Advisory Committee on Transparency

Posted on by Daniel Schuman

The Day In Sunlight 4/13/2011

Here is a look at what happened yesterday on the Sunlight network.

  • Paul Blumenthal began the day with several transparency related headlines including how the budget deal tests the transparency promise made by the Republicans in the House, updates on the Washington-Wall Street corridor, and more. (Sunlight Foundation Blog)
  • Daniel Schuman reported that the budget agreement shows major cuts for online transparency initiatives like USASpending.gov and Data.gov, noting that they were cut from $34 million to $8 million. (Sunlight Foundation Blog)
  • John Wonderlich mentioned how the public was cut out of the budget negotiations, noting that the bill to continue funding the government will probably not see a full 72 hours online. (Sunlight Foundation Blog)
  • Nancy Watzman reported that the consumer complaint database launched by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) escaped the budget axe (for now). (Sunlight Reporting Group)
  • Ali Felski detailed the new website for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), highlighting the changes made by the FCC and their similarity to the suggestions made by Sunlight. (Sunlight Labs Blog)
  • Take a look at the previous day’s transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency related events. (Sunlight Foundation Blog)
Posted on by Daniel Schuman

The Day In Sunlight 4/12/2011

Here is a look at what happened recently on the Sunlight network.

  • Paul Blumenthal began the day with several transparency related headlines including questioning how open the budget negotiations should be for them 2012 federal budget, the uptick in lobbying for trade organizations, and more. (Sunlight Foundation Blog)
  • John Wonderlich looked at public disclosure behind campaign donors, noting that a 2010 Republican nominee for the Senate from Oregon, James Huffman, stated that public disclosure only serves the interest of incumbents running for re-election by discouraging support for challengers. (Sunlight Foundation Blog)
  • Take a look at the previous day’s transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency related events. (Sunlight Foundation Blog)
Posted on by Daniel Schuman

The Day In Sunlight 4/11/2011

Here is a look at what happened recently on the Sunlight network.

  • Paul Blumenthal began the day with several transparency related headlines including why Data.gov should be saved from the budget ax, news of the nuclear lobbying revolving door, and more. (Sunlight Foundation Blog)
  • Daniel Schuman postponed the Advisory Committee on Transparency panel on the “Future of CRS” in preparation for a government shutdown. (Sunlight Foundation Blog)
  • John Wonderlich questioned the appropriateness of the secrecy of the budget negotiations around the shutdown. (Sunlight Foundation Blog)
  • Scott Stadum highlighted Broadcastr, a social media platform for location-based stories, as his Tool for Transparency. (Sunlight Foundation Blog)
  • John Wonderlich asked four questioned on the new budget deal, asking about negotiators, the future of e-government, and whether or not this can be done better. (Sunlight Foundation Blog)
  • Patrick Simmons looked at the upcoming fundraisers planned despite the threat of a government shutdown. (Party Time Blog)
  • Take a look at the previous day’s transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency related events. (Sunlight Foundation Blog)
Posted on by Daniel Schuman

The Day In Sunlight 4/8/2011

Here is a look at what happened yesterday on the Sunlight network.

  • Paul Blumenthal began the day with several transparency related headlines including news that during a government shutdown, lobbying will continue to grow, reports that the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) protested Rep. Maxine Waters’ actions regarding help for a well-connected bank in Boston, and more. (Sunlight Foundation Blog)
  • Nancy Watzman reported that Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner met with banks wanting an exemption from foreign exchange swap while poised to make a decision on the enforcement of such swaps. (Sunlight Reporting Group)
  • Take a look at the previous day’s transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency related events. (Sunlight Foundation Blog)
Posted on by Daniel Schuman

The Day In Sunlight 4/7/2011

Here is a look at what happened yesterday on the Sunlight network.

  • Paul Blumenthal began the day with several transparency related headlines including tricks for stockpiling cash by 2012 presidential candidates, news that President Obama will probably be unable to seat any new commissioners for the Federal Election Commission, and more. (Sunlight Foundation Blog)
  • Daniel Schuman announced that, as of yesterday morning, more than 3,000 citizens have signed Sunlight’s open letter to Congress to save online transparency programs from drastic budget cuts. (Sunlight Foundation Blog)
  • Zubedah Nanfuka included a round-up of transparency bloggers from Maine, Illinois, West Virginia, New York, and Montana. (Sunlight Foundation Blog)
  • Nicko Margolies highlighted the possible results of a government shutdown, including a list of what is likely to remain open and what will likely be slowed or closed. (Sunlight Foundation Blog)
  • Lindsay Young announced that Sunlight’s Lobbying Tracker now lets users track foreign influence as well through filings made under the Foreign Agent Registration Act. (Sunlight Reporting Group)
  • Keenan Steiner reported that in response to lobbying by the Renco Group for its Doe Run Peru subsidiary, a coalition of environmental advocates has launched a letter writing campaign. (Sunlight Reporting Group)
  • Ethan Phelps-Goodman detailed how to use the public APIs for both TransparencyData.com and InfluenceExplorer.com. (Sunlight Labs Blog)
  • Patrick Simmons looked at how lawmakers use birthday parties as a means for raking in the campaign cash. (Party Time Blog)
  • Take a look at the previous day’s transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency related events. (Sunlight Foundation Blog)
Posted on by Daniel Schuman

The Day In Sunlight 4/6/2011

Here is a look at what happened yesterday on the Sunlight network.

