April 16, 2012Dear Representative:The undersigned organizations dedicated to government openness and accountability are writing to urge you to oppose HR 3523, the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act of 2011, because it constitutes a wholesale attack on public access to information under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).In the interest of encouraging private companies to share cybersecurity threat information, the bill unwisely and unnecessarily cuts off all public access to cyber threat information before the public and Congress have the chance to understand the types of information that are withheld under the bill. Much of the sensitive information private companies are likely to share with the government is already protected from disclosure under the FOIA. Other information that may be shared could be critical for the public to ensure its safety. The public needs access to some information to be able to assess whether the government is adequately combating cybersecurity threats and, when necessary, hold officials accountable.Any effort to expand of the authority of the federal government to withhold information from the public should begin with careful consideration, including public hearings, by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which has jurisdiction over FOIA. That Committee has the expertise needed to ensure that FOIA-related provisions promote transparency and public accountability while allowing the government to withhold only that information which truly requires protection.We urge you to oppose HR 3523, and we look forward to working with Congress to ensure any cybersecurity legislation passed into law both protects our nation’s computer networks and promotes transparency and accountability to the public. If you would like to discuss these issues further, please contact Patrice McDermott, Executive Director of OpenTheGovernment.org, at 202-332-6736 or pmcdermott@openthegovernment.org.Sincerely,American Association of Law LibrariesAmerican Association of University ProfessorsAmerican Booksellers Foundation for Free ExpressionAmerican Library AssociationAmerican Society of News EditorsAssociation of Research LibrariesBill of Rights Defense CommitteeCenter for Media and DemocracyCitizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington - CREWCommunity ResearchCyber Privacy ProjectElectronic Frontier Foundation – EFFEntertainment Consumers AssociationEssential InformationFeminists for Free ExpressionFight for the Future, Center for RightsFreedom of Information Center at the Missouri School of JournalismGovernment Accountability Project - GAPiSolon.orgJames Madison ProjectLiberty CoalitionMuckRockNational Coalition Against CensorshipNational Freedom of Information CoalitionOMB WatchOpenTheGovernment.orgProject On Government Oversight - POGOPublic Employees for Environmental Responsibility – PEERThe Pullins ReportReporters Without BordersRepublican Liberty CaucusRutherford InstituteSociety of American ArchivistsSociety of Professional JournalistsSpecial Libraries AssociationSunlight FoundationUnderstanding GovernmentUS Bill of Rights FoundationUtah Foundation for Open GovernmentWashington Coalition for Open GovernmentIndividuals (additional information for identification purposes only)Brian R. HookEditor, B.R. Hook and Missouri Journal

read more: Standing Up for Open Government - A Letter to Congress