Open Communications Act

Summary

Open Communications Act - Requires each Federal agency to publish in the Federal Register a list of all its positions compensated in excess of the rate prescribed for GS-14 under the General Schedule or comparable officers of the uniformed services. Requires each official holding such a position to prepare a record of each oral or written communication received by such official initiated by persons outside the agency, which (1) pertains to an agency proceeding, (2) seeks to influence agency action, or (3) is the subject of litigation involving the agency, if such communication is not routinely available for public inspection. Sets forth required content of such records. Exempts from the record requirements of this Act (1) certain interagency communication, (2) requests for information by the press, and (3) communications relating to military or foreign affairs. Requires each agency to include such records in a public file within ten working days after receipt of the communication. States that persons communicating with Federal officials need not be identified pursuant to this Act if such person provides information under an assurance of confidentiality for use in a civil or criminal enforcement investigation or in an administrative or judicial inforcement proceeding, or if such person is the subject of a civil or criminal enforcement investigation. Permits individual agencies to broaden the scope of the requirements of this Act. Requires the Administrative conference of the United States to study the procedures established to carry out this Act and report its finding to Congress two years after the enactment of this Act.

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Timeline

1. 18 January 1977

   Introduced

   Referred to Senate Committee on the Judiciary.

   Source: IntroReferral

2. 18 January 1977

   Introduced

   Introduced in Senate

   Source: IntroReferral

Votes

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Versions

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Documents

1 official file

• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 18 January 1977

  Open at official source

Sponsors

• Sen. Kennedy, Edward M. [D-MA] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Clark, Dick [D-IA] · D · Cosponsor
• Sen. Ribicoff, Abraham A. [D-CT] · D · Cosponsor
• Sen. Stafford, Robert T. [R-VT] · R · Cosponsor
• · ssju00 · Standing

Related records

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