Sec. 2. Findings
161 words·~1 min read·
/bill/116/hr/5016/ih/section-2A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Congress finds the following: On May 9, 2013, President Barack Obama issued an Executive order that made open and machine-readable data the new default for government information. Open data principles are essential for transparency and efficiency in government. In 2012, the Federal Communications Commission required television broadcast stations to place on the internet website of the Commission certain materials in the files such stations are required to maintain and make available for public inspection, including important information about the purchasing of political advertisements.
In 2016, the Commission extended the online public inspection file requirement to providers of cable and satellite television service, radio broadcast stations, and providers of satellite radio service. The Commission declined to require such materials to be machine-readable, deciding at the time that it was more important to get the information online faster. Machine readability is a critical component of open government and provides interested parties with the necessary access to evaluate data in a more comprehensive way.