Both are vital to the welfare of our people. I know that the sponsors of this bill recognize these important interests and intend to provide for both the need of the public for access to information and the need of Government to protect certain categories of information. They cannot operate effectively if required to disclose information prematurely or to make public investigative files and internal instructions that guide them in arriving at their decisions. Officials within Government must be able to communicate with one another fully and frankly without publicity. A citizen must be able in confidence to complain to his Government and to provide information, just as he is - and should be - free to confide in the press without fear of reprisal or of being required to reveal or discuss his sources.įairness to individuals also requires that information accumulated in personnel files be protected from disclosure. As long as threats to peace exist, for example, there must be military secrets. No one should be able to pull curtains of secrecy around decisions which can be revealed without injury to the public interest.Īt the same time, the welfare of the Nation or the rights of individuals may require that some documents not be made available. This legislation springs from one of our most essential principles: a democracy works best when the people have all the information that the security of the Nation permits. 1160, revises section 3 of the Administrative Procedure Act to provide guidelines for the public availability of the records of Federal departments and agencies.
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