Zguy28 Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 USAToday: Bush signs bill to expand freedom of info http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-12-31-bush-foia_N.htm?csp=34 CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) — President Bush on Monday signed a bill aimed at giving the public and the media greater access to information about what the government is doing. The new law toughens the Freedom of Information Act, the first such makeover to the signature public-access law in a decade. It amounts to a congressional pushback against the Bush administration's movement to greater secrecy since the terrorist attacks of 2001. Bush signed the bill without comment in one of his final decisions of the year. The legislation creates a system for the media and public to track the status of their FOIA requests. It establishes a hotline service for all federal agencies to deal with problems and an ombudsman to provide an alternative to litigation in disclosure disputes. The law also restores a presumption of a standard that orders government agencies to release information on request unless there is a finding that disclosure could do harm. Agencies would be required to meet a 20-day deadline for responding to FOIA requests. Non-proprietary information held by government contractors also would be subject to the law. Full article at link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_cavalierman Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 I read that yesterday and nearly fell out of my chair. I figured this had to be a congressional push back because Their is no way Bush strengthens FOIA without a catch. I am not sure how I feel about the mitigation alternative either. Glad it was done...especially given all of the privacy Americans no longer have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midnight Judges Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 I read that yesterday and nearly fell out of my chair. I figured this had to be a congressional push back because Their is no way Bush strengthens FOIA without a catch. The catch is that 7/8ths of Bush's Presidency is over and the next President will probably be a Democrat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corcaigh Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) — President Bush on Monday didn't sign a bill aimed at giving the government greater access to information about what citizens are doing. Commenting on the non-signing, Bush said "Who needs legislation for this?" What it should have said :doh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Mike Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 That fascist pig! :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_cavalierman Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 The catch is that 7/8ths of Bush's Presidency is over and the next President will probably be a Democrat. Good point... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prosperity Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 The catch is that 7/8ths of Bush's Presidency is over and the next President will probably be a Democrat. not to mention those convenient fires, kudos to him regardless though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zguy28 Posted January 2, 2008 Author Share Posted January 2, 2008 The catch is that 7/8ths of Bush's Presidency is over and the next President will probably be a Democrat.Even an inch in the right direction is still in the right direction. :2cents: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baculus Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 I haven't read the full details on this, but I would give a hand to President Bush for signing this, as long as it doesn't actually create further issues instead of easing the FOIA process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATV Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 Yay, another law for the administration to ignore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tulane Skins Fan Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 Yay, another law for the administration to ignore. haha... so W just signed a bill that has effects on Congress, but by his powers of ignoration it has no affect on him? :rotflmao: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zguy28 Posted January 2, 2008 Author Share Posted January 2, 2008 haha... so W just signed a bill that has effects on Congress, but by his powers of ignoration it has no affect on him? :rotflmao:Actually, the article says it mainly affects government agencies. Eg. CIA, FBI, etc etc. You know, the people that more or less work for Bush. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Destino Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 That fascist pig! :laugh: Right because doing this in the final year of his Presidency when he knows full well a veto would further hurt his party during an election year makes up for all that other stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbear Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 I want to know if the pocket veto while congress is in session works. http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5j057jBReERcsF-FcZRSWe0h1gaXQD8TQOFK01 Is anybody else tracking this, as he vetos a defense spending bill (that from the sounds of it should be vetoed)? I just wish he had the guts to do it instead of trying to expand presidential powers into what amounts to an absolute unoveridable veto power. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tulane Skins Fan Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 Actually, the article says it mainly affects government agencies. Eg. CIA, FBI, etc etc. You know, the people that more or less work for Bush. too bad... it really would be funny if it bound Congress, and the President just figured he and the executive branch are above it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zguy28 Posted January 2, 2008 Author Share Posted January 2, 2008 too bad... it really would be funny if it bound Congress, and the President just figured he and the executive branch are above it.Probably why it says he did it quietly without comment. :whoknows: Maybe he's waking up a little but at the same time trying not to PO the "security hardliners"? (I'm not holding my breath) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burgold Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 Hmmm... Cheney must be very upset. He leaves for Christmas vacation and Bush goes around his back and signs something like that. I'm all for reasonable transparency. There are definately things I don't need to know, but there are also things that shouldn't be hidden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 The catch is that 7/8ths of Bush's Presidency is over and the next President will probably be a Democrat. And he kept his fingers crossed when he signed it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACW Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 The law also restores a presumption of a standard that orders government agencies to release information on request unless there is a finding that disclosure could do harm. Not quite Although the original House version of the OPEN Government Act did include a provision that would have repealed the Ashcroft policy and established a "presumption of openness," that provision was removed from the bill prior to passage. Thus, Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) noted with regret on the House floor on December 18 that the final legislation "does not include a provision which I thought was a key one establishing a presumption that government records should be released to the public unless there is a good reason to keep them secret." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zguy28 Posted January 3, 2008 Author Share Posted January 3, 2008 Not quiteThen why even pass it on to the White House?Sigh...more of the same in Washington. Our Congress fails us again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Destino Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 Then why even pass it on to the White House?Sigh...more of the same in Washington. Our Congress fails us again. Should have known that if Bush signed it quietly there was something wrong with it. Shame on me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zguy28 Posted January 3, 2008 Author Share Posted January 3, 2008 Should have known that if Bush signed it quietly there was something wrong with it. Shame on me.Actually from a public opinion standpoint, it should be the opposite.If it was just more of the same, he should have championed it as change. If it wasn't, then he should've kept it quiet so as not to make himself look bad. Unorthodox fellow that Bush guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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