Republicans blocking Freedom of Information Act bill, Judiciary Chairman says Michael Roston

Published: Friday July 27, 2007





Print This Email This Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) issued a Friday afternoon statement criticizing Republican colleagues for holding up an open government bill that seeks to reform the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and end delays in government compliance with requests for information. "The Republican obstructionism continues in the Senate and the latest casualty is Americans access to their government," Senator Leahy said. "I am deeply disappointed that Republicans continue to block attempts to pass the Openness Promotes Effectiveness in our National Government Act (OPEN Government Act). In Senate floor action on July 26, Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS) held up passage of Leahy's legislation. "It is my understanding that there are ongoing discussions with both sides of the aisle as well as the administration to come up with bipartisan consensual language on this issue and that we are unable to get clear the agreement at this time," Cochran said in his floor statement. He then objected to the bill on behalf of himself and 'several Republican Senators,' preventing the legislation from being adopted by 'unanimous consent. Senator Leahy defended the bill in his statement. "The OPEN Government Act promotes and enhances public disclosure of government information under FOIA, by helping Americans to obtain timely responses to their FOIA requests and improving transparency in the federal governments FOIA process," the Vermont Democrat, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, stated Friday. "Today, Americans who seek information under FOIA remain less likely to obtain it than during any other time in FOIAs four decades of service. This bill would help to reverse this trend and to restore the publics trust in their government." He concluded, "I hope the few Republican opponents who are standing in the way will stop obstructing and work in a cooperative way with us toward a resolution."



