ReadTheBill.org, a project of the Sunlight Foundation aims to encourage citizens and government official alike to read bills, before debate and voting begins. Specifically, ReadTheBill aims to require the posting of non-emergency bills online for at least 72 hours prior to debate to allow citizens to read, comment, and express their reactions to their representatives. It’s a pretty simple concept, and would help increase transparency in our government. Transparency seems to be a buzzword and it’s sometimes unclear how to achieve it given the sometimes overwhelming amount of information related to the government. Small steps such as this concept are great beginning steps to encourage more active citizen participation and empowerment.
On June 16, H.Res.554 was introduced in the House, which is dubbed the “Read the Bill” bill. Head on over to OpenCongress to read H.Res.554 and then over to sign the petition in support at ReadTheBill.org
Posted via web
Thanks for supporting Read the Bill and telling your readers about it. We need all the support we can get because this bill will be an uphill battle.
I hope you can also call your member of Congress and ask them to cosponsor H. Res 554. Members of Congress and their staff need to be educated on why this measure is important and how it can help solve the problems of last minute legislation.
Again thanks for your support!
Nisha Thompson
Online Organizer
Sunlight Foundation
nthompson(at)sunlightfoundation(dot)com