From epin@access.digex.net Thu Oct 12 13:08:12 1995 Received: from access4.digex.net (qlQY5O6Ug0iUg@access4.digex.net [205.197.245.195]) by eff.org (8.6.12/8.6.6) with ESMTP id NAA27467 for ; Thu, 12 Oct 1995 13:08:11 -0700 Received: (from epin@localhost) by access4.digex.net (8.6.12/8.6.12) id QAA01356 ; for ; Thu, 12 Oct 1995 16:08:02 -0400 Date: Thu, 12 Oct 1995 16:08:02 -0400 (EDT) From: James McDonough To: Stanton McCandlish Subject: EPIN 16 Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Status: O ********************************************************** SUMMARY OF ELECTRONIC PUBLIC INFORMATION NEWSLETTER VOL. 5, NO. 16; August 11, 1995 ********************************************************** INDEX: 1. LIBRARIES ADVOCATE NEW FEDERAL DISSEMINATION STRUCTURE 2. THREE SENATORS INTRODUCE AN ELECTRONIC FOIA LEGISLATION 3. SENATE INCORPORATES INFO TECH BILL IN DEFENSE MEASURE **************************************************************** For more information on the complete ELECTRONIC PUBLIC INFORMATION NEWSLETTER or to receive a FREE sample of the complete printed copy send an email message to EPIN Publishing at epin@access.digex.net. Include your snail mail address. ***************************************************************** 1. LIBRARIES ADVOCATE NEW FEDERAL DISSEMINATION STRUCTURE: Speaking on behalf of seven national library associations, Betty J. Turock, president of the American Library Association (ALA), urged a radical restructuring of the federal government to better facilitate the dissemination of government information in both print and electronic formats. Testifying before the Committee on House Oversight on August 1, Turock presented working models for dissemination of government information that would 1) place responsibility for dissemination of government information with a Chief Federal Information Dissemination Officer (now the Superintendent of Documents) and a Steering Committee composed of representatives of the three branches of government and 2) reinvent the Depository Library Program as a flexible federal/state/local partnership. The Government Printing Office (GPO) reacted with caution regarding the Library proposal. A GPO spokesman said his agency has "some concerns" about "how workable" the proposal is. He stated that Public Printer Michael DiMario has expressed these concerns to a group of library representatives. 2. THREE SENATORS INTRODUCE AN ELECTRONIC FOIA LEGISLATION: Three senators introduced a bill last month (7/28) aimed at increasing public access to the electronic records of Federal agencies, and to alleviate the delays in processing requests for Government records. "The Electronic Freedom of Information Act of 1995" (S. 1090) would increase online access to government information, including agency regulations, opinions, and policy statements, and FOIA-released records that are the subject of repeated requests. The bill also would require all Federal agencies to use technology to make Government more accessible and accountable to its citizens by requiring an assessment of how new computer systems could enhance agency FOIA operations. Sens. Patrick Leahy, D-VT, Hank Brown, R-CO, and John F. Kerry, D-MA, stated on introducing the bill that they recognized that the federal government must take advantage of the benefits of new technologies to provide easier and broader dissemination of information. 3. SENATE INCORPORATES INFO TECH BILL IN DEFENSE MEASURE: The Senate has incorporated the "Information Technology Management Reform Act of 1995," (S. 946) providing for a Chief Information Officer (CIO) of the United States and agency CIOs as part of the Department of Defense Authorization Act for FY96 (S. 1026). The incorporated bill amends the Paperwork Reduction Act, expanding the authority of the Office of Management and Budget for evaluating agency information systems as part of the annual budget process. Sponsored by Sen. Bill Cohen, R-ME, the bill would also create a interagency Council of Chief Information Officers. Its main purpose would be to streamline procurement of information technology. *************************************************************** ARCHIVE: EPIN Summaries are being archived on the Electronic Frontier Foundation system. To access past summaries, use the following addresses: ftp.eff.org, /pub/Publications/E-journals/EPIN/ gopher.eff.org, 1/Publications/E-journals/EPIN gopher://gopher.eff.org/hh/Publications/E-journals/EPIN/ http://www.eff.org/pub/Publications/E-journals/EPIN/ ***************************************************************** James McDonough, Editor Electronic Public Information Newsletter epin@access.digex.net; Tel:/Fax: (301) 365-3621