Blog
Voice your support for FOIA Improvement Act of 2014
- By: ASNE staff
- On: 08/21/2014 10:45:43
- In: FOI
The month of August provides an excellent opportunity for ASNE members seeking to increase access to federal government records. We've already told you about S 2520, the FOIA Improvement Act of 2014. Now is your chance to tell your senator that you support this legislation and that he or she should, as well. We hope you'll make sure to get your senator's attention, especially if he or she is a member of the Judiciary Committee. ASNE and other media and open-government organizations are hoping your actions will move S 2520 as soon as the Senate reconvenes after Labor Day.
The month of August provides an excellent opportunity for ASNE members seeking to increase access to federal government records. We've already told you about S 2520, the FOIA Improvement Act of 2014. Now is your chance to tell your senator that you support this legislation and that he or she should, as well. We hope you'll make sure to get your senator's attention, especially if he or she is a member of the Judiciary Committee. ASNE and other media and open-government organizations are hoping your actions will move S 2520 as soon as the Senate reconvenes after Labor Day.
To make your job easier, we intend to provide to you as much material about S 2520 as possible, especially with information created by some of our partner organizations. This week, we are happy to present a wealth of information created by OpentheGovernment.org. ASNE is one of OpentheGovernment.org's Coalition Partners, and ASNE Legal Counsel Kevin M. Goldberg serves on the group's steering committee. Open the Government.org has created a page dedicated to supporting FOIA Reform. In addition to a basic summary of the bill, you'll find some more in-depth discussions of key provisions (such as our desire to reduce invocation of exemption 5, applying to "predecisional" documents). There's also a letter of support for S. 2520 signed by more than 50 organizations, including ASNE, as well as some editorials already written in support of the bill, which can help guide your thinking.
Goldberg has been representing us on the Hill and meeting with Judiciary Committee staff and, occasionally, senators to voice our support for S 2520. He is more than ready to help you do the same. Please do not hesitate to contact him at 703-812-0462 or goldberg@fhhlaw.com if you have any questions.