[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 23 (Tuesday, February 9, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E179]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              THE CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH ACCESSIBILITY ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHRISTOPHER SHAYS

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 9, 1999

  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, today, Congressman David Price and I are 
introducing the Congressional Research Accessibility Act to make 
Congressional Research Service (CRS) products available to the public 
on the Internet. Senators McCain, Leahy, Lott, Abraham, Enzi and Robb 
are introducing similar legislation in the Senate.
  Under this bill, CRS will post Issue Briefs, Reports, and 
Authorization and Appropriation products to a centralized web site no 
earlier than 30 days and no later than 40 days after the information is 
made available to Members of Congress through the CRS web site. Through 
a link on their own web pages, Members of Congress and Committees may 
provide the public with access to the information stored on this 
centralized site. The 30-day delay will ensure that CRS has carried out 
its primary statutory duty of informing Congress before making the 
information available for public release. 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 that does not permit the 
submission of comments to CRS from the public. The Director of CRS is 
responsible for maintaining and updating the information made available 
on the centralized site and shall have sole discretion to edit that 
information for the purposes of removing references to employees of 
CRS, removing information which may cause copyright infringement and 
ensuring the information is accurate and current. 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. The Congressional Research Accessibility Act will enable us to 
further engage the public in the legislative process and fulfill one of 
our missions as legislators to better educate our constituents.

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