GPO committed to transparency

Open Data/Transparency

GPO committed to transparency

The U.S. Government Printing Office has laid out its goals for making government more open and transparent.

Federal News Network Staff

March 23, 2009 4:09 pm

1 min read

By Brian Drew
Internet Editor,
FederalNewsRadio

The U.S. Government Printing Office has laid out its goals for making government more open and transparent.

In a letter to President Barack Obama, Public Printer Robert Tapella stated that his office was devoted to the idea of open government, and lays out his goals for how the GPO can help achieve the president’s goals.

Tapella points out the Federal Digital System (FDsys), a newly launched online information management system, has more than 154,000 accessible documents online.

He writes that the GPO is in a “unique position” to assist the president in carrying out his transparency initiatives.

“Providing transparency has been GPO’s role since it was established in 1861,” he adds.

Tapella included five goals and planned actions in the letter for the president to review. Those goals are:

Position FDsys as the official repository of Federal Government Publications
Enable and support FDsys to support public comments on pending legislation
Establishing a demonstration project to apply Web 2.0 features on rule making documents
Participate and lead efforts to standardize electronic publishing formats
Link whitehouse.gov to FDsys for public searches of government documents

The letter also includes a flow chart with a proposal for collecting comments on bills.

Tapella sent the same letter to Peter Orszag, Director of the Office of Management of Budget, and Rep. Robert Brady (D-Penn.), chairman of the Joint Committee on Printing.

——–

On the Web:

GPO – Letter to President Obama

GPO – Federal Digital System (FDsys)

FederalNewsRadio – GPO seeking sustainable paper