The bad news is that the Congressional Research Service is conducting an intensive lobbying effort to prevent its reports from being placed on the Internet. Most of the legislative action on the bills is focused in the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, which held two hearings touching upon whether CRS reports should be placed on the Internet. In our view, it may be true that the CRS is understaffed. If so, their budget should be increased. But that is no reason to deny taxpayers access to CRS reports via the Internet.
Taxpayers ought to be able to read the research that they pay for.
Please call, write, phone, fax, or e-mail Chairman Warner and Senators on the Rules and Administration Committee. Tell them you want to read CRS reports and products on the Internet, and that you want them to support S. 1578. For e-mail addresses of Members of Congress, check The Internet Activist. 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.