The Open House Project is working to open up the U.S. House to new technologies of Web-based access:
We’re trying to find the least intrusive ways to open up the House, the low-hanging fruit where the internet and Congressional procedures come together.
Their report to Representative Pelosi identifies 10 steps to take to make the House more open and accessible to citizens:
- Legislation database.
- Publish legislative data in structured formats.
- Preserving congressional information.
- Protect congressional information through archiving and distribution.
- Congressional committees.
- Recognize committees as a public resource by making committee information available online.
- Congressional Research Service.
- Share nonpartisan research beyond Congress.
- Web access for members.
- Permit members to take full advantage of Internet resources.
- Citizen journalism access.
- Grant House access to non-traditional journalists.
- The Office of the Clerk of the House.
- Serve as a source for digital disclosure information.
- The Congressional Record.
- Maintain the veracity of a historical document.
- Congressional video.
- Create open video access to House proceedings.
- Coordinating Web standards.
- Commit to technology reform as an administrative priority.
Republican David All and Democrat Philip de Vellis have collaborated on a video to promote the recommendations:
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