Yet the Dems are in the Majority

WTF!

They better not support this!

[pinto]

4. Good step. Any move that broadens FOIA is a step for more oversight,

more transparency.

[liberalla]

5. Yep! Sunlight, and plenty of it.

Way to go Congress! A step in the right direction ~ how refreshing.