House Government Reform Subcommittee to Consider Freedom of Information Act Bill

Subcommittee Chaired by Platts Continues to Advocate for a More Open and Accessible Government

What: Subcommittee Business Meeting to mark up H.R. 867 - The OPEN Government Act

When:  Wednesday, September 27, 2006, 2:00 p.m.

Where: Room 2247 Rayburn House Office Building

The House Government Management, Finance, and Accountability Subcommittee will mark up the H.R. 867, the Openness Promotes Effectiveness in Our National Government Act of 2005 ("OPEN Government Act").  This legislation would amend the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to close loopholes in the law, help requesters obtain more timely responses, and provide FOIA officials with the tools needed to ensure that the Federal government remains open and accessible.

The Subcommittee has held two hearings on FOIA implementation during the 109th Congress.  On May 11, 2005, the Subcommittee held a hearing entitled "Information Policy in the 21st Century - A Review of the Freedom of Information Act" and on July 26, 2006, held a hearing entitled, "Implementing FOIA - Does the Bush Administration's Executive Order Improve Processing?"  These hearings were the first held in the House on the Freedom of Information Act in nearly five years.

The OPEN Government Act was introduced in the House on February 16, 2005, and was referred to the Government Reform Subcommittee on Government Management, Finance and Accountability.  The Senate version of the OPEN Government Act, S. 394, was reported favorably by the Senate Judiciary Committee on September 21, 2006.