Quigley’s Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act Passes Out of House Committee on Oversight & Government Reform

Today,U.S. Representatives Mike Quigley (IL-05), co-founder and co-chair of the Transparency Caucus, announced that the Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act (ACMRA), which he re-introduced in December, passed out of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. The bill aims to improve access to reports mandated by Congress through a publicly accessible website managed by the Government Publishing Office (GPO). A bipartisan Senate companion bill is being led by Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).

"In today's technologically advanced world, there are many common-sense steps Congress can take to improve access to information," said Rep. Quigley. "The American people want to play active role in legislative decision-making, and in order to do so, they deserve a transparent and easily accessible website that serves as a library of all non-confidential agency reports. A more open system will help Americans stay better informed on the issues that directly impact their lives and encourage civic discourse that fuels productive policymaking."

Each year, Congress receives thousands of reports from federal agencies but does not compile them in a central location. Currently, these reports are maintained by the Clerk of the House in a comprehensive list that runs over 320 pages, instead of in an easily searchable system. The Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act would establish a central repository accessible to congressional staffs and the general public. With this library of all non-confidential agency reports in one place, staffers would be able to maximize their time and energy to better inform lawmakers and the public would have information at their disposal for research purposes and to hold elected officials and the government accountable. This bill would ensure the government's business is done in a transparent manner.

As the co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Transparency Caucus, Rep. Quigley has been committed to expanding public access to government information and enforcing accountability. Last year, he introduced the COVFEFE Act to require presidential social media postings be classified at presidential records and the MAR-A-LAGO Act to require disclosure of visitor logs at the White House and other Trump properties where official government business is conducted. Last fall, Rep. Quigley re-introduced the Transparency in Government Act to increase access, accountability, and transparency at every branch of the federal government with a focus on federal spending, financial disclosure requirements, and improve judicial transparency.