House overturns Bush order on papers secrecy

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Brushing aside a veto threat, the House of Representatives voted on Wednesday to overturn a 2001 order by President George W. Bush that lets former presidents keep their papers secret indefinitely.

The measure, which drew bipartisan support and passed by a veto-busting 333-93 margin, was among White House-opposed bills the House passed that would widen access to government information and protect government whistleblowers.

"Today, Congress took an important step toward restoring openness and transparency in government," House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Henry Waxman said.

The presidential papers bill nullifies a November 2001 order, criticized by historians, in which Bush allowed the White House or a former president to block release of a former president's papers and put the onus on researchers to show a "specific need" for many types of records.

http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=topNews&storyid=2007-03-14T234814Z_01_N14298921_RTRUKOC_0_US-CONGRESS-BUSH-SECRECY.xml&src=rss

And no I don't care what the pessimists say. ;)

and it would be hard to veto that one by Bush. But, we will have to wait to see if the Senate hacks it up by putting restraining amendements on it.

It's still great news!

I have a sneaking suspicion that this could turn out to be very big, and to generate quite entertaining consequences for the next generation or 2 of scholars.

Hope someone is watching the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library, since that is where George W. sent all his papers to, had them shrink wrapped, and placed beyond the reach of everyone with his signing of the executive order giving him total control over them.

Historians must be dying to get their hands on those records.

hey ya never know :-)