[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 2 (Wednesday, January 28, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E29]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E29]]



 A BILL TO MAKE CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE PRODUCTS ELECTRONICALLY 
                        AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHRISTOPHER SHAYS

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 28, 1998

  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, Representatives Price, Morella, McHale, 
Meehan, White and I are introducing a bill that will make CRS products 
available on a web site accessible by the public. Senators McCain, 
Coats, Faircloth and Ashcroft are introducing the same bill in the 
Senate.
  Under the bill, Issue Briefs, Reports, and Authorization and 
Appropriation products will be made available 30 days after the first 
day that the information is made available to Members of Congress 
through the Congressional Research Service Web site. This delay will 
make sure that CRS has carried out its primary statutory duty of 
informing Congress before releasing information to the public. Also, it 
will allow CRS to verify that its products are accurate and ready for 
public release.
  The bill requires the Director of CRS to make the information 
available in a practical and reasonable manner. In addition, the public 
will not be allowed to write responses or research requests directly to 
CRS. Members of Congress will still be able to make confidential 
requests which will not be released to the public.
  Congress has worked to make itself more open and accessible to the 
public. I have yet to hear of a strong policy reason why we should not 
allow the public to access this information. This bill will enable us 
to further engage the public in the legislative process and fulfill one 
of our missions as legislators to educate our constituents about the 
issues that affect our times.

                          ____________________