USA: Senator Calls for Release of CRS Reports

This week, US Senator Joe Lieberman (I-CT) calls for the release of Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports to the public.

These are taxpayer funded research studies used in Congressional debate. The reports are secret by Congressional tradition because, let’s face it, facts disrupt spin. Our friends at the Project on Government Oversight have the story. Many have tried to publish these documents, but this may be the year it finally happens. We covered the recent leak and publication of the entire CRS library on the Commons last month.

The CRS reports currently top a list of “Most Wanted Federal Government Documents.” You can vote for your favorites at the link, and frankly all of them should be public. Rounding out the top three:

1. CRS Reports
2. Bailout money recipiants
3. Patriot Act usage by Department of Justice

The site is brought to you by the good folks at OpenTheGovernment.org, Sunlight Foundation and the Center for Democracy and Technology.

— Jonathan Eyler-Werve