Quigley, Issa Host Bipartisan Briefing on Preservation of Government Data

Press Release

Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the Congressional Transparency Caucus, along with Rep. Darrell Issa (CA-49), hosted the first bipartisan Transparency Caucus briefing in the 115th Congress to discuss web harvesting and the preservation of government data. Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), who serves as Vice Chair of the Sustainable Energy & Environment Coalition (SEEC), released the following statement on Congress' consideration of House resolutions that would revoke existing federal rules that protect the environment and support American businesses:

"Only one month into their newfound majorities in both Chambers of Congress, Republicans are wasting no time attacking clean air and clean water; once again putting the interests of corporate donors over the health of their constituents and the preservation of our shared environment.

"The Stream Protection Rule was developed over the course of nearly a decade, in concert with the public, businesses and impartial experts to update 30-year-old rules on polluted land and water near coal communities. Now, Republicans want to eliminate it with just an hour of debate, subjecting local residents to higher risks of cancer, birth defects, and heart and lunch disease--all known impacts of exposure to the dangerous toxins this rule addresses.

"At the same time, my Republican colleagues are also moving forward with plans to attack Bureau of Land Management Methane Waste rule, even though it is overwhelmingly popular with residents and businesses in western states and helps create jobs and save money. Wasted methane on federal lands takes millions of dollars out of taxpayers' pockets each year, and the unused gas contributes to air pollution that has been linked to asthma in children. A rule requiring companies to capture and sell methane on federal land, instead of venting into the air, is smart policy; attacking popular rules that save money and lives is not.

"Eliminating clean air and water protections via a blunt and obscure legislative ploy will only roll back environmental progress and hurt the American people. Voters expect and deserve more from those who represent them in government, and I hope Republicans in Congress will drop their senseless attacks on our environment. Instead, I encourage them to work with us on policies that promote robust, sustained, and clean economic growth."

During his time in Congress, Rep. Quigley has been a stalwart protector of the environment. Most recently, he spoke to colleagues addressing the urgent realities of climate change and to students and faculty at Northwestern University on the importance of continued climate action in the face of climate denial. After the crisis in Flint, Michigan, he partnered with members of both the House and Senate to help keep children living in public housing safe from toxic lead exposure. He also visited Chicago's Loyola University to discuss how to implement more bird-safe measures for campus buildings, secured funding for urban flooding measures to help safeguard millions of Chicagoland residents, and introduced legislation to help scientists protect Great Lakes fishery system. Last year, Rep. Quigley toured Chicago to hear from local environmental experts and visit projects geared at reducing Chicago's contributions to global climate change and preparing to handle already inevitable climate impacts

"In this increasingly digital age it is essential that we emphasize the importance of archiving electronic government data to help us make informed policy decisions rooted in facts and evidence. It remains deeply discouraging that the federal government does not have a formal process to ensure this vital information is preserved to help us develop solutions that improve the lives of our constituents," said Rep. Quigley. "I thank Rep. Issa and today's panelists for shining a light on this important topic, which is critical in increasing government accountability, especially at the start of a new Administration."

"As technology advances and communication evolves, so too do the challenges in assuring our government stays transparent and our public records remain accurate," said Rep. Issa. "Outside groups have made tremendous progress developing tools to help preserve government data -- but our government itself hasn't kept up. From Tweets and Presidential Records to electronic messaging and other new forms of communication, we must ensure these records are maintained appropriately. It's crucial to the public's ability to hold our government accountable. I look forward to continuing solutions that address these challenges and advance transparent governance."

In 2008, the National Archives and Records Administration announced that it would no longer include the critical research, agency records, and web snapshots that only exist electronically in their end-of-administration archives. Luckily, in advance of the presidential administration transition in 2009, the "End of Term Archives" and other volunteer groups, libraries, and universities began archiving government information that was in jeopardy of being discarded. Changes in administration, including the transition currently taking place, highlight the need for the federal government to play a role in preserving all government data for future use.

Reps. Quigley and Issa gave opening remarks, followed by a panelist discussion. Panelists included: Alex Howard, Sunlight Foundation; Abbie Grotke, Library of Congress; and Bethany Wiggin, University of Pennslyvania.

The bipartisan Transparency Caucus serves as a resource for Members of Congress on bipartisan, open government initiatives. The caucus promotes legislation that requires federal information to be freely accessible, as well as advocates for new programs that support transparency.

Rep. Quigley has made government reform, transparency and fiscal responsibility the cornerstones of his legislative agenda throughout his time in Congress. In addition to serving as a co-founder and co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Transparency Caucus, he has reached across the aisle to introduce bipartisan bills that would provide public access to taxpayer-funded reports written by the Congressional Research Service and federal agencies.

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