A campaign by citizens’ groups in Germany last month persuaded the Bundestag (the German parliament) to authorize the release of thousands of research reports prepared by the Wissenschaftlicher Dienst, the German equivalent of the Congressional Research Service.
“But not only that: The Parliament also changed its publication policy regarding all new reports. In the future, they will be released by the Parliament after a protective period of four weeks,” according to a blog post on the campaign from FragDenStaat.
Our own Congress is still not quite ready to follow suit.
For now, the latest products of the Congressional Research Service must be obtained through alternate channels:
Nigeria: Current Issues and U.S. Policy, March 11, 2016
Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan (CO-OP) Program: Frequently Asked Questions, March 11, 2016
Legal Issues with Federal Labeling of Genetically Engineered Food: In Brief, updated March 11, 2016
Veterans’ Benefits: Burial Benefits and National Cemeteries, updated March 11, 2016
FY2017 Budget Documents: Internet and GPO Availability, updated March 10, 2016
Navy DDG-51 and DDG-1000 Destroyer Programs: Background and Issues for Congress, updated March 10, 2016
U.S. Strategic Nuclear Forces: Background, Developments, and Issues, updated March 10, 2016
The Federation of American Scientists supports the Wildfire Emissions Prevention Act of 2026 (WEPA). The Act would amend Section 319(b) of the Clean Air Act so that it addresses prescribed burns as a standalone activity. If passed, this bill would support wildfire resilience by reducing administrative barriers to getting needed prescribed burns on the ground. […]
As Congress considers broader packages to advance critical minerals production and supply chain resilience, science diplomacy vehicles must be part of that conversation, not as an afterthought, but as an intentional and foundational pillar of any strategy.
“Structured partnerships with our allies on critical minerals innovation can ensure that the best science and the best talent are working together towards shared security and economic prosperity.”
This is a bipartisan, commonsense measure to reauthorize the Technology Modernization Fund (TMF) before it expires in September 2026.