Testimony, Comments, and Sign-on Letters to Government
The Center for Effective Government periodically provides testimony, statements or questions for the record, and comments to Congress and other governmental bodies. The Center for Effective Government also periodically joins sign-on letters on a variety of issues. This page contains a selection of such material. The list below is in reverse chronological order.
- Scott Klinger, Written testimony to the Rhode Island Senate Finance Committee, May 9, 2014. Subject: S. 2796, a Bill on Awarding State Contracts to Firms with Low Executive-to-Worker Pay Ratios
- Ronald White, Testimony to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, April 1, 2014. Subject: The Proposed Rule on Occupational Exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica
- Katherine McFate, Testimony to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on the Efficiency and Effectiveness of Federal Programs and the Federal Workforce, March 11, 2014. Subject: A More Efficient and Effective Government: Improving the Regulatory Framework
- Sean Moulton, Testimony to the House Committee on Homeland Security Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and the Security Technologies, Aug. 1, 2013. Subject: West Fertilizer, Off the Grid: The Problem of Unidentified Chemical Facilities
- Katherine McFate, Written testimony to the House Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law, June 28, 2013. Subject: The Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act of 2013
- Sean Moulton, Testimony to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, March 13, 2013. Subject: We the People: Fulfilling the Promise of Open Government Five Years After the OPEN Government Act
- Gavin Baker, Testimony to the D.C. Council Committee on Government Operations, Nov. 2, 2012. Subject: Campaign Finance Reform: Strengthening Disclosure
- Sofia Plagakis, Testimony to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Oct. 1, 2012. Subject: Consumer Confidence Reports (CCR) Electronic Delivery Options and Considerations
- Randy Rabinowitz, Testimony to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, April 19, 2012. Subject: Delays in OSHA’s Standard-Setting Process and the Impact on Worker Safety
- Sean Moulton, Testimony to the Subcommittee on Technology, Information Policy, Intergovernmental Relations and Procurement Reform of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, March 21, 2012. Subject: FOIA in the 21st Century: Using Technology to Improve Transparency in Government
- Craig Jennings, Testimony to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, June 14, 2011. Subject: Achieving Transparency and Accountability in Federal Spending
- Craig Jennings, Written Testimony to the Subcommittee on the Constitution of the House Committee on the Judiciary, May 18, 2011. Subject: Whether the Constitution Should be Amended to Address the Federal Deficit
- Craig Jennings, Written Testimony to the Subcommittee on Technology, Information Policy, Intergovernmental Relations and Procurement Reform of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, March 11, 2011. Subject: Transparency Through Technology: Evaluating Federal Open-Government Initiatives
- Matt Madia, Testimony to the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, Nov. 4, 2010. Subject: Overdue Scientific Integrity Recommendations and Executive Order
- Gary Bass, Testimony to the Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law of the House Judiciary Committee, July 27, 2010. Subject: Federal Rulemaking and the Regulatory Process
- Gary Therkildsen, Testimony to the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, June 30, 2010. Subject: Improving the Fiscal Situation of the Federal Budget
- Adam Hughes, Testimony to the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Contracting Oversight, Sept. 29, 2009. Subject: Problems with Federal Contracting Databases
- Gary Bass, Testimony to the Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight of the House Committee on Science and Technology, May 5, 2009. Subject: Accountability and Oversight of Funding Provided in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act)
- Rick Melberth, Testimony to the Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight of the House Committee on Science and Technology, April 30, 2009. Subject: The Role of Science in Regulatory Reform
- Gary Bass, Testimony to the Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law of the House Committee on the Judiciary, Feb. 4, 2009. Subject: Midnight Rulemaking: Shedding Some Light
- Rick Melberth, Testimony to the Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law of the House Committee on the Judiciary, May 6, 2008. Subject: The Rulemaking Process and the Unitary Executive Theory
- Gary Bass, Testimony to the Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight of the House Committee on Science and Technology, April 26, 2007. Subject: George W. Bush Executive Order 13422
- Rick Melberth, Testimony to the Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight of the House Committee on Science and Technology, Feb. 13, 2007. Subject: George W. Bush Executive Order 13422
