[国会纪录：2008年1月23日（参议院）] [Page S201-S202]开放政府法案雷希先生。主席先生，正如我们开始新的一年 - 参议院开始新的会议 - 美国人有一个新的法律，荣誉和保护他们的知识。我很高兴在2007年期间，总统签署了Leahy-cornyn开放，促进了我们国家政府法案的有效性，“公开政府法”为法律制定了第一次重大改革信息的自由行为，在十多年上的“foia”。今天，我们的政府对美国人民更开放和对美国人民令人责任，而不是一年前。随着FOIA改革立法的颁布，大会要求并赢得了关于行政部门活动的更多开放性和责任。我呼吁总统大力，忠实地执行开放的政府法案，我希望他能够完全执行这一立法。可悲的是，来自政府的早期迹象是令人不安的。就在本周，政府当局表示，它将在“国家档案馆的公开政府法”行事下，为政府行政行政行政部门创造的政府信息服务办公室提供急需的资金。这样的举动不仅与国会的快速意图相反，但它也与本立法的目的相反 - 确保美国的FOIA要求及时和公平解决。 Given its abysmal record on FOIA compliance during the last 7 years, I hope that the administration will reconsider this unsound decision and enforce this law as the Congress intended. In addition, for the first time ever under the new law implementing the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, Federal agencies will be required to fully disclose to Congress their use of data mining technology to monitor the activities of ordinary American citizens. I am pleased that this law contains the reforms that I cosponsored last year to require data mining reporting and to strengthen the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board. Surely all of these OPEN Government reforms are cause to celebrate. But there is much more work to be done. During the second session of the 110th Congress, I intend to work hard to build upon these OPEN Government successes, so that we have a government that is more open and accountable to all Americans. As chairman of the Judiciary Committee, I have made oversight of the FOIA reforms contained in the OPEN Government Act one of my top priorities. I will also continue to work closely with Members on both sides of the aisle and in both Chambers to address the growing and troubling use of FOIA (b)(3) exemptions to withhold information from the American people. As the son of a Vermont printer, I understand the great value of documenting and preserving our Nation's rich history for future generations, so that our democracy remains open and [[Page S202]] free. Next month, I will convene an important hearing of the Judiciary Committee on the Founding Fathers Project and the effort to make the historical writings of our Nation's Founders more accessible and open to the public. I will also work to ensure Senate passage of the Presidential Records Act Amendments of 2007, S. 886 to reverse a troubling Bush administration policy to curtail the disclosure of Presidential records. And I will continue my fight to ensure the public's right to know by urging the prompt consideration and passage of meaningful press shield legislation in the Senate. More that two centuries ago, Patrick Henry proclaimed that ``[t]he liberties of a people never were, nor ever will be, secure, when the transactions of their rulers may be concealed from them.'' I could not agree more. Open government is not a Democratic value, nor a Republican value. It is an American value and an American virtue. In this new year, at this new and historic time for our Nation, I urge all Members to join me in supporting an agenda of an open and transparent Government on behalf of all Americans. ____________________