Easy, Timely, Public Access to CRS Reports Urged

Efforts to make Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports more accessible to the public received another boost today from Sen. Joe Lieberman, (ID-Conn.), who asked that a complete system be crafted that is readily accessible to the public. Currently, making the reports public is a time intensive task handled by congressional staff. Lieberman’s request went to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, (D-CA), head of the Senate Rules Committee, and follows his introduction of resolution S. Res 401, which also calls for greater public access to the reports. CDT supports Sen. Lieberman’s request and calls on Congress and the CRS to develop a system as described in his letter. CDT’s OpenCRS project provides public access to a portion of these taxpayer funded, unclassified reports that have been released by various members of Congress.