Democrats open 'Sunshine Week,' citing Bush secrecy

[sabra]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/03/14/congress.sunshine.ap/index.html

Democrats open 'Sunshine Week,' citing Bush secrecy

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Pushing back at what they say has been one of the most secretive administrations in decades, congressional Democrats launched "Sunshine Week" on Wednesday with bills to increase public access to government activities and protect whistle-blowers.

The House of Representatives was to vote on four open government bills, including one aimed at government foot-dragging in answering the millions of Freedom of Information Act requests it receives every year.

The White House on Wednesday voiced opposition to the FOIA bill, saying it was "premature and counterproductive" to legislate new requirements on federal agencies before they have a chance to implement changes the president previously outlined.

The White House also issued a veto threat on another bill that would reverse a Bush administration decision making it easier for presidents to withhold their own records from public scrutiny.

[maddezmom]

1. House approves 3 open government bills

House approves 3 open government bills By JIM ABRAMS, Associated Press Writer
3 minutes ago



WASHINGTON - The House Wednesday passed three bills to open government records to the public, brushing aside White House opposition, and in one case, a veto threat.


The measures, highlighting the media-led Sunshine Week, would force government to be more responsive to Freedom of Information Act requests, make contributions to presidential libraries public and overturn a 2001 presidential directive giving the president authority to keep his records from public view.

The White House issued a veto threat on the presidential records bill and voiced opposition to the FOIA legislation. It also said the president would veto a fourth bill the House is to debate later Wednesday on whistleblower protections. Democrats say the bills, several of which were also taken up in past Republican-led Congresses, were needed to shine light on what they say has been one of the most secretive administrations in decades.

The White House said it was against the FOIA bill because it was "premature and counterproductive" to legislate new requirements on federal agencies before they have a chance to implement changes the president previously outlined.

more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070314/ap_on_go_co/congress_sunshine;_ylt=AovaFefDh9.Q3JIRLCgqBV2yFz4D

[Demeter]

2. Let's See What the Cowards in the Senate Do

The trouble with impeachment is, once you get the ball rolling, where do you stop?

[BlueIris]

3. Hee. I love it. It's kind of cheeky, but that's okay.

:-)

[Duer 157099]

4. Yes indeed. Let's blow some sunshine up some asses.

The healing power of radiation! Can we use a magnifying glass, too, just in case?

[ryanmuegge]

5. Passing symbolic shit they know won't make it through the Senate...

While they failed us over the last couple of days.

[redqueen]

6. Damned if they do, damned if they don't.

If they don't pass things cause they won't pass in the senate, then they're cowardly.

If they do pass things they won't pass in the senate, then they're failing us.

WTF?

[ryanmuegge]

7. I was referring to them bitching out on the 2008 budget

[maddezmom]

8. I understand being pissed about that, but should they stop trying to do the right thing

in other areas? :shrug: I think this is an important step, might not go anywhere but keeps the heat on Bush and his misadministration.

[redqueen]

10. Yeah... that's a kick to the teeth no doubt...

but... *sigh*

This is still good! IMO anyway. :hi:

[Roland99]

9. Only the utmost secret ops in intelligence need to be secret.

EVERYTHING else needs to be out in the open.


EVERYTHING.

[Eugene]

11. AP: Veto Threats Hang Over House FOIA Bills

Veto Threats Hang Over House FOIA Bills

By JIM ABRAMS, Associated Press Writer

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

(03-14) 12:22 PDT WASHINGTON, (AP) --

Open-government bills sped to House passage Wednesday as Democrats pushed
to make the president and his executive branch more forthcoming about their
actions. The White House struck back with veto threats.

Aided by substantial Republican support, the Democrats approved legislation
to force government agencies to be more responsive to the millions of Freedom
of Information Act requests for public documents they receive every year.

The House also easily passed bills to require donors to presidential libraries
to identify themselves — an issue as President Bush prepares for his own
library — and to reverse a 2001 Bush decision making it easier for presidents
to keep their records from public scrutiny.

The White House, citing the president's constitutional prerogatives, warned
that the presidential records bill would be vetoed if it reached his desk.
The White House threatened to veto a separate bill, to better protect
government whistle-blowers, that was being considered Wednesday.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/03/14/national/w122202D23.DTL

[maddezmom]

12. geez this WH is making Nixon look good

:eyes: