Post in US Federal Register Announces Launch of New Electronic Public Inspection Desk

US Federal Register Announces Launch of New Electronic Public Inspection Desk From: Steven Clift Date: Nov 20 14:53 UTC Short link

Tip from John Wonderlich with the Sunlight Project:


Full press release from the National Archives regarding new online
access to federal register documents, as announced here
<http://www.archives.gov/press/press-releases/2009/nr09-06.html>.
Documents are available here
<http://www.federalregister.gov/inspection.aspx>.



      Press Release
      November 19, 2008


  Federal Register Announces Launch of New Electronic Public Inspection Desk


    Just in time for post-election regulatory flurry, access expands
    "Beyond the Beltway"


      More Information

    * Office of the Federal Register
      <http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/>
    * Daily Federal Register
      <http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/the-federal-register/>
    * www.federalregister.gov <http://www.federalregister.gov/> (link
      opens in a new window)
    * Documents on Public Inspection
      <http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/public-inspection/>

Washington, DC…The Office of the Federal Register
<http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/> has created an Electronic
Public Inspection Desk to provide free worldwide electronic access to
public documents. For the first time in the 72-year existence of the
daily Federal Register
<http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/the-federal-register/>, the
documents on file are available for viewing anytime, anywhere. Every
Federal business day, anyone with access to a computer now can read
critical documents governing Federal regulations relating to business,
health, and safety as soon as the documents are placed on file.

To view these documents, go to www.federalregister.gov
<http://www.federalregister.gov/> (link opens in a new window). See
"View Documents on Public Inspection
<http://www.federalregister.gov/inspection.aspx>" (link opens in a new
window) on the left hand side. This new desk grants the public access to
documents that will be published in the next day's Federal Register as
early at 8:45 a.m. EST. Previously, such documents could only be seen by
viewing the documents physically located at the Office of the Federal
Register in Washington, DC.

Citizens across the country no longer need depend upon representatives
in Washington, DC, to gain access to this material. The Electronic
Public Inspection Desk has leveled the playing field in the competition
for access to information. The dream of free access to government
information that drove passage of the Federal Register Act and the
Administrative Procedure Act has been realized.

This development is perfectly timed for the 2008 Presidential election.
Traditionally, after an election the Federal Register experiences a
large increase in regulations, and this year is no exception. Now,
anyone, anywhere, can monitor this flurry of activity through the click
of a mouse. The web site has been particularly useful in providing
up-to-the minute access to Treasury Department and Federal Reserve
regulations issued in response to the ongoing financial crisis. The
newly released 2007 edition of the Privacy Act Issuances is also posted
on the web site to provide citizens with broader access to provisions of
law that protect personal privacy.


        Background

For 72 years, the Office of the Federal Register
<http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/> has carried out its mandate
to provide for public inspection of documents before publication in the
daily Federal Register
<http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/the-federal-register/>. Once a
document goes on file at the Office of the Federal Register, the public
at large is deemed to have legal notice of its contents. But as a
practical matter, only a relative handful of Beltway insiders had the
means to go to the physical location of the Office of the Federal
Register in Washington, DC, to monitor daily filings on behalf of their
clients. Due to these technical, logistical, and financial restraints
early access to valuable information was restricted to a select few.
Until now.

#   #   #

For press information, contact the National Archives Public Affairs
staff at (202) 357-5300.
    

09-06