[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 45 (Wednesday, March 15, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S1813]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                             Sunshine Week

  Mr. President, on another matter, in spite of the snow yesterday, I 
recognize the fact that this is Sunshine Week. Sunshine Week is a 
movement that was created to highlight the need for more transparent 
and open government. Justice Brandeis is also often quoted when one 
talks about transparency in government and its importance to a 
functioning democracy when he said that sunlight is the best 
disinfectant.
  As a conservative, I would much rather have people change their 
behavior in their knowing that their actions are going to be public 
rather than to pass new laws and new regulations. To me, knowing that 
the public is going to be aware of what one is doing causes people, 
typically, to be on their best behavior. I think that is the reason I 
support Justice Brandeis' comment that sunlight is the best 
disinfectant. I believe that is true.
  I have done my best to keep that sentiment in mind to create 
legislation that presses our democracy toward more openness in the 
Federal Government, not less. That is because I believe our country 
grows stronger when operating under the principle that an open 
government is the basic requirement for a healthy democracy. Of course, 
when voters know and understand what their government is doing, they 
are in the best position to change its direction if they disagree with 
it or to reaffirm that direction by casting their votes as informed 
members of the electorate.
  Democracy can only work when the public knows what government is 
doing and can hold it accountable, so I am glad that at this time of 
year, we can look back at the successful efforts we have made to 
promote transparency while looking ahead to do more.
  Last Congress, I introduced the Freedom of Information Act 
Improvement Act. It is a law that strengthens the existing Freedom of 
Information Act, which is the country's chief open government law, by 
requiring Federal agencies to operate under a presumption of openness 
when considering whether to release government information in their 
custody.
  We passed it last summer, and President Obama signed it into law. 
This important new law accomplishes some of the most sweeping and 
meaningful reforms in its history to the Freedom of Information Act, 
and it is already making a direct impact by helping the public access 
more information.
  Because of the Freedom of Information Act Improvement Act, last 
October, the CIA released a portion of its official history of the Bay 
of Pigs invasion, which has been kept classified for decades. This is a 
critical part of our Nation's history that is worth knowing, and I 
believe it is no longer necessary to keep it under wraps in order to 
protect America's national security.
  This serves as an example of what we are trying to accomplish with 
this law and others like it so as to build upon the idea the Founding 
Fathers recognized hundreds of years ago; that a truly democratic 
system depends on an informed citizenry to hold its leaders 
accountable. That is an idea everyone in this Chamber, on both sides of 
the aisle, can agree upon.
  I am thankful to the senior Senator from Vermont, Mr. Leahy, for 
working with me on the Freedom of Information Act Improvement Act and 
making it a priority. As a matter of fact, Senator Leahy has been my 
partner on a number of our efforts in this important area over the 
years that we have both been in the Senate.
  I also appreciate Chairman Grassley's leadership, the chairman of the 
Senate Judiciary Committee, for stewarding this bill through the 
committee, and I appreciate Leader McConnell for making sure this was a 
priority for this Chamber.
  In looking ahead, I will continue working with Chairman Grassley to 
make sure the Federal agencies are implementing this law in a timely 
manner, and I look forward to doing more to strengthen greater 
government transparency measures in the future.