  • Paul Blumenthal began the day with several transparency related headlines including news of the thousands of signatures to Sunlight’s Save the Data open letter to Congress, the introduction of the Public Online Information Act in both the House and the Senate, and more. (Sunlight Foundation Blog)
  • Daniel Schuman announced that over 2,000 people have signed Sunlight’s open letter to Congress that calls on legislators to save online transparency programs from budget cuts. (Sunlight Foundation Blog)
  • Daniel Schuman announced that the latest short term budget resolution proposal by House Republicans funds online transparency programs at half the level as last year instead of cutting them to virtually nothing, showing that Sunlight’s Save the Data response is working. (Sunlight Foundation Blog)
  • Daniel Schuman announced that the topic for the next Advisory Committee on Transparency panel will be the future of the Congressional Research Service in the wake of its director’s retirement on April 2. (Sunlight Foundation Blog)
  • Tom Lee gave some updates on what’s going on in Sunlight Labs, highlighting updates on Open States, Sunlight Health, Django updates and more. (Sunlight Labs Blog)
  • Take a look at the previous day’s transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency related events. (Sunlight Foundation Blog)
Posted on by Daniel Schuman

The Day In Sunlight 4/5/2011

Here is a look at what happened yesterday on the Sunlight network.

  • Daniel Schuman announced the reintroduction of the landmark Public Online Information Act, introduced by Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) and Representative Steve Israel (D-NY). (Sunlight Foundation Blog)
  • Tom Lee looked at the Washingtonian’s story about Bloomberg Government, and questioned the idea of a business that is created around public government data. (Sunlight Labs Blog)
  • Take a look at the previous day’s transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency related events. (Sunlight Foundation Blog)
Posted on by Daniel Schuman

The Future Of CRS Panel Discussion Set For 4-11

CRS director Dan Mulhollan’s retirement on April 2 – after running Congress’ think tank for 17 years – raises questions about the agency’s policies and future.

Is CRS meeting the needs of Congress? Has its analytical expertise eroded? Are CRS Reports as relevant, accurate, and understandable as they need to be, and should they be available to the general public? What does a 21st century research service look like?

The Advisory Committee will be hosting a panel of experts to discuss these issues on April 11th at 2pm in Rayburn House Office Building room 2203.

Our panel includes:

  • Steve Aftergood, Senior Research Analyst, the Federation of American Scientists and Director, FAS Project on Government Secrecy
  • Stan Brand, Founder, the Brand Law Group; General Counsel, U.S. House of Representatives (1976-1983)
  • Robyn Russell, Legislative Assistant, Congressman Mike Quigley (D – Ill.)
  • Nye Stevens, Deputy Director, Government and Finance Division, Congressional Research Service (2000-2006); Director, Federal Management and Workforce Issues, U.S. Government Accountability Office (1982-2000); Director, Organization and Special Projects Division, U.S. Office of Management and Budget (1977-1982)
  • Moderator Daniel Schuman, Policy Counsel and Director of the Advisory Committee on Transparency, the Sunlight Foundation; Attorney, American Law Division, Congressional Research Service (2006-2007)

All are welcome. RSVP to http://snlg.ht/CRSrsvp. Background information on CRS is available here.

Posted on by Daniel Schuman

The Day In Sunlight 4/4/2011

Here is a look at what happened recently on the Sunlight network.

  • Paul Blumenthal began the day with several transparency related headlines including news that a Tea Party group has defended the freedom of a giant Indonesian paper company to sell to Americans without paying tariffs, and more. (Sunlight Foundation Blog)
  • Daniel Schuman announced that, according to Federal News Radio, the Office of Management and Budget is preparing for Data.gov, USASpending.gov, and other Obama tech innovations to go dark in May due to budget cuts. (Sunlight Foundation Blog)
  • Paul Blumenthal began the day with several transparency related headlines including news that the OMB is preparing to shutdown Data.gov, USASpending, gov, and other Obama tech initiatives, reports of Obama’s transparency progress since his inauguration, and more. (Sunlight Foundation Blog)
  • Daniel Schuman looked at the momentum behind the campaign to save $34 million that funds Obama-era tech innovations from the budget ax. (Sunlight Foundation Blog)
  • Paul Blumenthal reported that the House of Representatives violated a pledge made by Speaker John Boehner to provide a 72 hour window for all legislation to be viewed by the public before it is brought to the floor for debate in voting on the Government Shutdown Prevention Act. (Sunlight Foundation Blog)
  • Jeremy Carbaugh announced that Sunlight is moving into the 21st century with its new partnership with cloud hosting provider Angelfire – oh, and also, Happy April Fool’s Day. (Sunlight Labs Blog)
  • Tom Lee reported on the many reasons cutting the e-Government fund would be disastrous. (Sunlight Labs Blog)
  • Take a look at the previous day’s transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency related events. (Sunlight Foundation Blog)