Open Government Directive

More than 60 percent of federal agencies have not responded to calls by Congress or President Barack Obama to update their Freedom of Information Act regulations, according to a National Security Archive report released today.

An independent audit conducted by a collection of nonprofit organizations, academics, and other public interest groups revealed great variation in agency compliance with the Obama administration’s Open Government Directive.

Federal agencies unveiled open government plans this week as required by the Obama administration's Open Government Directive. Though the assessments made by open-government advocates have been largely positive, some agencies' plans display a stronger commitment to transparency than others.

December's Open Government Directive set April 7 as the deadline for agencies to release their plans for improving transparency and access to records. The open government plans are now available on each agency’s Web site.

The Office of Management and Budget released a memorandum on Monday that outlines ways federal agencies can use prizes and competitions to increase compliance with its December Open Government Directive that set deadlines for agencies to make data available online.