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Cornyn: FOIA Report Shows Need For Open Government Bill

HOUSTON—U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and leading open government advocate in Congress, made the following statement Monday regarding a new report on Freedom of Information backlogs and in advance of the 40th anniversary of the implementation of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA):

“This report confirms the inability of the federal government to live up to standards of openness and accountability throughout the years. It reinforces the need for the important reforms in the OPEN Government Act. This bill, which I introduced along with Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), would address problems of long delays and shed more sunshine on our government.

“The report indicates many backlogs of not merely weeks, but in some instances up to 20 years. This is unacceptable. The default position of our government must be one of openness. If records can be open, they should be open.

“More than 40 years ago, responding to a clear public need, Congress passed the Freedom of Information Act. Unfortunately, backlogs and delays have plagued this system, impeding the America people’s right to clear and open government. It’s time for Congress to pass the OPEN Government Act to reform and strengthen FOIA, and expand public access to information.”

A report released Monday by the National Security Archive at George Washington University found that the oldest FOIA requests still pending in the federal government were first filed two decades ago.

Sens. Cornyn and Leahy introduced the Open Government Act of 2007 in March. This legislation, which would make the most significant reforms to the Freedom of Information Act in more than a decade, would expand accessibility, accountability and openness of government information to the American people.

Sen. Cornyn serves on the Armed Services, Judiciary and Budget Committees. In addition, he is Vice Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference and the Senate Select Committee on Ethics. He serves as the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee’s Immigration, Border Security and Refugees subcommittee and the Armed Services Committee’s Airland subcommittee. He served previously as Texas Attorney General, Texas Supreme Court Justice and Bexar County District Judge.

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