Public Policy Connections

Public Access Mandate Made Law

President Bush has signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2007 (H.R. 2764), which includes a provision directing the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to provide the public with open online access to findings from its funded research. This is the first time the U.S. government has mandated public access to research funded by a major agency. Read press release.

Eight organizations, including SLA, wrote a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt thanking him for his past support of open and timely Internet access to NIH research articles and urging him to ensure that the policy be implemented without delay. Read letter.

Letters were also written to Sen.Tom Harkin (D, Iowa) and Rep. David Obey (D, Wisconsin) thanking them for their leadership in delivering public access to publicly funded research. Read letter to Sen. Harkin. Read letter to Rep. Obey.

Concern Expressed Regarding FOIA Funding

Forty-three organizations, including SLA, wrote letters to congressional Appropriations Committee chairs and ranking members expressing concern that Bush proposed FY 2009 budget attempts to repeal a section of law and shift funding for a new Office of Government Information Services at the National Archives and Records Administration to the Department of Justice.

The letters urged congressional appropriators to protect the OPEN Government Acts creation of the Office of Government Information Services at the National Archives and Records Administration. Read Senate Letter. Read House Letter.