A resolution introduced in the [United States] Senate on Thursday would create a computer network to allow the public to access research reports that Congress relies on to make decisions and write laws.
Senate Resolution 118, introduced by Sens. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., and John McCain, R-Ariz., would require the creation of a database where the public could search for Congressional Research Service reports. The resolution also would require the development of an index for the reports and issue briefs. Only those reports that are available to all members of Congress would be made available to the public. Classified and sensitive documents would be exempt.
CRS is Congress' research arm and studies issues for congressional members, their staffs and committees. The agency has about 700 staff members and had a $107 million budget for fiscal 2009. The public currently cannot access the reports directly, but members of Congress and some private sector Web sites post some of them online. CRS also maintains a Web site for the reports, but only members and Hill staff can access it. ...
Lawmakers have tried to introduce similar legislation several times, but they have never made it out of committee, said Ari Schwartz, vice president and chief operating officer at the [Center for Democracy and Technology]. Because the proposed legislation is a resolution and not a bill, it would need the approval of the Senate Rules Committee and a floor vote, but not House approval or the President Obama's signature. ...
Schwartz said it is likely the resolution would pass the committee this year because both political parties support it. "Thanks to the push for openness by the executive branch, the effort is getting more attention this year," he said.
The center, however, has not heard from Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., the Rules Committee chairman, about the issues. Schumer's office did not respond to a request for comment on Friday. ...
The open access movement:
Putting peer-reviewed scientific and scholarly literature
on the internet. Making it available free of charge and
free of most copyright and licensing restrictions.
Removing the barriers to serious research.
I recommend the OA tracking project (OATP) as the best way to stay on top of new OA developments. You can read the OATP feed on a blog-like web page or subscribe to it by RSS, email, or Twitter. You can also help build the feed by tagging new developments you encounter.
