[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 169 (Tuesday, November 17, 2015)]
[House]
[Pages H8247-H8248]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Quigley) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Speaker, when the average American wants to learn 
about a policy, where do they turn for

[[Page H8248]]

information? Often, the answer is the 24-hour news cycle, often filled 
by talking heads and sensationalism; or, to social media and message 
boards, where anyone can post anything--credible or completely 
misinformed.
  The American public is no longer being informed by the likes of 
Walter Cronkite and Edward Murrow, and it is making our public debate 
increasingly partisan, polarized, and misinformed.
  What few realize or like to admit is that there is a way Congress can 
help elevate the debate and educate our constituents with neutral, 
unbiased, nonpartisan information from the Congressional Research 
Service, or CRS.
  For over 100 years, CRS has served as Congress' publicly funded think 
tank. Because they serve policymakers on both sides of the aisle, CRS 
researchers produce exemplary work that is accurate, nonpartisan, and 
easy to understand.
  Despite the fact that CRS receives over $100 million from taxpayers 
each year, its reports are not made available to the public. Instead, 
constituents must request individual reports through a congressional 
office. This has led to several undesirable consequences.
  Well-connected lobbyists have the easiest access to these reports, 
unlike the average American. Second, while nonprofits make some reports 
available online, there is no guarantee that they will remain available 
and up-to-date. And most outrageously, a small industry has sprung up 
reselling these reports for exorbitant fees. In other words, businesses 
are making a profit by selling publicly funded work, work that 
ultimately belongs to the people.
  Keeping these reports in the hands of Congress and beltway insiders 
is selfish and indefensible. I understand that allowing the public to 
access these reports will not answer all the questions constituents 
have about the work that happens on Capitol Hill, but it underscores 
the broader need for increased transparency in Congress and government.
  Public trust in government has reached historic lows, causing too 
many Americans to simply give up on Washington and the mission of 
government. The best way to rebuild the public's trust and promote a 
more efficient and effective government is by furthering government 
accountability through increased transparency.
  It is time to recognize that educators, students, media, and everyday 
citizens deserve access to CRS reports and that this access gives our 
constituents vital information about the issues, policies, and budgets 
we are debating here in Congress.
  That is why Congressman Lance and I introduced H. Res. 34, which 
directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to maintain a 
centralized public database for nonconfidential CRS reports. This 
resolution gives the public tools to cut through the misinformation 
they face, gives them access to something they are already paying for, 
and empowers the American people to hold Congress accountable for the 
decisions we make.
  The steps toward a more open and transparent government may seem 
modest to some, but, in reality, they have a huge impact on how 
government serves the people. The mission of government matters, and if 
we are truly here to serve the people, then we owe it to them to 
operate in an open and transparent manner.
  Let's give the public the information we are basing our decisions on. 
I urge my colleagues to stand up for transparency and accountability by 
supporting H. Res. 34. Information is power, and that is exactly what 
the American people deserve.

                          ____________________