Legislation to make Congressional Research Service reports publicly available was introduced in the House on Thursday by freshmen Reps. Frank Kratovil, D-Md., and Leonard Lance, R-N.J. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairman Joseph Lieberman introduced a companion bill in April, restarting the perennial attempt by some lawmakers and open government advocates. Last Congress, he introduced a resolution with Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs ranking member Susan Collins that called for a more accessible system. Over the past decade, a series of bills requiring public access to CRS reports has made little progress, including a 2007 measure by former Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn.
Under the chairmanship of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., last Congress, the Rules Committee authorized CRS to create software to let senators place individual reports on their Web sites. Lieberman and his allies believe that didn't go far enough. As public debate becomes increasingly partisan and polarized, "it is more important than ever for citizens to have full access to the same neutral, unbiased information that many of us rely on to help us formulate important decisions," Kratovil said. Lance added that making taxpayer-funded research available to the American people is simply "good government."
In addition to piecemeal disclosures by lawmakers, CRS reports are made available through pay services and more intermittently at OpenCRS.com, a free Web database offered by the Center for Democracy and Technology.
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