By putting CRS on line, Congress will give citizens ready access to what they've already paid for. More important, citizens will have access to material that can help them understand more fully the complicated issues and legislation that emanate from Washington. And that will help them be better citizens and better voters. Put the CRS on line now. The CRS is a particularly good source for finding out how much money the federal government is spending on various programs.
Information is power.
As it is, far too much of what Congress does is blocked from public access on the Internet. Voters ought to have easy access to the research used in legislative debates. In a cyberspace age, access to timely information is the essence of good decision-making. It serves as a defibrillator to jolt the Capitol information system back to life. Mr. Shays and his co-sponsors are to be commended for insisting that this useful CRS material be posted on the Internet.