Friday, February 10, 2012

Congressional Transparency Proposal Released

July 31, 2008

The Sunlight Foundation released a revised version of its model transparency legislation on Thursday that incorporates suggestions posted to PublicMarkup.org during the proposal's public review period since March. The group wants to make the collaboratively written document a reality on Capitol Hill and looks forward to working with members of Congress to move a bill forward, officials said.

The proposal updates existing congressional disclosure requirements for the Internet age. It specifies technological and reporting requirements to make more information about lawmakers and their influencers, the work of Congress and of the executive branch meaningfully accessible to the public, with an emphasis on publishing congressional information online.

"By posting the bill on PublicMarkup.org, we demonstrated a potent new advocacy model. Our hunch was right -- an open and public advocacy process is an effective way of evaluating ideas and influencing policy," Sunlight's John Wonderlich said in a press release.

Stakeholders who helped shape the language online raised policy questions like: Should Congressional Research Service Reports be public? How often should political action committees and candidates disclose their campaign finance receipts? How should the Freedom of Information Act be strengthened? In what ways should lobbying disclosure be expanded? Read more on the initiative here.

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Juliana Gruenwald

Tech Writer

E-Mail: jgruenwald@nationaljournal.com.


Juliana Gruenwald has been covering tech and telecom issues for more than a decade for National Journal, Interactive Week, BNA and Congressional Quarterly. This is her second stint with National Journal. She was recruited by NJ in 1998 to help launch its first tech policy publication, Technology Daily. She left in 2000 to cover international tech and telecom issues for Ziff Davis Media's Interactive Week magazine. She started her career at United Press International as the wire service's first Helen Thomas Intern. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Minnesota. A Minneapolis native, she misses the lakes but not the cold.


Josh Smith

Tech Reporter

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Josh Smith covers technology policy as a staff reporter for National Journal. He previously interned at National Journal Daily, a Senate press office, and the Deseret News in Salt Lake City where he covered the state legislature, courts, and crime. In 2009 he graduated with honors from Southern Utah University after managing an award-winning student newspaper as editor-in-chief. Josh has received state, regional and national awards for his political and policy reporting, including first place in CapitolBeat’s 2009 Best of Statehouse Reporting college competition. A native of drop-dead-gorgeous Utah, Josh lives in Virginia with his wife, Amber.