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News Highlights

Sharing a sense of history: Ferriero is first librarian in charge at National Archives
[Washington Post, December 7, 2009]

Promises, Promises: A closed meeting on openness
[AP via Google News, December 6, 2009; see also the DOJ OIP presentation]

Ability to access comments gathered by White House questioned
[NextGov, December 4, 2009]

Yahoo Issues Takedown Notice for Spying Price List
[Wired: Threat Level, December 4, 2009]

Report: U.S. Fears Public Scrutiny Would Scuttle IP Treaty Talks - Update
[Wired: Threat Level, December 4, 2009]

Government openness is tested by Salahi case
[Washington Post, December 4, 2009]

Blackwater founder says he aided secret programs
[Washington Post, December 3, 2009]

Administration goes after noncompliant Recovery Act recipients
[Government Executive, December 3, 2009]

Major journalism groups demand agency end newsgathering constraints
[Association of Health Care Journalists, December 2, 2009]

Watchdog Calls For End To Secret Holds
[TPM Muckraker, December 2, 2009]

New Docs Shed Light On White House Role In CIA Tape Destruction
[TPM Muckraker, December 2, 2009]

More News...

Of Interest

NEWS: Google's "Broken Windows" Investment
[Internet and Democracy Blog, 12.7.09]

NEWS: Local Governments Offer Data to Software Tinkerers
[New York Times, 12.6.09]

RESOURCE: New Online Forum Increases Public's Access to EPA
[beSpacific, 12.6.09]

ANNOUNCEMENT: Govt transparency workshop to be held in January at Princeton
[Free Government Information, 12.5.09]

NEWS: Federal shield legislation delayed by amendment process
[Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, 12.3.09]

NEWS: Media outlets urge openness in Fort Hood proceedings
[Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, 12.3.09]

RESOURCE: Lunchtime Listen: Finding Docs and Geology Information
[Free Government Information, 12.1.09]

NEWS: DOJ Pays $4M a Year to Read Public Court Documents
[Wired: Threat Level, 12.1.09]

NEWS: New HHS contracting rules push transparency, green purchasing
[Washington Technology, 12.1.09]

NEWS: Overseas voting act could serve as model for future election reforms
[National Journal via NextGov, 11.30.09]

NEWS: White House friends GSA, comments on social media
[Federal Computer Week, 11.30.09]

NEWS: New Online: 5,000 Previously Unpublished Documents of the Founders of the United States
[Resource Shelf, 11.30.09]

More Of Interest...

Home : 

Let's Reverse the Pattern of Secrecy

Concerned that our government keeps from the American public information that we need to make our families safe, secure our country and strengthen democracy, a broad-based set of organizations formed OpenTheGovernment.org. We hope you'll help.

Read our 2008 Year End Report

Read our Strategic Operational Plan


2009 Secrecy Report Card

On Tuesday, September 9, OpenTheGovernment.org released the 2009 Secrecy Report Card. This years report chronicles slight decreases in secrecy across a wide spectrum of indicators in the last year of the Bush-Cheney Administration, after five years of continued expansion. For this year only, the report includes two special sections: one on fiscal transparency and one providing a quick look at the Obama Administration's openness promising policies and, in some instances, discouraging practice.

Read the press release here. Also, download the FOIA Risk Assessment Chart, an assessment of changes in FOIA practices by the Bush and Obama Administrations, and the expanded fiscal transparency section.


Policy and News Updates for December 1, 2009

  • News from Coalition Partners & Others
  • Supreme Court Punts on Detainee Abuse Photos
  • FCC Open for Comments on Open Government, Citizen Engagement

Follow OpenTheGovernment.org's Latest Efforts to Make the Federal Government More Open

As part of the effort to make the federal government a more open place, OpenTheGovernment.org works with our coalition partners and other advocates to highlight important issues and correct systemic problems. Keep up with our latest:


OpenTheGovernment.org, Coalition Partners, Seek Input on Revision to Classification Policy

OpenTheGovernment.org, several coalition partners, and other open government advocates, sent a letter to the National Security Advisor asking 6hat the public be given the opportunity to comment on the exact revision language of the Executive Order on classification prior its presentation to the President for final consideration. The opportunity to comment on how public input is finally translated in to policy is the true measure of the transparency, participation,and collaboration promised by the President.

Our request was denied. A September 2nd letter from General Jones states that they "believe it is essential to preserve the confidentiality of the President's deliberative process regarding these complex issues that stem from the President's constitutional authority to protect the national security."
Read the letter. page 1 and page 2.


Sunshine Week 2009 Webcast on Open Government

On Friday, March 20th, OpenTheGovernment.org hosted the 4th Annual Sunshine Week National Dialogue at the Center for American Progress. The event began a great opportunity for the public to be involved in the crafting of the new Administration's open government directive.


100 Days: The Obama Administration on Transparency
Visit our collection of 100 day assessments of the Obama Administration on transparency and open government, including an entry by OpenTheGovernment.org's Director, Patrice McDermott, here.


Ideas for the New Administration

Read transition papers on increasing transparency and strengthening oversight from OpenTheGovernment.org and all of our coalition partners here


BailoutWatch.net launched

BailoutWatch.net replaces and supplements our Bailout Transparency pages. The new site, created on behalf of the Bailout Watch Project, gives users access to the latest bailout-related news, events, analysis, useful tools, federal reports, and more - all available via RSS feed.


OpenTheGovernment.org Joins in Forming the Coalition for an Accountable Recovery

OpenTheGovernment.org has joined the Coalition for an Accountable Recovery, to work to ensure that economic recovery spending is transparent, accountable and effective, through detailed data and research tools on a searchable website.


Government Secrecy: Decisions Without Democracy Available for Purchase

Purchase Electronic Copy
Purchase Hard Copy


OpenTheGovernment.org Analysis of Congressional Initiatives to Improve Information Sharing and Reduce Unnecessary Over-classification

During the 110th session of Congress, the House of Representatives passed notable legislation to improve information sharing and reduce over-classification. Read OpenTheGovernment.org's analysis of the bills here and read new bills introduced in the 111th Congress here.