Friday, March 02, 2007

Legislation Would Open Presidential Records

Well this is a pleasant surprise! On Thursday, Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA), Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, announced a bipartisan bill (H.R. 1255) which would nullify a 2001 executive order limiting public access to presidential papers. The bill is cosponsored by Reps. Todd Platts (R-PA), William Lacy Clay (D-MO) and Dan Burton (R-IN).

The main purposes of the bill are here, but basically it would return things to the pre-2001 days. More commentary here at "Inside Higher Ed."