- Gary Bass, Testimony to the Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, July 18, 2006. Subject: What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You: S. 2590, the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act
- Adam Hughes, Testimony to the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, and International Security, June 13, 2006. Subject: Government Performance and Results Act and the Performance Assessment Rating Tool
Questions and Statements for the Record
- Statement to Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, July 18, 2012. Subject: Improving the Transparency of Federal Spending
- Comments to House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, June 5, 2012. Subject: EPA's Impact on Jobs and Energy Affordability
- Statement to Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and Senate Budget Committee on OMB Director Nominee Nussle, July 23, 2007
- Suggested Questions for OMB Director Nominee Nussle, July 16, 2007
- Statement for the Hearing on Internal Revenue Service's Use of Private Debt Collection Companies to Collect Federal Income Taxes, House Ways and Means Committee, May 23, 2007
- Comments supporting updated overtime pay rules, to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Sept. 4, 2015
- Joint comments supporting wastewater limitations for the oil and gas industry, to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), July 17, 2014
- Joint comments on a new strategic environmental justice plan, to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), July 14, 2015
- Joint comments urging science-based revisions to the national ozone standard, to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), March 17, 2015
- Comments supporting strengthened chemical facility safety standards, to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Oct. 29, 2014
- Joint comments supporting strengthened chemical facility safety standards, to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Oct. 29, 2014
- Joint comments on modernizing chemical health evaluations in the United States, to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Oct. 27, 2014
- Joint comments calling for improvements to farmworker protections from pesticides, to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Aug. 18, 2014
- Comments expressing deep reservations over using a "lost pleasure" discount in assessing the benefits of a tobacco use reduction standard, to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Aug. 8, 2014
- Joint comments expressing deep reservations over using a "lost pleasure" discount in assessing the benefits of a tobacco use reduction standard, to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Aug. 8, 2014
- Joint comments supporting regulation of methane emissions from oil and natural gas production wells, to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), June 16, 2014
- Joint petition on listing oil and natural gas production wells as a source of hazardous air pollution, to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), May 13, 2014
- Joint comments on reducing agricultural pesticide drift, to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), April 30, 2014
- Joint comments on reducing FOIA litigation through targeted ADR strategies, to the Administrative Conference of the United States, April 4, 2014
- Comments on chemical safety and security under Executive Order 13650, to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and Department of Homeland Security (DHS), March 31, 2014
- Joint Comments on chemical safety and security under Executive Order 13650, to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and Department of Homeland Security (DHS), March 31, 2014
- Comments on Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act Regulations, to the Department of Commerce, March 31, 2014
- Joint Comments on the Task Force Report on FracFocus 2.0, to the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board Task Force on FracFocus 2.0, March 25, 2014
- Comments on Procedures for Disclosure of Records Under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), March 21, 2014
- Joint Comments on the January 29, 2014 Draft Report on the Tesoro Refinery Disaster, to the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB), March 16, 2014
- Recommendations for the 2014 Open Government Plan, to the Department of Justice (DOJ), Feb. 28, 2014
- Comments on the proposed occupational exposure to respirable silica rule, to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Feb. 10, 2014
- Comments on the draft FY 2014-2018 EPA Strategic Plan, to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Jan. 2, 2014
- Comments on proposed Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) regulations, to the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), Dec. 20, 2013
- Comments on the proposed Trans-Atlantic Free Trade Agreement (TAFTA, also known as TTIP), to the Stakeholder Forum on the Proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership Agreement, Dec. 18, 2013
