President Obama ushered in a new era of government on his first day in office, calling for transparency and open government in his January 21, 2009, memorandum to heads of executive departments and agencies. The memorandum states, “My Administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in Government. We will work together to ensure the public trust and establish a system of transparency, public participation, and collaboration. Openness will strengthen our democracy and promote efficiency and effectiveness in Government.”
Make high-value data freely available online to help promote national priorities and improve the everyday lives of the American people.
Hold Federal institutions responsible for their spending and performance by creating standards for compliance and requiring accurate, accessible reporting.
Ensure that the American people have the opportunity and incentive to influence the decisions that affect their lives.
Broaden opportunities for citizen participation, collaboration, and insight into the way that our government makes decisions and solves problems.
Take specific steps within each Government agency toward transparency, participation, and collaboration to create lasting improvements in the way we address national challenges.
Allow citizens to access, use, understand, and audit the results of government policies, practices, and procedures.
