Patrick Leahy

July Fourth marks 50th anniversary of Freedom of Information Act

2016-07-01T15:17:13-05:00

Fifty years ago, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into the law the landmark federal Freedom of Information Act on the Fourth of July. President Barack Obama on Thursday signed an update to the law, adding new transparency measures. A reluctant Johnson signed the original legislation July 4, 1966, without fanfare. News Industry leaders and members of both parties in Congress had pressed for the law, which took effect in 1967. Johnson's  signing statement distributed to news reporters in San Antonio who were covering the president during a Texas trip shows toned down commentary by Johnson about the law, according to the [...]

July Fourth marks 50th anniversary of Freedom of Information Act2016-07-01T15:17:13-05:00

Cornyn-Leahy updated FOIA bill expected to become law

2016-06-14T16:30:21-05:00

By Todd J. Gillman The Dallas Morning News Originally published June 14, 2016 WASHINGTON – The Freedom of Information Act turns 50 years old next month, and just in time to celebrate, Congress has sent the president an update co-authored by Texas Sen. John Cornyn. “A healthy democracy requires an open and transparent government, and this bill will help ensure all Americans have better access to their government,” said Cornyn, the deputy Republican leader, who teamed up with Vermont Democrat Patrick Leahy on the effort. The White House said in March that President Barack Obama would sign the bill into law [...]

Cornyn-Leahy updated FOIA bill expected to become law2016-06-14T16:30:21-05:00

U.S. House backs bill to update FOIA as report faults Obama administration

2016-01-12T16:00:23-06:00

By Matthew Daly Associated Press via U.S. News and World Report Originally published Jan. 11, 2016 WASHINGTON (AP) — The House approved legislation Monday making it easier to obtain government records, as a new congressional report concluded that the freedom of information process under the Obama administration is broken and in need of serious change. The bill, approved by a voice vote, would require government agencies to make information available to the public online. It also would require agencies to adopt a presumption in favor of disclosing records rather than keeping them secret. The vote came as Republicans on the House [...]

U.S. House backs bill to update FOIA as report faults Obama administration2016-01-12T16:00:23-06:00

How the Cornyn-Leahy transparency bill suddenly died in Congress

2014-12-16T14:33:46-06:00

By Josh Hicks Washington Post Originally published Dec. 16, 2014 Nothing comes easy for the current Congress, which has already left its mark as one of the least productive in U.S. history. The Fighting 113th has agreed in principle on the need to strengthen the Freedom of Information Act, a key government-transparency law that guarantees public access to federal records. But House leaders last week shrugged off an opportunity to schedule the Senate’s FOIA Improvement Act for a vote, despite bipartisan prodding from Reps. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) and Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), who sponsored similar House legislation. The House and Senate approved their [...]

How the Cornyn-Leahy transparency bill suddenly died in Congress2014-12-16T14:33:46-06:00

FOIA improvement bill by Cornyn, Leahy clears Senate Judiciary Committee

2014-11-20T17:52:56-06:00

By Kelley Shannon Executive Director FOI Foundation of Texas The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee approved a Freedom of Information Act improvement bill Thursday that makes several updates to the landmark federal right-to-know law. The next step for the measure by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont, is a vote in the full Senate. Many of the bill's provisions were included in legislation that already unanimously passed the House. Open government groups across the country, including the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, are urging passage of the act so it will be sent to President Obama before the [...]

FOIA improvement bill by Cornyn, Leahy clears Senate Judiciary Committee2014-11-20T17:52:56-06:00

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