U.S. House passes OPEN Government Act -- on to the president
The U.S. House passed the OPEN Government Act by a two-thirds vote today, sending it to the president's desk for a signature. If signed, the legislation would create an ombudsman to mediate disputes, make it easier for people to recoup legal fees if an agency denies a request wrongfully, and improve tracking of requests. SPJ and other organizations applauded the bipartisan effort to strengthen the law, while still protecting personal privacy and national security. See
SPJ statement.