[国会记录第163卷，第71号（2017年4月26日星期三）] [参议院] [第S2549]致敬马克斯·桑德斯先生。主席先生，我想祝贺并尊重佛蒙特州居民，以确保联邦政府和美国公众之间的透明度。Mark Schlefer of Putney，Vt，在1967年生效的信息法案中发挥了积分作用。自成立以来，Foia赋予美国人民要求从任何联邦获取记录的权利机构并有必要机构在线发布某些类别的信息和经常要求的记录。舍勒先生启发了加入法律集团，在与运输客户，太平洋远东线合作后起草了FOIA，该公司被拒绝了联邦海事委员会在马里亚纳群岛停留的关税文件。Schlefer先生不高兴地发现，美国联邦海事委员会不需要提供拒绝背后的理由的说明。与其他另外两名律师遇到与政府机构相似的情况，谢尔德先生帮助起草了FOIA的立法。经过多年的裁决​​并令人信服众议院和参议院的两位成员来支持立法，1966年7月4日由Lyndon B. Johnson主席签署了法律.Foia帮助为更高政府透明度铺平了道路。通过持有向美国人民对美国人民负责的政府官员来说，增加的透明度恢复了治理的信心。一个真正透明的政府根除系统性的废物，欺诈和虐待。 It is clear that we need to maintain the transparency and accountability of government to the people it is meant to represent. I strongly believe that, as a democracy, we must strive to make our government as transparent as possible and that citizens should be able to obtain information from the government in a reasonable fashion. Without FOIA, much of the U.S. Government would still be closed off to the American people. This legislation has been an inspiration to other governments and has served as a model throughout the world for opening government information to the public. Since FOIA was enacted nearly 50 years ago, similar Freedom of Information laws have been passed in all 50 States and 93 other nations. Mark Shlefer has demonstrated an extraordinary level of commitment to ensuring the American people had access to more information throughout the Federal Government. Since its initial enactment, all three branches of the Federal Government have recognized the FOIA as a vital part of our democracy. I heartily applaud Mr. Schlefer for leading the way to a more transparent government. I have no doubt that his outstanding life work has had a significant and positive impact on people and their governments throughout the world. ____________________