FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, March 15, 2007

Isakson Co-Sponsors Legislation to Strengthen ‘Freedom Of Information Act’
‘Open Government Vital to Healthy Democracy’   

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) today announced that he again will co-sponsor legislation to promote accountability, accessibility and openness in government by strengthening and enhancing the Freedom of Information Act of 1966, known as FOIA.

The legislation, introduced on March 13 by Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas), seeks to achieve meaningful reforms to FOIA.  Isakson had signed onto the same legislation in 2005.     

“Our government is not based on the need to know but the fundamental right to know. Open government is vital to a healthy democracy,” Isakson said. “I am pleased to join Senators Cornyn and Leahy on this legislation to reinforce our national commitment to openness in government.”

Specifically, the Openness Promotes Effectiveness in our National Government Act of 2007 contains a number of substantive provisions designed to strengthen FOIA and close loopholes as well as help those who request information from the federal government through FOIA to obtain timely responses to their requests. The provisions also give federal agencies strong incentives to act on FOIA requests in a timely manner and provide FOIA officials with all of the tools they need to ensure that our government remains open and accessible.

Enacted in 1966, FOIA was designed to enable any person, individual or corporation to request access to existing, identifiable or unpublished executive branch agency records on any topic. Congress last approved major changes to FOIA over a decade ago. 

Isakson signed on to the bill during the third annual Sunshine Week, which is a week devoted to creating a dialogue about government transparency and the public’s ability to access information. 

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