- Comments on the Food and Drug Administration's proposed determination on the dangers of trans fats, to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Dec. 4, 2013
- Comments on the Securities and Exchange Commission's Corporate Transparency Rule Implementing a Section of the Dodd-Frank Financial Reform Law, to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Nov. 26, 2013
- Comments for Listening Session on Executive Order 13650 Improving Chemical Facility Safety and Security, to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Nov. 15, 2013
- Comments on the National and Archives Records Administration's proposed Freedom of Information Act regulations, to the National and Archives Records Administration (NARA), Nov. 4, 2013
- Reply to comments filed by the National Association of Broadcasters on the Online Political File Rule, to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Sept. 23, 2013
- Comments on the Potential Release of Medicare Physician Data, to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Sept. 5, 2013
- Comments on the Bureau of Land Management's Proposed Rule on Oil and Gas; Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking) on Federal and Indian Lands, to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Department of the Interior, Aug. 23, 2013
- Comments on the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Revision of its Freedom of Information Act Regulation, to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), July 30, 2013
- Comments on Data Information and Distribution Policy, to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), July 26, 2013
- Comments on Implementing the Freedom of Information Act (78 F.R. 22501), to the Institute of Museum and Library Services, May 16, 2013
- Comments on the Proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Agreement, to the Office of the United States Trade Representative, May 10, 2013
- Comments on the Use of Cost Comparisons, to the Office of Management and Budget and Office of Federal Procurement Policy, April 15, 2013
- Comments on Public Access to NEH Records Under the Freedom of Information Act (78 F.R. 9654), to the National Endowment for the Humanities, April 12, 2013
- Comments on Making FDA's FOIA Process More Accountable, joint submission to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), March 8, 2013
- Comments on Freedom of Information Act Regulations (77 FR 56592), to the Department of the Interior, Nov. 13, 2012
- Comments on Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request (77 FR 55475) re: "A Prototype Consumer Reporting System for Patient Safety Events," to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Nov. 9, 2012
- Comments on Agency Information Collection Activities; Emergency Clearance Submission for Expedited OMB Review; Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request for a Proposed OGE Form 201-A Ethics in Government Act Access Form (77 FR 66075), to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Office of Government Ethics (OGE), with Public Citizen, Nov. 6, 2012
- Comments on Availability of Records (77 FR 53814), to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Nov. 5, 2012
- Comments on the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board's forthcoming agenda (77 FR 64835), to the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, Oct. 26, 2012
- Comments on Consumer Confidence Report Electronic Delivery Options and Considerations, joint submission to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Oct. 11, 2012
- Comments on Contracting Officers’ Access to Relevant Integrity Information (Document No. 2012-17262), to the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP), Sept. 17, 2012
- Comments on the Modernization of Poultry Slaughter Inspection Rule (Docket No. FSIS-2011-0012), to the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), May 29, 2012
- Comments on Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act Procedures (77 FR 15555), to the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), April 16, 2012
- Comments on Disclosure of Certain Credit Card Complaint Data (76 FR 76628), OMB Watch submission to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Jan. 30, 2012
- Comments on Disclosure of Certain Credit Card Complaint Data (76 FR 76628), joint submission to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Jan. 30, 2012
- Comments on Federal Acquisition Regulation; Privacy Training (76 FR 63896), to the Federal Acquisition Regulatory (FAR) Council, Dec. 13, 2011.
- Comments on Safeguarding Unclassified DOD Information (76 FR 38089), to the Department of Defense (DOD), Nov. 30, 2011.
- Comments on the Compensation Data Collection Tool, to the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, Department of Labor (DOL), Oct. 11, 2011.
- Comments on Disclosure of Records and Information (76 FR 45372), to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Sept. 26, 2011.
- Comments on Future Direction of the Federal Depository Library Program, to the Government Printing Office (GPO), Sept. 16, 2011.
