Press Releases

Agency Responses to President’s Call for FOIA Improvement Do Not Disclose Much, Report Shows

Contact: Patrice McDermott, 202-332-6736 View the report July 3, 2006 In recognition of the 40th anniversary of FOIA, members and staff of OpenTheGovernment.org, the Sunshine in Government Initiative (SGI), Coalition   Read Full

July 3, 2006

Post Katrina-Related Contracts Online, Groups Tell Bush

December 15, 2005 — Contact: Emily Feldman, 202-332-6736 View the letter More than 50 organizations, including civil liberties, media, library, and environmental groups, sent a letter to President Bush urging   Read Full

December 15, 2005

Secrecy Report Card 2005: Government Secrecy Grows, Few Controls

September 1, 2005 — Contact: Patrice McDermott, 202-332-6736 View the Secrecy Report Card 2005 See Representative Shays’ statement   Government agencies are expanding secrecy in many areas, according to the   Read Full

September 2, 2005

MEDIA ALERT: Media Call for Release of 2005 Secrecy Report Card

OpenTheGovernment.org will hold a conference call for reporters and editorial board members for the release of its second annual Secrecy Report Card on Thursday, Sep. 1, 2005 at 12:30ET. This   Read Full

September 1, 2005

The Federal Government Keeps More Secrets for Longer, New Data Shows

The federal government set a new record for keeping secrets in 2004, during which government employees chose to classify information a record 15.6 million times, according to new government figures   Read Full

April 5, 2005

OpenTheGovernment.org Lauds Journalists Celebrating Sunshine Week, Places Ads Online

Washington, DC – The OpenTheGovernment.org coalition applauds journalists across the country who are taking part in Sunshine Week, the first national effort by journalists to focus attention on the importance   Read Full

March 17, 2005

‘Report Card’ Finds 60% Rise in Secrecy at a Rising Cost of 6.5 Billion Last Year

CONTACT: Patrice McDermott 202-332-6736 View the 2004 Secrecy Report Card. Government data confirm what many have suspected: secrecy has increased dramatically in recent years under policies of the current administration.   Read Full

August 26, 2004

Government Classifies Too Much Information, Congress Must Act, Groups Say

The nation’s secrecy system is broken and needs overhaul, twenty groups noted in a letter to intelligence committees in the House and Senate today. Initial secrecy about Abu Ghraib prisoner   Read Full

August 4, 2004

‘Ten Most Wanted’ List Highlights Government Secrecy

News Conference 2 pm Thurs. April 15 National Press Club, Zenger Room Embargoed for release 2 p.m. Thurs. April 15 Contact: Rick Blum, 202-234-8494 x238 Washington, D.C., April 15, 2004-A   Read Full

April 15, 2004