Groups press for transparency for joint congressional ‘supercommittee’

The supercommittee, created under the debt-limit bill, will write its own rules to govern its disclosure practices.

Along with the website, OMB Watch is insisting that the panel comprise members who support “an open and accountable process,” that all official meetings are open to the press and the general public and that the panel publishes public comments.

OMB Watch also is asking for committee members and all staff to post their financial disclosure forms online and keep them there for at least nine months after the committee disbands.

It also is requesting that campaign contributions are put online within 24 hours of receipt and left online through the election.

“We need to inject openness and mechanisms for the public’s voice into this important national debate,” the group blogged. “The stakes are high. Special interest lobbyists are already gearing up to defend their pet projects. 

“They’d rather operate in the dark — and usually, Congress would, too. We have to make it clear that is not how democracy operates.”

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), along with several senators, including Dean Heller (R-Nev.), David Vitter (R-La.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.), are joining OMB Watch and the Sunlight Foundation in pressing for greater accountability and transparency in the supercommittee’s process. 

Congressional leaders of the House and Senate have until Aug. 16 to make their appointments to the panel (three chosen by each party in each chamber), which will aim to reduce the debt by $1.5 trillion. 

The supercommittee’s recommendations must be reported out by Nov. 23 and voted up or down in the House and Senate by Dec. 23.