Blog Posts and Analysis / Open, Accountable Government

Covering Up Mistakes of Torture and Rendition

The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) has released a report that investigated the case of a Canadian citizen, Maher Arar, who was taken into U.S. custody in 2002 and removed to Syria, where he was held by authorities for fourteen months. Two House committees held a hearing June 5 on allegations of torture that Arar says occurred during his imprisonment.

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EPA Asks Public, "What Do You Want to Know?"

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has invited the public to participate in a week of online dialogue to develop ideas to improve access to environmental information.

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A Failure of Access, a Shortcoming of Technology

Access to government data and other information often falls behind expectations due to the government's failure to use advanced technologies to meet the needs of modern day society. In "Hack, Mash, & Peer," Jerry Brito, Senior Research Fellow of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, discusses the shortcomings of government access and technological solutions to create broad access to government records.

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Committee Passes Sewage Right-to-Know Bill

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved the Raw Sewage Community Right-to-Know Act (H.R. 2452) May 15, bringing the American public one step closer to knowing when it is safe to swim in local waters. The bill amends the Clean Water Act to provide stricter standards for public notification of sewage overflows.

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USDA Dropping Shroud over Pesticide Use Data

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced May 21 that it is eliminating the only program that tracks pesticide use in the United States. The USDA claimed it can no longer afford the program, known as the Agricultural Chemical Usage Reports. Consumers, environmental organizations, scientists, and farmers oppose the move.

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White House Issues Memo on Controlled Unclassified Information

The White House released a memorandum on May 9 establishing new rules governing the designation and sharing of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). By creating a single designation and consistent procedures, the memo attempts to resolve the growing problem of multiple Sensitive But Unclassified (SBU) designations, which slow the sharing of information.

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Whistleblower Week in Washington

Whistleblower advocates convene in Washington, DC, this week (May 12-16) for events dedicated to honoring whistleblowers, promoting their protection, and educating the public and Congress about the most pressing issues for whistleblowers today.

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