- Comments on Draft Scientific Integrity Policy, to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Sept. 6, 2011
- Recommendations for Improving Government Openness and Effectiveness in the U.S., to the U.S. Open Government Partnership Team, Aug. 30, 2011
- Comments on Draft Scientific Integrity Policy and Procedural Handbook, to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Aug. 19, 2011
- Comments on Proposed Privacy Act Exemptions (76 FR 39315), to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Aug. 5, 2011 (with 17 other organizations)
- Comments on Implementation of the Freedom of Information Act (76 FR 17038), to the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC), May 27, 2011
- Comments on Executive Order 13571 (Streamlining Service Delivery and Improving Customer Service), to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), May 13, 2011
- Comments on Freedom of Information Act Regulations, to the Department of Justice (DOJ), April 20, 2011
- Comments on Retrospective Review of Rules, to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), April 4, 2011 (with 13 other organizations)
- Comments on the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology report, Designing a Digital Future: Federally Funded Research and Development in Networking and Information Technology, to the Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Program, Jan. 31, 2011
- Comments on the ExpertNet Platform Concept, to the General Services Administration (GSA), Jan. 21, 2011
- Comments on the Department of the Interior Proposed Scientific Integrity Policy, to the U.S. Department of the Interior, Sept. 20, 2010 (with 11 other organizations)
- Comments on FAR Subaward Reporting, to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Council, Sept. 7, 2010
- Comments on Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases – Proposed Rule Amendment, to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), June 11, 2010
- Comments on Addition of National Toxicology Program Carcinogens; Community Right-to-Know Toxic Chemical Release Reporting, to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), June 7, 2010
- Comments on Notice of Proposed OFPP Policy Letter, Work Reserved for Performance by Federal Government Employees, to the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP), June 1, 2010
- Comments on the Public Availability of Identities of Inert Ingredients in Pesticides, to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), April 23, 2010
- Comments on Coordinated Communications, to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), Jan. 19, 2010
- Comments on Improving Implementation of the Paperwork Reduction Act, to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), Dec. 26, 2009
- Comments on the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System, to the General Services Administration (GSA), Nov. 5, 2009
- Comments to the Food and Drug Administration Transparency Task Force, Aug. 7, 2009
- Comments on the Government Contracting Memorandum, to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), July 17, 2009
- Comments on E-Rulemaking Reforms, to the White House Open Government Initiative, July 2, 2009
- Comments on EPA’s Proposed Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Registry, to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, June 5, 2009
- Comments on Priorities for IRS 2009-2010 Guidance Priority List, to the Internal Revenue Service, May 29, 2009
- Comments on President Obama’s Memorandum on Scientific Integrity, to the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), May 13, 2009
- Comments on Request for Input; Development of Alternative Models for Presidential Libraries, to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), April 24, 2009
- Comments on USAID's Partner Vetting System, to the U.S. Agency for International Development, March 4, 2009
- Comments on President Obama’s Call for Recommendations to Improve Regulatory Review, to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Feb. 18, 2009
- Comments on the Revision of Department of Energy’s Freedom of Information Act Regulations, to the Department of Energy (DOE), Jan. 8, 2009
- Comments on Federal Election Commission Agency Procedures, to the Federal Election Commisson (FEC), Jan. 5, 2009
- Comments on USAID's Partner Vetting System, to the U.S. Agency for International Development, Aug. 27, 2007
- Comments on the Draft 2007 Report to Congress on the Costs and Benefits of Federal Regulations, to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), June 11, 2007
- Comments on the Draft 2006 Report to Congress on the Costs and Benefits of Federal Regulations, to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Aug. 18, 2006
- Comments on the Draft 2005 Report to Congress on the Costs and Benefits of Federal Regulations, to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), June 22, 2005
- Comments on the Draft 2004 Report to Congress on the Costs and Benefits of Federal Regulations, to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), May 20, 2004
- Amicus brief in Electronic Privacy Information Center v. National Security Agency, to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, April 7, 2014
Sign-on Letters and Statements
- Letter to oppose any funding bill that includes provisions rolling back or undermining financial reform, to members of Congress, Oct. 28, 2015
- Letter requesting the EPA definition of “High Priority Violations” of the Clean Air Act be amended to include short term violations, to the Honorable Cynthia A. Giles, Assistant Administrator, EPA Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, Oct. 6, 2015
