Darrell Issa: “I thank the chairman. It is no accident that this is one of the first bills of the new year. Like some of the other…”

“I thank the chairman. It is no accident that this is one of the first bills of the new year. Like some of the other legislation, it is not a new idea. In many ways, what it really is is this body, once again, if you will, reiterating when we talk about freedom of information for the American people, whether it is a private citizen who doesn't know what the government knows about him or her and would like to or it is an interest group, a think tank, or very, very often the press--The New York Times, The Washington Post, the LA Times, and a host more--wanting to know what the government is doing, what their government is doing with their money, their freedoms. This bill emphasizes in no uncertain terms something that is long overdue: that the balance between the American people's right to know about their information and the government's right to keep a secret shall always be balanced in favor and presumed to be the American people's right. In other words, no longer, after this bill is signed into law, will an administration, Republican or Democratic, be able to presume that they are going to say no if they possibly can. Instead, this bill shifts the burden to the presumption of yes. Not only does it shift the burden, but it puts an outright mandate that, after 25 years, information not covered by national security requirements or classifications of secret or above, shall, in fact, simply be available.…”