Zimmer Urges House Legislation Be Accessible on the Internet

[Michael Ward <mike@essential.org>]

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TAXPAYER ASSETS PROJECT - INFORMATION POLICY NOTE
(please distribute freely)

May 9, 1994

The attached press release and letter from Dick Zimmer (R-NJ) asks 
Rep. Charlie Rose, chairman of the House Administration Committee, for 
general public access to bills before Congress.  If you wish to support 
Rep. Zimmer's letter you can email Charlie Rose at crose@hr.house.gov or 
reach him by fax at (202) 225-0345. 



ZIMMER URGES HOUSE LEGISLATION BE ACCESSIBLE ON THE INTERNET

     WASHINGTON,  DC -- U.S. Rep. Dick Zimmer today called on
Congress to make proposed legislation accessible to constituents
over the Internet computer network.
     Zimmer, in a letter to Rep. Charlie Rose, who as chairman of
the House Administration Committee exercises primary control over
the House's technology agenda, wrote that the general public
should have access to the same information currently available to
members of Congress and their staff.
     "It is sadly anachronistic to force citizens to obtain
printed copies of legislation from the Government Printing Office
via `snail mail' when the technology exists to provide instant
access to the same texts," Zimmer said.  "It is anti-democratic
to force citizens to pay premium prices to private vendors for
timely information on legislation when it has already been put
into computer-accessible form at taxpayer expense."
     Under Zimmer's proposal, constituents could dial into the
House's Internet mailbox and access the most recent version of
any pending legislation by entering the bill number.
     "The Internet would be one of the most effective ways in
which constituents could keep abreast with what their
representatives are doing in Congress,"  Zimmer wrote.  "Each
week, thousands of new users link up to the Internet.  I urge you
to allow modern communications technology to make government more
open and accessible to those we represent."

_______________________Attached Letter__________________________

The Honorable Charlie Rose
Chairman, House Administration
H-326 Capitol
Washington, DC  20515

Dear Mr. Chairman:

I am writing to ask that, as a service to our constituents, all
proposed legislation be made accessible over the Internet network
system.

The Internet links computers all over the country, supporting
exchange of information over high-speed data lines.  Currently,
the Internet has over 8,000 networks which more than one million
people use each day to send and receive electronic mail.

I believe the Internet would be one of the most effective ways in
which constituents could keep abreast with what their
representatives are doing in Congress.

Within the Internet system, constituents could simply dial into
the House mailbox and access the most recent version of any
pending legislation by entering the bill number.  This system
would be identical to the LEGIS system now offered exclusively to
congressional offices.

There are roughly 265 computers for every 1,000 Americans.  It is
sadly anachronistic to force citizens to obtain printed copies of
legislation from the Government Printing Office via "snail mail"
when the technology exists to provide instant access to the same
texts.  It is antidemocratic to force citizens to pay premium
prices to private vendors for timely information on legislation
when it has already been put into computer-accessible form at
taxpayer expense.

I understand that the software for putting bills on the Internet
is already in place and ready to go.  Each week, thousands of new
users link up to the Internet.  I urge you to allow modern
communications technology to make government more open and
accessible to those we represent.

Sincerely,

Dick Zimmer


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