- Letter opposing all non-budgetary policy provisions (riders) in any appropriations bills or continuing resolutions for federal fiscal year 2016, to the U.S. House and U.S. Senate, Sept. 10, 2015
- Letter opposing an attempt to limit availability of rail safety standard information in court cases, to the Federal Railroad Administration, Sept. 10, 2015
- Letter supporting a petition that requests a rule to require companies that import, produce, or use mercury to provide data on their activities, to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Sept. 2, 2015
- Letter urging UPS to end its affiliation with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), to UPS executives, Sept. 2, 2015
- Letter opposing the anti-regulatory Independent Agency Regulatory Analysis Act (S. 1607), to the U.S. Senate, July 27, 2015
- Letter opposing any extension of the public comment period on a rule protecting white-collar workers under the Fair Labor Standards Act, to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), July 24, 2015
- Letter supporting the Responsible Estate Tax Act, to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), June 25, 2015
- Letter opposing Immigration and Customs Enforcement's family detention policy targeting refugees from Central America, to President Barack Obama, June 15, 2015
- Letter opposing the Trans-Pacific Partnership and fast track authority, to the U.S. House and U.S. Senate, April 27, 2015
- Letter supporting a petition to require public companies to disclose to shareholders the use of corporate resources for political activities, to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), April 27, 2015
- Letter opposing revisions to the Toxic Substances Control Act contained in S. 697, to Sens. David Vitter (R-LA) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA), March 31, 2015
- Letter opposing the House and Senate FY16 Budget Resolutions, to the U.S. House and U.S. Senate, March 23, 2015
- Letter opposing proposals to eliminate or reduce concurrent Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits, to Reps. Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Sam Johnson (R-TX) and Sens. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), and Joe Manchin (D-WV), March 17, 2015
- Letter expressing concern that Professor Joseph Stiglitz has been excluded from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Market Structure Advisory Committee, to SEC Chair Mary Jo White, March 9, 2015
- Letter opposing congressional efforts to dismantle, weaken, or change the structure of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), to the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate, Feb. 27, 2015
- Letter urging Congress to extend funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), to Reps. John Boehner (R-OH), Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Fred Upton (D-MI), and Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Sens. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Harry Reid (D-NV), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), and Ron Wyden (D-OR), Feb. 26, 2015
- Letter opposing the Small Business Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act, to the U.S. House, Feb. 4, 2015
- Letter opposing the Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act (H.R. 50), to the U.S. House, Feb. 3, 2015
- Letter opposing amendments to S. 1, the Keystone XL Pipeline Act, that would weaken the Endangered Species Act, to the U.S. Senate, Jan. 21, 2015
- Letter on congressional oversight of national security, to House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Dec. 17, 2014
- Letter opposing the so-called Secret Science Reform Act of 2014 (H.R. 4012), the EPA Science Advisory Board Reform Act of 2013 (H.R. 1422), and the Promoting New Manufacturing Act (H.R. 4795), to the U.S. House, Nov. 17, 2014
- Letter urging California to phase out the highly toxic insecticide chlorpyrifos, to Gov. Jerry Brown (D), Nov. 10, 2014
- Letter of concern over votes on the Jobs for America Act (H.R. 4), to select U.S. House members, Oct. 23, 2014
- Letter supporting methane pollution reductions at oil and gas drilling sites, to President Barack Obama, Oct. 16, 2014
- Letter calling on eBay to end its affiliation with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), to eBay Inc. executives, Oct. 7, 2014
- Letter opposing Fast Track authority for trade deals like the Trans-Atlantic Free Trade Agreement (TAFTA), to Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), Sept. 10, 2014
- Letter calling on Google to end its affiliation with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), to Google, Inc. executives, Sept. 3, 2014
- Letter calling for full employment, increased wages, and an economy that works for all Americans, to Janet Yellin, Federal Reserve Chair, and Esther George, Federal Reserve President, Aug. 19, 2014
- Letter requesting a ban on the highly toxic pesticide chlorpyrifos, to the California Department of Pesticide Regulation, Aug. 1, 2014
- Letter supporting the Presidential Library Donation Reform Act of 2014 (S. 2640), to Sens. Tom Carper (D-DE) and Tom Coburn (R-OK), July 29, 2014
- Letter supporting the Senate version of the USA FREEDOM Act, to Sens. Harry Reid (D-NV) and Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Reps. John Boehner (R-OH) and Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), July 29, 2014
