On the recordMay 19, 2010
Mr. Speaker, the public's trust in government is near an all-time low. According to a recent CBS/New York Times survey, only 19 percent of the people said they trust the government to do what is right. This deficit of trust is not inconsequential. Without the public's trust, we cannot effectively govern; but we can rebuild this lost confidence by opening up the government and making its inner workings more transparent. I recently introduced H.R. 4983, the Transparency in Government Act, a bill that calls for unprecedented government transparency. H.R. 4983 increases disclosures from lobbyists and lawmakers, creates the first centralized earmark database, and improves oversight of Federal contracts. As Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis said: Sunlight is the best of disinfectants. And at a time when the public's trust in government is perilously low, we could use a bit of sunlight. And go, Black Hawks. ____________________
