House Insists Congressional Research Service Reports Be Secret

It's not a mistake. Congress really doesn't want you to read those excellent explainers on public issues produced by experts at the Congressional Research Service (CRS). We know this because a House Appropriations subcommittee specifically restated that CRS was not to publish its reports.

The stricture was spelled out in a report accompanying the 2016 Legislative Branch Appropriations bill (HR 2250 - H Rept. 114-110). It says: "The bill contains language which provides that no funds in the Congressional Research Service can be used to publish or prepare material to be issued by the Library of Congress unless approved by the appropriate committees."

Leaked copies of the reports have been consistently published by the Federation of American Scientists, and republished via the WatchDog. We will continue to link to CRS reports pertaining to environment, energy, and resources.

• "House Renews Ban on CRS Publication of Its Reports," Secrecy News (Federation of American Scientists), May 13, 2015, by Steven Aftergood.