- Letter opposing the inclusion of any terms in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP, also known as TAFTA) agreement that implicate the regulation of chemicals, to the U.S. Trade Representative and the EU's Commissioner for Trade, July 10, 2014
- Letter supporting the Ban Poisonous Additives Act of 2014, to Reps. Lois Capps (D-CA) and Grace Meng (D-NY), July 9, 2014
- Letter supporting the Ban Poisonous Additives Act of 2014, to Sen. Edward Markey (D-MA), July 9, 2014
- Letter opposing the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act of 2014 (S. 2363), to the U.S. Senate, July 9, 2014
- Letter opposing reduced access to House of Representatives travel and ethics information, to Reps. Michael Conaway (R-TX) and Linda Sanchez (D-CA), July 2, 2014
- Letter supporting the FOIA Improvement Act of 2014, to Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and John Cornyn, June 26, 2014
- Letter supporting the FOIA Improvement Act of 2014, to Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), June 26, 2014
- Letter opposing the Domestic Prosperity and Global Freedom Act (H.R. 6), to the U.S. House, June 23, 2014
- Letter supporting an amendment to the U.S. Constitution (S.J. Res. 19) to overturn the anti-democracy Citizens United decision, to the U.S. Senate, June 3, 2014
- Letter supporting the end of bulk surveillence of Americans and restoration of transparency requirements in the USA FREEDOM Act, to various U.S. House and Senate leaders, May 14, 2014
- Letter opposing Sen. Mitch McConnell's (R-KY) Congressional Review Act resolution (S.J. Res. 30) attacking a proposed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule (food safety focus), to Sens. Harry Reid (D-NV), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Barbara Boxer (D-CA), May 14, 2014
- Letter urging the Department of Justice (DOJ) to decline to appeal a recent court ruling ordering disclosure of information on the United States' drone-based targeted killing program, to Attorney General Eric Holder, May 13, 2014
- Letter opposing the Chemicals in Commerce Act, to Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL), April 28, 2014
- Letter supporting the Targeted Lethal Force Transparency Act (H.R. 4372), to Reps. Mike Rogers (R-MI), Buck McKeon (R-CA), C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD), and Adam Smith (D-WA), April 16, 2014
- Letter opposing the Domestic Prosperity and Global Freedom Act (H.R. 6), to the U.S. House, April 8, 2014
- Letter on accelerating progress on transparency at the April Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation High Level Meeting, Mexico, to the U.S. State Department, April 4, 2014
- Letter on accelerating progress on transparency at the April Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation High Level Meeting, Mexico, to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), April 4, 2014
- Letter urging declassification and release of the Senate Intelligence Committee's report on the CIA’s post 9/11 rendition, detention, and interrogation (RDI) program, to Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), Feb. 25, 2014
- Letter supporting a federal requirement for inherently safer technologies, safer alternatives, and best practices at chemical facilities, to Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Feb. 24, 2014
- Letter supporting the FOIA Oversight and Implementation Act (H.R. 1211), to the U.S. House, Feb. 24, 2014
- Letter on modernizing carcinogens policy, to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Feb. 13, 2014
- Letter supporting the GRANT Act (H.R. 3316), to the U.S. Congress, Feb. 12, 2014
- Statement on the importance of access to information and independent media in human development, to the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals, Feb. 3, 2014
- Letter urging the addition of the oil and gas extracting industry (including fracking activities) to the Toxics Release Inventory, to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Jan. 30, 2014
- Letter opposing fast-track authority for the approval of trade agreements such as the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Transatlantic Free Trade Agreement (TAFTA), to the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate, Jan. 27, 2014
- Letter urging the president to push for strict labeling requirements for genetically modified foods, to President Barack Obama, Jan. 16, 2014
- Letter opposing the Reducing Excessive Deadline Obligations Act of 2013 (H.R. 2279), to the U.S. House of Representatives, Jan. 8, 2014
- Letter on television stations' incomplete compliance with online political file disclosure requirements, to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Dec. 20, 2013
- Letter opposing the inclusion of investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) provisions in the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP, also known as TAFTA), to the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) and the European Commission's Commissioner for Trade, Dec. 16, 2013
- Letter in support of reducing methane emissions from the oil and gas industry, to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dec. 5, 2013
- Letter on the U.S. Extractives Industries Transparency Initiative, to the Department of the Interior, Nov. 18, 2013
- Letter urging to Obama administration to curb the secret law that enabled the National Security Agency’s surveillance programs, to President Barack Obama, Oct. 21, 2013
- Letter thanking the Department of Labor for including home care workers in minimum wage and work hours protections under the Fair Labor Standards Act, to Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez, Oct. 9, 2013
