Legislators from Both Parties Move FOIA Bills Despite Bank Lobby, FTC

The bankers and regulators who brought the U.S. economy to its knees in 2009 have some shame after all. They are keeping secret their opposition to a bill strengthening the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This year, they may be in the spotlight.

In the deadlocked, do-nothing 113th Congress that ended last December, Republicans and Democrats could agree on one thing: a modest FOIA bill (S 2520, HR 1211). It passed the House 410-0 and the Senate unanimously. But it died at the last minute when House Speaker John Boehner did not bring it up to be cleared — reportedly at the urging of the banking industry and the agencies that represent ... er, regulate ... it: the Federal Trade Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Now fix-FOIA bills have risen from the ashes and look to be headed for early action in the 114th Congress. Open-government advocates are cheering loudly.

The Senate Judiciary Committee, despite changing from Democrat to Republican control, unanimously approved a FOIA bill (S 337) on February 5, 2015. A similar House bill (HR 653) was introduced February 2 and awaits action by the Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

The open-government community wasted no time in supporting the legislation. They sent a letter of support to Congressional leaders February 5. Some 47 groups signed on the the letter. This year's legislation substantially resembles last year's.

• "47 Groups Rally Around FOIA Reform As Bill Moves to Senate Floor," Sunlight Foundation, February 5, 2015, by Sean Vitka.
• "Center for Effective Government Urges Congress To Pass Legislation To Strengthen Freedom of Information Act," Center for Effective Government, Release of February 3, 2015.
• "Standoff Could Scuttle FOIA Bill," Politico, December 7, 2014, by Josh Gerstein.
• "Banking Lobbyists Opposing FOIA Bill, Sources Say," FreedomInfo blog, December 10, 2014.
• Previous Story: WatchDog of December 17, 2014.