Issa, Quigley Host Transparency Caucus Event on Open Data and Job Creation
WASHINGTON – Yesterday, U.S. Representatives Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Mike Quigley (D-IL) hosted a Congressional Transparency Caucus briefing on the need to promote open government data to enhance government transparency and fuel economic growth and job creation.
"It's time to utilize today's technology to pull our government out the past and modernize public access to information. Making government data available online and in a standard, easy to use format will promote much-needed government transparency, and will allow entrepreneurs to build innovative new products and services that create 21st century jobs," said Rep. Quigley.
Last year, the House of Representatives adopted H.R. 2061, the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act (DATA Act) on a vote of 388-1. Sponsored by Rep. Issa and co-sponsored by Rep. Quigley, the DATA Act will make federal spending data publically available and easily accessible and will create more useful government-wide financial data standards.
"Only by opening up government spending data can we see exactly what our government is doing with our money. No other data set is as central to government management and transparency. At the same time, making all federal spending information useful by publishing it in a machine readable format can boost economic growth and create jobs. Companies will be able to analyze government data against other data sets, allowing them to add value and sell their services to a wide variety of businesses," saidRep. Issa.
Reps. Issa and Quigley are co-founders and co-chairs of the bipartisan Congressional Transparency Caucus, which seeks to enact legislation that will bring openness and accessibility to the federal government. Previously, the Transparency Caucus hosted a briefing on the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).