- Comments on Online Posting of the Public and Political Files, to the Federal Communications Commission, Aug. 26, 2013
- Letter supporting legislation to close pollution and disclosure loopholes for the oil and gas industry, to the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate, Aug. 5, 2013
- Letter urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to improve security and safety at America's chemical plants, to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, Aug. 1, 2013
- Letter urging the White House to release information on the CIA’s post 9/11 detention and interrogation program, to President Barack Obama, June 26, 2013
- Letter urging the release of information about the legal authorities for government surveillance of Americans, to the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, and others, June 18, 2013
- Letter opposing the Chemical Safety Improvement Act (S. 1009), to Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), David Vitter (R-LA), and others, June 13, 2013
- Letter opposing the Chemical Safety Improvement Act (S. 1009), to Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and David Vitter (R-LA), June 12, 2013
- Letter in support of providing FOIA data litigation in an open format, to Melanie Ann Pustay, April 30, 2013
- Letter supporting establishment of a Security Classification Reform Steering Committee, to President Obama, April 23, 2013
- Letter supporting delay of the effective date of on-line disclosure requirement for executive branch personnel under the STOCK Act, to Reps. John Boehner (R-OH), Eric Cantor (R-VA), and Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), April 4, 2013
- Letter supporting the Focused Reduction of Effluence and Stormwater runoff through Hydrofracking Environmental Regulation Act (FRESHER Act), to Rep. Matthew Cartwright (D-PA), March 14, 2013
- Letter supporting work to hold agencies accountable for implementation of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), to Reps. Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Elijah Cummings (D-MD), Feb. 19, 2013
- Letter urging the Obama administration to renew its focus on the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), to President Barack Obama, Feb. 19, 2013
- Letter supporting delay of floor action on the FY 2013 Intelligence Authorization Bill due to concerns about reducing public information on intelligence activities, to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Nov. 26, 2012
- Letter opposing a proposed rule to limit information about fisheries, to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) (part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)), Oct. 19, 2012
- Letter opposing H.R. 5949, the FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012, which would extend the FISA Amendments Act (FAA) until December 31, 2017, to the U.S. House, Sept. 11, 2012
- Letter supporting the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act, to the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate, Sept. 11, 2012
- Letter opposing the Anti-Speech Policy in the Intelligence Authorization Bill, to the U.S. Senate, July 30, 2012
- Petition urging use of the Clean Air Act to prevent chemical facility disasters, to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, July 25, 2012
- Letter encouraging the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to include the text of individual complaints in its consumer complaint database, to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, July 19, 2012
- Letter encouraging the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to adopt a new rule that would require disclosure of corporate political spending, to the Securities and Exchange Commission, July 16, 2012
- Letter opposing the Lead Exposure Reduction Amendments Act of 2012 (H.R. 5911), to Reps. Fred Upton (R-MI) and Henry Waxman (D-CA), July 14, 2012
- Letter opposing the Lead Exposure Reduction Amendments Act of 2012 (S. 2148), to Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and James Inhofe (R-OK), July 12, 2012
- Letter opposing a rider in the FY 2013 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill that would block the FCC from bringing greater transparency to television broadcasters and those who buy political ads, to Reps. Hal Rogers (R-KY), Jo Emerson (R-MO), Norm Dicks (D-WA), and Jose Serrano (D-NY), June 19, 2012
- Letter urging the release of a Department of Justice memo justifying the killing of Anwar al-Awlaki, to Attorney General Eric Holder, June 18, 2012
- Letter opposing a rider in the FY 2013 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill that would block the FCC from bringing greater transparency to television broadcasters and those who buy political ads, to the U.S. Senate, June 13, 2012
- Letter supporting funding for the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey in the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2013 (S. 2323), to the U.S. Senate, May 30, 2012
- Letter opposing a provision of the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act (S. 3187) that would undercut the Freedom of Information Act and prevent Americans from having access to important health and safety information, to Sens. Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Michael Enzi (R-WY), May 22, 2012
- Letter encouraging enforcement of the Clean Air Act to protect Americans from chemical disasters, to President Barack Obama, May 16, 2012
