Sunshine Week: New president called on to provide government information

The transformation of technology over recent decades has changed many aspects of every day life for Americans. Wireless Internet, hand-held devices and laptops allow people to be connected to one another and transmit information instantly and constantly. With widespread access to computers and the Internet, the sharing of information has evolved like never before.

Twenty years ago, the term "Google" would mean virtually nothing to most people. Now, people can "Google" just about anything on the Internet and discover endless information on any topic. In this information age, people have come to not only appreciate the availability of information, but to demand it. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the government to provide information to Americans which will be helpful and beneficial to society as a whole.

Scientific research has the power to improve the environment, health and safety, and the overall quality of life for Americans. Government agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conduct research addressing various important issues to Americans. The FDA controls all food, beverages, and medicines consumed in the United States. The EPA is in charge of protecting human health by safeguarding the natural environment, including land, air, and water. The CDC is dedicated to developing and applying disease prevention and control and health promotion and education.

The research conducted by these agencies, as well as many others, can be critical to the well-being of Americans. However, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists, many research scientists employed by government agencies do not feel free to share their research openly with the general public. Many agencies attempt to "control the message" and prohibit their researchers from freely discussing the findings of their research with the press or public.

The Obama administration should allow the scientific researchers of government agencies to share their findings and opinions with the scientific community as well as the American public. The release of this information would not affect national security or put the safety of the United States in jeopardy whatsoever. The discharge of this scientific information can only improve the standard of living for U.S. citizens, not harm it.

In the last decade, the U.S. has been rattled by many corporate scandals and frauds. Top management of these companies lied about the state of their companies and misrepresented their financial statements, which caused many investors to suffer losses. After major corporations such as Enron and WorldCom failed, the government passed the Sarbanes-Oxley Act to prevent such incidents from occurring again and to promote fair representation of financial information.

If corporate America is expected to comply with a high degree of transparency, the federal government should be required to do the same. Just as corporations must accurately report their revenues and expenses to their shareholders, the federal government should have to share certain budget information with its citizens. Many Americans have no idea what their tax dollars are actually funding.

According to brillig.com, the current national debt is approximately $10.7 trillion, or roughly $35,000 per person in the U.S. This astronomical number seems to be multiplying out of control. By exposing the detailed budget of the federal government, hopefully wasteful spending can be eliminated, thus improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the government, and reducing the national debt.

Although transparency in government is important, there are certain things that could compromise our national security if released to the general public. The need for security transcends any privilege or right to information. Information related to military operations, ongoing criminal investigations, pending lawsuits, undercover operations, witnesses to crimes, or the identities of whistleblowers should all be confidential. The release of this information could compromise national security or put the lives of certain individuals in serious danger.

Less than a month after taking the oath of office, President Obama issued a memorandum demanding transparency and openness in the federal government and its agencies (whitehouse.gov). This is an excellent initiative which will improve the lives of Americans and society as a whole. American citizens deserve to know what their government is doing with their money, and deserve the benefits of the research conducted by means of their tax dollars. It is time to end the era of government secrecy once and for all.

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Eby is a junior accounting major at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. The following is her first-place winning essay in the university student category of the Andruss Library Government Documents Unit at Bloomsburg University's statewide essay contest for Sunshine Week.