Government in the Sunshine Act

openUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

15 January 1975

Last action

13 September 1976 · President

Status

Public law 94-409.

Summary

Government in the Sunshine Act - Title I: Congressional Procedures - Requires each meeting of each standing, select, or special committee or subcommittee of the Senate and House of Representatives, including meetings to conduct hearings, to be open to the public. Provides that a portion or portions of such meetings may be closed to the public if the committee or subcommittee determines by vote of a majority of a quorum of the members present that the matters to be discussed or the testimony to be taken: (1) will disclose matters necessary to be kept secret in the interests of national defense or the confidential conduct of the foreign policy of the United States; (2) will relate solely to matters of committee staff personnel or internal staff management; or (3) will tend to charge with crime or misconduct, or to disgrace any individual, or will represent a clearly unwarranted invasion of the privacy of any individual (unless it relates to any government officer or employee with respect to his official duties or employment); (4) will disclose information pertaining to any investigation conducted for law enforcement purposes, with specified limitations; or (5) will disclose information relating to the trade secrets or financial or commercial information pertaining specifically to a given person. Directs each standing, select, or special committee or subcommittee of the Senate and House of Representatives to make a public announcement of the date, place, and subject matter of each meeting at least one week before such meeting unless the committee or subcommittee determines by a vote of the majority of a quorum that committee business requires that such meeting be called at an earlier date, in which case the committee shall make public announcement of the date, place and subject matter of such meeting at the earliest practicable opportunity. Provides that a complete transcript shall be made of each meeting of each standing, select, or special committee or subcommittee. Provides that a copy of each such transcript shall be made available for public inspection within seven days and additional copies shall be furnished to any person at the actual cost of duplication. Provides that all the aforegoing requirements and exceptions applicable to the meetings of the committees and subcommittees of the House and Senate shall also be applicable to each meeting of a committee of conference. Establishes procedures to review and reverse any committee and subcommittee vote to close a meeting to the public or to delete from the publicly available copy a portion of a meeting transcript. Title II: Agency Procedures - Requires all meetings of any Federal agency to be open to the public unless a majority of the entire membership of an agency determines the meeting: (1) will disclose matters necessary to be kept secret in the interests of national defense or the confidential conduct of the foreign policy of the United States; (2) will relate solely to individual agency personnel or to internal agency office management and administration or financial auditing; (3) will tend to charge with crime or misconduct, or to disgrace, any person, or will represent a clearly unwarranted invasion of the privacy of any individual (unless it relates to any government officer or employee with respect to his official duties or employment); (4) will disclose information pertaining to any investigation conducted for law enforcement purposes, with specified limitations; or (5) will disclose information relating to the trade secrets or financial or commercial information pertaining specifically to a given person. Directs each agency to make public announcement of the date, place, and subject matter of each meeting (whether open or closed to the public) at least one week before each meeting unless the agency determines by a vote of the majority of its members that agency business requires that such meetings be called at an earlier date, in which case the agency shall make public announcement of the date, place, and subject matter of such meeting at the earliest practicable opportunity. Provides that a complete transcript, including a list of all persons attending and their affilations, shall be made of each meeting of each agency (whether open or closed to the public). Provides that a copy of each such meeting shall be made available to the public for inspection, and additional copies of any transcript shall be furnished to any person at the actual cost of duplication. Requires each agency to promulgate regulations to implement the requirements of this title. States that any citizen or person resident in the United States may bring a proceeding in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit: (1) to require an agency to promulgate such regulations if such agency has not done so within the time period specified herein; or (2) to set aside agency regulations that are not in accord with the requirements of this title and to require the promulgation of regulations that are in accord with such requirements. Gives the district courts of the United States jurisdiction to enforce the requirements of this title by declaratory judgment, injunctive relief, or otherwise. Provides that such actions shall be brought in the district wherein the plaintiff resides, or has his principal place of business, or where the agency in question has its headquarters. Sets forth provisions governing ex parte communications in agency proceedings.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

15 January 1975
Introduced
Referred to Senate Committee on Government Operations.
Source: IntroReferral
15 January 1975
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
Source: IntroReferral
31 July 1975
Reported
Reported to Senate from the Committee on Government Operations with amendment, S. Rept. 94-354.
Source: Committee
31 July 1975
Reported
Reported to Senate from the Committee on Government Operations with amendment, S. Rept. 94-354.
Source: Committee
1 August 1975
Introduced
Referred jointly to Senate Committees on Rules and Administration; and the Judiciary.
Source: IntroReferral
18 September 1975
Reported
Reported to Senate from the Committee on Rules and Administration with amendment, S. Rept. 94-381.
Source: Committee
18 September 1975
Reported
Reported to Senate from the Committee on Rules and Administration with amendment, S. Rept. 94-381.
Source: Committee
5 November 1975
Floor
Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
Source: Floor
6 November 1975
Floor
Measure considered in Senate.
Source: Floor
6 November 1975
Vote
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Measure passed Senate, amended, roll call #472 (94-0).
Source: Floor
10 November 1975
Introduced
Referred to House Committee on Government Operations.
Source: IntroReferral
28 July 1976
Passed
Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H.R. 11656.
Source: Floor
28 July 1976
Passed
Passed/agreed to in House: Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H.R. 11656.
Source: Floor
28 July 1976
Floor
Measure called up by special rule in House.
Source: Floor
29 July 1976
ResolvingDifferences
Conference scheduled in Senate.
Source: ResolvingDifferences
3 August 1976
ResolvingDifferences
Conference scheduled in House.
Source: ResolvingDifferences
26 August 1976
ResolvingDifferences
Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 94-1441.
Source: ResolvingDifferences
26 August 1976
ResolvingDifferences
Conference report filed: Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 94-1441.
Source: ResolvingDifferences
27 August 1976
ResolvingDifferences
Conference report filed in Senate, S. Rept. 94-1178.
Source: ResolvingDifferences
27 August 1976
ResolvingDifferences
Conference report filed: Conference report filed in Senate, S. Rept. 94-1178.
Source: ResolvingDifferences
31 August 1976
Passed
Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report.
Source: ResolvingDifferences
31 August 1976
Vote
House agreed to conference report, roll call #677 (384-0).
Source: ResolvingDifferences
31 August 1976
Vote
Conference report agreed to in House: House agreed to conference report, roll call #677 (384-0).
Source: ResolvingDifferences
31 August 1976
Passed
Senate agreed to conference report.
Source: ResolvingDifferences
1 September 1976
Floor
Measure presented to President.
Source: Floor
1 September 1976
President
Measure presented to President.
Source: President
1 September 1976
President
Measure enrolled in Senate.
Source: President
1 September 1976
President
Measure enrolled in House.
Source: President
13 September 1976
President
Public law 94-409.
Source: President
13 September 1976
Became law
Signed by President.
Source: BecameLaw
13 September 1976
President
Signed by President.
Source: President

Votes

· Official source

Yes 0 · No 0 · Abstain — · Absent/not voting 0

Versions

No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.

Documents

3 official files

Public Law (PDF)
Public Law · EN · 14 September 1976
View Download Open at official source
Conference report filed in House
summary · EN · 26 August 1976
Open at official source
Introduced in Senate
summary · EN · 15 January 1975
Open at official source

Related records

related to → Government in the Sunshine Act

Sources

PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.

Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/94th-congress/senate-bill/5
Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/94/s/5
us · 94-s-5 · source updated 10 August 2026