- Letter supporting the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act (DATA Act, H.R. 2146), to the U.S. House, April 23, 2012
- Letter on the Department of Justice serving as the federal government's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) "ombudsman", to Tony West, Acting Associate Attorney General, April 3, 2012
- Letter supporting the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) portal being developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, to Cass Sunstein, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) Administrator, March 19, 2012
- Letter on upcoming revisions to Bureau of Land Management (BLM) regulation of oil and gas extraction on public lands, specifically related to hydraulic fracturing (fracking), to Bob Abbey, BLM Director; and Jeffrey Zients, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Acting Director, March 7, 2012
- Letter expressing concerns about natural gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing (fracking), to President Barack Obama, March 5, 2012
- Letter urging transparency in the Trans-Pacific Partnership Free Trade Agreement, to President Barack Obama, Feb. 28, 2012
- Letter opposing the Central Intelligence Agency’s (CIA) covert attack on public access, to Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, Feb. 23, 2012
- Letter opposing the Research Works Act (H.R.3699, which would block free public access to taxpayer-funded scientific research at the National Institutes for Health and other agencies) , to Reps. Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Elijah Cummings (D-MD), Feb. 9, 2012
- Letter opposing the Federal Communications Commission Process Reform Act (H.R. 3309) and the FCC Consolidated Reporting Act (H.R. 3310) (which would add procedural hurdles to the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) ability to protect consumers and eliminating crucial information collection authority), to Reps. Fred Upton (R-MI) and Henry Waxman (D-CA), Feb. 9, 2012
- Letter expressing support of recent proposals to expand public access to information about programming and advertising on local broadcast television, to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Jan. 17, 2012
- Letter on restoring funding to the Electronic Government Fund (H.R. 2354), to the U.S. Senate, Nov. 16, 2011
- Letter asking the U.S. Supreme Court to televise oral arguments on the Affordable Care Act, to Chief Justice John Roberts, Nov. 16, 2011
- Letter in support of the Federal Advisory Committee Act Amendments of 2011 (H.R. 3124), to Reps. Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Elijah Cummings (D-MD), Oct. 12, 2011
- Letter calling for a Presidential Advisory Committee on Open Government, to OIRA Administrator Cass Sunstein and OSTP Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra, Sept. 8, 2011
- Letter regarding nomination of remaining individuals to crucial Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, to President Barack Obama, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, Attorney General Eric Holder, and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, Aug. 25, 2011
- Letter opposing the SEC Regulatory Accountability Act (H.R. 2308, which would add procedural hurdles to Security and Exchange Commission rulemaking), to the U.S. House, Aug. 17, 2011
- Letter expressing concern over the consultation process for the development of the U.S. Government's participation in the Open Government Partnership, to Mr. Cass R. Sunstein and Mr. Aneesh Chopra, Aug. 16, 2011
- Letter urging leadership to restore Faster FOIA provisions to debt bill, to House and Senate leadership, July 28, 2011
- Letter urging opposition to any balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution, to members of Congress, July 13, 2011
- Letter urging veto of any rollback of the Clean Air Act, to President Barack Obama, June 23, 2011
- Letter on restoring funding to the Electronic Government Fund, to the Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government of the House Appropriations Committee, June 13, 2011
- Letter on the Senate Campaign Disclosure Parity Act of 2011 (S. 219, relating to electronic filing of Senate campaign finance disclosure reports), to the U.S. Senate, June 9, 2011
- Letter on making Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's (CFPB) complaint database accessible to the public, to Catherine West and Zixta Martinez of the CFPB, May 25, 2011
- Letter on anti-whistleblower bill from Rep. Michael Grimm (R-NY), to Reps. Spencer Bachus (R-AL), Barney Frank (D-MA), Scott Garrett (R-NJ), and Maxine Waters (D-CA), May 24, 2011
- Letter on the Congressionally Mandated Reports Act, to Reps. Darrell Issa (R-CA), Elijah Cummings (D-MD), Daniel Lungren (R-CA), and Robert Brady (D-PA), May 10, 2011
- Letter on the April 13, 2011, draft executive order on contractor disclosure of political spending, to President Barack Obama, May 4, 2011
- Letter on removing "anti-speech" policy from intelligence authorization bill, to the U.S. Senate, April 20, 2011
- Letter on The Transparency and Openness in Government Act (H.R. 1144), to Reps. Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Elijah Cummings (D-MD), April 18, 2011
- Letter on legislation to authorize and promote the public distribution of reports that are published by the Congressional Research Service (CRS), to Sens. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) and Susan Collins (R-ME), April 5, 2011
- Letter on response to U.S. Supreme Court decision in Milner v. Dept. of Navy, to White House Counsel Robert Bauer, March 31, 2011