Message from the Chairman
On July 29, 2009, the Commission held a public hearing to hear testimony on ways the Commission can improve both its website and the ways in which the FEC uses the Internet to communicate to the public. While the Commission is continually engaging in efforts to improve all aspects of how it discloses information to the public, our goal with this initiative is to learn how we can ensure that our website continues to be a state-of-the-art resource for disclosure of information to the public, including disclosure of campaign finance data, information about federal campaign finance laws and actions of the Commission.
The issues discussed at the hearing were included in a Notice of Public Hearing and Request for Comment published in the Federal Register on July 1. In response to that Notice, we received suggestions and recommendations from all segments of the public, including representatives of political committees, the media, the academic community and advocacy groups.
At the daylong hearing, the Commission heard testimony from nine experts. Witnesses included lawyers specializing in campaign finance law, campaign finance reform and open government advocates, software developers and campaign consultants. These witnesses focused on the importance of strengthening the integrity of the raw data the Commission receives from the filing community and ways to improve the organization and thoroughness of data on the FEC website, including more intuitive and robust search capabilities and cross-referencing. They also proposed new channels for conveying information that would allow interested parties both to take full advantage of the agency's rich data and to keep up with developments in campaign finance law and practice. They suggested that our goals should be mindful of the needs of four main constituents, namely, the filing community, the media, the public generally and the academic community. Witnesses also discussed possible improvements to the FEC filing software and the certification process of the FEC for use of outside vendor software. There were recommendations that the FEC include additional related data, other than just the information required to be filed by law, to augment the capacity of the website to provide other helpful information relating to federal elections.
We have been very pleased with the comments and advice we have received, and we are reopening the time for written comment on the FEC's Website and Internet Communications Improvement Initiative until midnight Friday, August 20, 2009, in order to allow for the broadest public participation in this project.
In addition to the Federal Register Notice published July 1, which sets forth the range of information the FEC is seeking, the comments received so far and a transcript of the open session hearing are available on the FEC website at http://transition.fec.gov/pages/hearings/internethearing.shtml.
Many of you may have turned to the Commission's website in the past for information and found either that the information is not organized as intuitively as you desired or that information is either not readily accessible or perhaps not even available. This is the type of feedback that we most need to receive and that only the public users of our website can provide. I encourage you to please share your comments with us.
Comments should be sent to improvefecinternet@fec.gov.