WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chairwoman of the Senate Rules Committee, applauded the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee for passing their bipartisan Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act to increase government transparency by establishing a publicly accessible website with a library of all non-confidential agency reports mandated by the legislative branch. The bipartisan legislation requires federal agencies to submit to the Government Publishing Office (GPO) all congressionally mandated reports after each agency redacts information that would not be publicly disclosable under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). GPO would publish all reports submitted by agencies to said website and ensure that all federal agencies submit their reports. The legislation is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and Maggie Hassan (D-NH).
“Congress requires the executive branch to produce thousands of reports on a wide variety of topics each year, but there is not one easily accessible location for Congress or the American public to read these reports,” said Portman. “A public website with a library of these reports would enhance our democracy by promoting transparency in government and giving citizens access to taxpayer-funded reports and studies. American taxpayers deserve to know how their money is being spent.”
“Our nation is stronger when our lawmakers have the information needed to develop sound policies and the public has a clear view into how our government functions,” said Klobuchar. “This legislation will create an online library of agency reports to help us achieve these goals and ensure taxpayer-funded research is being put to good use. Now that this bill has passed the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, I look forward to it passing the full Senate and being signed into law.”
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