Letters

OpenTheGovernment.org, Coalition Partners: Whistleblower Protections Belong in Stimulus Package

In response to an editorial in the Washington Post, OpenTheGovernment.org joined several coalition partners in releasing an open letter arguing whistleblower protections for federal employees that help eliminate waste, fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars are rightfully attached to the massive economic stimulus package passed by the House and should be included in the final bill sent to the President's desk.

02/03/2009

OpenTheGovernment.org, Coalition Partners, Join the Government Accountability Project in Urging Protection of Bailout Whistleblowers

OpenTheGovernment.org and several coalition partners signed on to a letter by the the Government Accountability Project (GAP) urging the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP) to protect whistleblowers that expose waste, fraud and abuse during the IG audits.

01/23/2009

Over 75 Organizations Join OpenTheGovernment.org and the National Taxpayers Union to Demand Bailout Transparency

78 good government advocates joined OpenTheGovernment.org and the National Taxpayers Union in sending a letter urging Congress to improve oversight and transparency of the financial bailout. Any credible solution to today's economic crisis must address one of the crisis' fundamental causes - corruption and other abuses of power sustained by secrecy.

12/08/2008

Over 50 Organizations and Advocates Join OpenTheGovernment.org in Opposing Secrecy in Financial Industry Bailout Plan

OpenTheGovernment.org and over 50 open government organizations and advocates wrote to the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs and the House Committee on Finacial Services to oppose provisions of the financial industry bail out plan that would make any decisions by the Secretary of the Treasury non-reviewable by courts or administrative agencies. Further, public contracts associated with the proposal could be created outside of existing laws normally governing such actions.

09/22/2008

OpenTheGovernment.org and 29 open government advocates endorse S. 2746, the OPEN FOIA Act

Twenty-nine organizations and open government advocates(including several coalition partners) joined OpenTheGovernment.org on a letter to the Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary endorsing S. 2746, the OPEN FOIA Act. The bill will give members of the public and open government advocates the tools they need to find, analyze and challenge FOIA exemptions that are tucked into inconspicuous provisions buried deep in proposed legislation.

07/09/2008

OpenTheGovernment.org and 24 Organizations Write to Support Passage of H.R. 5811, the Electronic Message Preservation Act

A coalition of 23 organizations joined OpenTheGovernment.org on a letter to Representative Henry Waxman, Chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, supporting passage of H.R. 5811, the Electronic Message Preservation Act.

07/09/2008

OpenTheGovernment.org Joins Effort to Bolster Government Whistleblowers' Rights

OpenTheGovernment.org signed a letter from the Government Accountability Project (GAP) and 110 other organizations in support of strong whistleblower rights for government employees. The letter calls on key members of Congress to protect crucial whistleblower protections during the reconciliation of H.R.

06/03/2008

19 Groups Join OpenTheGovernment.org in Urging Continuation of Snapshots of Federal Web Sites

OpenTheGovernment.org and 19 organizations sent a letter to the Archivist of the United States to protest the National Archives' decision to not capture and preserve a "snapshot" of government web pages at the end of the current Administration. The groups asked the Archivist to rescind the decision.

04/28/2008

OpenTheGovernment.org and 28 Groups Express Support for National Security Letters Reform Act

OpenTheGovernment.org joined 28 other organizations in sending a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee expressing support for the National Security Letters Reform Act (S. 2088) and asking that the Judiciary Committee consider this legislation and report it favorably as soon as is practical.

04/21/2008

OpenTheGovernment.org Joins Effort to Craft Whistleblower Protections for Scientists

Over fifty signatories, including OpenTheGovernment.org, wrote to Congress in support of whistleblower protections for scientists when the Senate takes up H.R. 985. The letter urges Senators to preserve language defending federal scientists against retaliation for exposing suppression and distortion of their work.

03/17/2008

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