Durbin Delivers Opening Statement In Senate Judiciary Hearing On Importance Of Freedom Of Information Act
During his remarks, Durbin criticized unelected billionaire Elon Musk’s refusal to comply with FOIA despite his efforts to gut federal agencies with little transparency in the process
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered an opening statement during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “The Freedom of Information Act: Perspectives from Public Requesters.” During his opening remarks, Durbin underscored the importance of transparency in government, and he further reiterated that the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) should be subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) despite unelected billionaire Elon Musk’s opposition.
Key Durbin Quotes:
“This Committee has approached FOIA in a bipartisan fashion. It should continue to, working to ensure agencies comply with the law and taking opportunities to strengthen the law.”
“But this hearing comes at a time when many Americans are angry and fearful. They are frightened for their jobs as the Trump Administration fires thousands and thousands of government workers. They are alarmed by the state of their 401(k)s, as the stock market threatens to plummet to historic lows with the President’s new tariff package.”
“In this moment of chaos and uncertainty, robust transparency laws like FOIA—which demand our government answer tough questions—are essential.”
“Federal agencies work for the American people, and the American people deserve to know how their tax dollars are being spent. Under FOIA, any person can demand answers from their government. No matter how large or powerful an agency, when a person properly requests records through FOIA, the federal government must comply.”
“And because FOIA exists, agencies are mindful of their responsibilities to the public—government officials know, through FOIA, information about their activities and decisions will not remain hidden forever.”
“Some officials within the Trump Administration, however, do not seem to care about Americans’ right to know [what their government is doing]. Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, has taken the position that he is not subject to FOIA.”
“If DOGE doesn’t comply with FOIA, it will be far harder, if not impossible, to uncover the full story of Musk’s efforts to access extensive personal data of Americans without their permission, redirect billions of dollars [in] congressionally authorized funds, and fire thousands of hardworking public servants.”
“The Trump Administration is weakening the ability of agencies to respond to requests for information by eliminating employees responsible for responding to FOIA requests. The Office of Personnel Management has fired employees in its FOIA office. The career official heading up the Department of Justice’s Office of Information Policy, which is charged with ensuring FOIA compliance, was fired. HHS Secretary Kennedy just fired everyone responsible for handling FOIA requests at the CDC and Food and Drug Administration.”
“These efforts are toxic to our democracy because a functional, healthy democracy requires disclosure and transparency. The Senate Judiciary Committee should resist them on a bipartisan basis.”
Video of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.
Audio of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.
Footage of Durbin’s opening statement is available here for TV Stations.
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