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Revealed Source of Secret Hold Could Promote FOIA Reform

by Society of Professional Journalists - 06/01/07 3:58 PM ET

The nation’s largest journalism advocacy organization is delighted that Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) finally has owned up to using a cowardly “secret hold” to stall what is incredibly important legislation to all Americans. He should feel silly for working from the shadows to derail legislation that would make government more transparent.

The Open Government Act of 2007 would significantly reform the federal Freedom of Information Act, which is one of the strongest tools citizens have to supervise the inner workings of government and to hold elected officials accountable.

Now that we know who is behind the bill’s delay — it wasn’t a unanimous Senate Judiciary Committee and it wasn’t a majority of the U.S. House, which approved a similar measure in March — perhaps we can have more open and direct debate and see FOIA reform in short order.