[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 64 (Thursday, April 6, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E809]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                TRIBUTE TO THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

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                             HON. JACK REED

                            of rhode island

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, April 6, 1995
  Mr. REED. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise today to 
pay tribute to the Government Printing Office [GPO] for its outstanding 
work on the GPO Access Network. For its efforts, the GPO has received 
the James Madison Award for 1995.
  The Madison Awards are presented by the Coalition on Government 
Information to those individuals or organizations who enhance citizens' 
knowledge while championing the public's right to know. Previous 
winners of these awards include Vice President Albert Gore, Secretary 
of Energy Hazel O'Leary, and Representative Henry Waxman. The GPO is 
certainly worthy of joining this list of well-known and respected 
officials.
  The GPO has developed an access system which allows American citizens 
to obtain information including congressional bills, the Congressional 
Record, Federal Register, the U.S. Code, and more than 6,000 other 
files from 25 Federal agencies. Additionally, the network can be 
accessed at no charge from libraries that act as Federal depositories 
24 hours a day.
  As James Madison stated, ``a popular government without popular 
information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce 
or a tragedy, or, perhaps both.'' Madison realized that a well-informed 
citizenry is the crucial ingredient for healthy debate. As all of my 
colleagues are aware, informed and spirited debate is the root of a 
healthy democracy. The GPO access network is a perfect example of how 
the new information ``super highway'' will heighten the level of public 
discourse.
  In Rhode Island, the GPO has done an outstanding job of fulfilling 
Madison's vision of a politically aware and active citizenry. Because 
of the team effort of the GPO, Ocean State Free Net, and the Federal 
Depository libraries in the State, Rhode Islanders are now able to 
access all of the aforementioned information with their own home 
computers. Having such information available will enhance our citizens 
understanding of Government and their desire to participate in the 
democratic process. I am confident that continued cooperation between 
the Federal Government, State Agencies, and American citizens will 
yield rapid advancement into this new era of shared information.
  Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to commend the outstanding 
achievement and continuing efforts of the Government Printing Office, 
and I would ask my colleagues to join me in saluting them.


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