Government openness and transparency promote an informed public and an accountable government by ensuring greater access to government information.
Classification Policy
Recognizing the need to balance security and transparency, AALL supports policies that limit classification and encourage declassification of government information.
Freedom of Information Act
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is an essential federal open government law that allows for the full or partial disclosure of previously unreleased information and documents controlled by the federal government.
Formal Statements
- Comments to the Office of Management and Budget, To urge that revisions to the proposed Uniform Freedom of Information Act Fee Schedule and Guidelines clarify that librarians and other staff of educational institutions qualify for FOIA’s educational institution requester category (June 2, 2020)
Net Neutrality
Network neutrality keeps the internet open, promoting innovation, competition, and intellectual freedom.
Formal Statements
- Letter to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Asking him to bring the Save the Internet Act, S.682, to a vote (June 11, 2019)
- Letter to Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, Urging House members to pass the Save the Internet Act, H.R. 1644 (April 2, 2019)
Other Issues
AALL supports increased access to government records and government data.
Formal Statements
- Letter to Chairman Johnson and Ranking Member Peters, In support of the Grant Reporting Efficiency and Agreements Transparency (GREAT) Act of 2019, H.R. 150/S. 1829 (June 18, 2019)