I 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 6289 

To direct the Librarian of Congress to make available to the public the 

bulk legislative summary and status data used to provide the information 

posted on the THOMAS website, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 29, 2010 

Mr. FOSTER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on House Administration 

A BILL 

To direct the Librarian of Congress to make available to 

the public the bulk legislative summary and status data 

used to provide the information posted on the THOMAS 

website, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Legislative Data 

5 Transparency and Public Access Act of 2010’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

7 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 


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1 (1) Since its launch in 1995, the Web site 

2 THOMAS has been an important source of free pub3 lic information on Federal legislation. 

4 (2) In the years since the introduction of 

5 THOMAS, the Internet has evolved into what is 

6 commonly referred to as Web 2.0, which encourages 

7 the reuse of open source information though collabo8 ration, interactivity, and data standardization. 

9 (3) Allowing the public to download the THOM10 AS Web site’s bulk legislative summary and status 

11 data will enable independent Web sites and outside 

12 watchdog groups to use the data in new and innova13 tive ways that make the proceedings of Congress 

14 easier to follow and government more transparent. 

15 (4) In its 2007 report on Congressional Infor16 mation and the Internet, the Open House Project 

17 recommended that Congress ‘‘make available to the 

18 public a well-supported database of all bill status 

19 and summary information currently accessible 

20 through the Library of Congress.’’ 

21 (5) The Open House Project also noted that 

22 ‘‘Six states already publish the status of their state 

23 legislation in a structured data format: Connecticut, 

24 Illinois . . . Minnesota, Oregon, Texas and Vir25 ginia.’’ 


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1 (b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con2 gress that the Library of Congress should work toward 

3 improving public access to all THOMAS data, including 

4 the text of legislation, in bulk. 

5 SEC. 3. PUBLIC AVAILABILITY OF BULK LEGISLATIVE 

6 DATA. 

7 (a) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY THROUGH INTERNET.— 

8 As soon as practicable, the Librarian of Congress, in con9 sultation with the Director of the Congressional Research 

10 Service, the Public Printer, the Clerk of the House of Rep11 resentatives, and the Secretary of the Senate, shall make 

12 available to the public through the Internet the bulk legis13 lative summary and status data used by the Librarian to 

14 provide the information the Librarian posts on the 

15 THOMAS Web site. 

16 (b) METHOD AND MANNER OF AVAILABILITY.—In 

17 making available the bulk legislative data required under 

18 subsection (a), the Librarian shall ensure the following: 

19 (1) The data is available in a searchable, sort20 able, and downloadable manner. 

21 (2) The data available for downloading shall in22 clude status and summary information on legisla23 tion. 

24 (3) The data is provided in a structured, non25 proprietary format. 


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1 (4) The data is available free of charge. 

2 (5) The data is updated continuously in a time3 ly manner. 

4 (6) The database involved includes the following 

5 supporting information: 

6 (A) A roster showing each Member of Con7 gress (including each Delegate and Resident 

8 Commissioner to the Congress), the Member’s 

9 committee assignments, and the ZIP Codes in10 cluded in each Member’s congressional district. 

11 (B) Such other supporting information as 

12 the Librarian considers appropriate. 

13 (7) The data is provided in a manner consistent 

14 with the standards developed and published under 

15 subsection (c). 

16 (c) DEVELOPMENT OF STANDARDS.—Prior to mak17 ing available the bulk legislative data described in sub18 section (a), the Librarian of Congress, in consultation with 

19 the individuals described in such subsection, shall develop 

20 and publish standards for the downloading and public 

21 availability of the data, and shall update such standards 

22 at such frequency as the Librarian considers appropriate. 

23 SEC. 4. ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON THOMAS. 

24 (a) ADVISORY COMMITTEE.—There is hereby estab25 lished in the Library of Congress the Advisory Committee 


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1 on THOMAS (hereafter in this section referred to as the 

2 ‘‘Advisory Committee’’). 

3 (b) MEMBERS.— 

4 (1) APPOINTMENT.—The Advisory Committee 

5 shall consist of 16 members appointed as follows: 

6 (A) Seven individuals appointed by the Li7 brarian of Congress who have expertise in dis8 ciplines such as legislative access, Internet tech9 nology, and open government, and who shall in10 clude representatives of academia, the nonprofit 

11 sector, the for-profit sector, and users of the 

12 THOMAS Web site. 

13 (B) Four individuals appointed by the Li14 brarian of Congress who are employees of the 

15 Federal government with expertise in access to 

16 government information and Internet tech17 nology. 

18 (C) The Law Librarian of Congress (or the 

19 Law Librarian’s designee). 

20 (D) The Clerk of the House of Representa21 tives (or the Clerk’s designee). 

22 (E) The Secretary of the Senate (or the 

23 Secretary’s designee). 

24 (F) The Public Printer (or the Public 

25 Printer’s designee). 


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1 (G) The Director of the Congressional Re2 search Service (or the Director’s designee). 

3 (2) DEADLINE FOR APPOINTMENTS.—The Li4 brarian of Congress shall appoint the members de5 scribed in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph 

6 (1) not later than 60 days after the date of the en7 actment of this Act. 

8 (3) TERM OF SERVICE; VACANCIES.—Members 

9 of the Advisory Committee shall serve for a term of 

10 3 years, and may be appointed to additional terms. 

11 Any vacancy in the Advisory Committee shall be 

12 filled in the manner in which the original appoint13 ment was made. 

14 (4) NO COMPENSATION.—Members of the Advi15 sory Committee shall serve without pay, but shall re16 ceive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 

17 subsistence, in accordance with applicable provisions 

18 under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United 

19 States Code. Members of the Advisory Committee 

20 who are full-time officers or employees of the United 

21 States may not receive additional pay, allowances, or 

22 benefits by reason of their service on the Commis23 sion. 

24 (c) SUPPORT FROM LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS.—The 

25 Librarian of Congress shall provide the Advisory Board 


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1 with the administrative, professional, and technical sup2 port required by the Advisory Board to carry out its re3 sponsibilities under this section. 

4 (d) MEETINGS.—The Advisory Committee shall meet 

5 on a regular basis at the call of a majority of its members. 

6 Meetings shall be open to the public. 

7 (e) DUTIES.—The Advisory Committee shall— 

8 (1) review progress toward making all of the 

9 data of the THOMAS Web site available in bulk; 

10 and 

11 (2) provide general advice to the Librarian of 

12 Congress on improving digital access and THOMAS 

13 services. 

14 (f) REPORTS.—Not later than 180 days after the 

15 date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, 

16 the Advisory Committee shall submit a report on its activi17 ties to the Committee on House Administration of the 

18 House of Representatives and the Committee on Rules 

19 and Administration of the Senate, and shall include in the 

20 report such recommendations as the Advisory Committee 

21 considers appropriate. 

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