Open Collaboration Onf the Arctic (US0102)
Overview
At-a-Glance
Action Plan: United States Action Plan 2015-2017
Action Plan Cycle: 2015
Status: Inactive
Institutions
Lead Institution: NA
Support Institution(s): NA
Policy Areas
Environment and Climate, Public Participation, Public Service Delivery, Science & TechnologyIRM Review
IRM Report: United States End-of-Term IRM Report 2015-2017, United States Mid-Term Report 2015-2017
Starred: No
Early Results: Marginal
Design i
Verifiable: Yes
Relevant to OGP Values: Access to Information , Civic Participation
Implementation i
Description
Understanding the rapid changes that are affecting the Arctic—as well as the impacts of these changes on the rest of the world—requires a cooperative, global approach based on open intergovernmental partnerships and research collaboration involving participants from Arctic and non-Arctic nations. On September 28, 2016, the U.S. Government will host the first ever White House Arctic Science Ministerial to bring together ministers of science, chief science advisors, and other high-level officials from countries around the world, as well as representatives from indigenous groups, to expand joint, inclusive collaborations focused on Arctic science, research, observations, monitoring, and data-sharing. The goals of the event are to advance promising science initiatives and create a context for increased international and open scientific collaboration on the Arctic over the longer term
IRM Midterm Status Summary
This commitment was not assessed in the midterm IRM report.
IRM End of Term Status Summary
Commitment 50. Open Collaboration on the Arctic
Commitment Text:
Increase Open Scientific Collaboration on the Arctic
Understanding the rapid changes that are affecting the Arctic—as well as the impacts of these changes on the rest of the world—requires a cooperative, global approach based on open intergovernmental partnerships and research collaboration involving participants from Arctic and non-Arctic nations. On September 28, 2016, the U.S. Government will host the first ever White House Arctic Science Ministerial to bring together ministers of science, chief science advisors, and other high-level officials from countries around the world, as well as representatives from indigenous groups, to expand joint, inclusive collaborations focused on Arctic science, research, observations, monitoring, and data-sharing. The goals of the event are to advance promising science initiatives and create a context for increased international and open scientific collaboration on the Arctic over the longer term.
Responsible Institution: Not Specified
Supporting Institution: Not Specified
Start Date: Not Specified ....... End Date: Not Specified
Editorial Note: Completion at the midterm is not assessed for this commitment because it was submitted to OGP in September 2016 following the close of the midterm reporting period; progress for this commitment is therefore assessed from September 2016 onwards in the sections below.
Commitment Aim
This commitment aimed for the White House to host an inaugural White House Arctic Science Ministerial on 28 September 2016. The ministerial was expected to provide an opportunity for a variety of government officials from other countries—including but not limited to ministers of science and chief science advisors—and representatives from indigenous groups to expand “joint, inclusive collaborations focused on Arctic science.” In doing so, the White House aimed to further Arctic-related science initiatives and provide a forum for long-term global scientific cooperation on the Arctic.
As described in the press release announcing the ministerial, [743] the Arctic is undergoing rapid environmental change, in turn compounding challenges for Arctic peoples; addressing these changes requires concerted, collaborative scientific efforts to understand environmental changes and further climate change resilience among Arctic people. The magnitude and pace of these changes is severe, with potential consequences for other regions. As noted in a recent Cable News Network (CNN) article, “the Arctic is heating up twice as fast as the rest of the world,” with the Arctic’s average air temperature in 2016 reaching a new high since recordkeeping began in 1900. [744] Speaking to the potential for spillover effects into other regions, Director of NOAA's Arctic Research Program Jeremy Mathis further noted that “rarely have we seen the Arctic show a clearer, stronger or more pronounced signal of persistent warming and its cascading effects on the environment than this year [2016]," highlighting the magnitude of the potential threat posed by these changes, such as rising sea levels. [745] The Arctic Ministerial proposed in this commitment represents a new forum through which to further discussions surrounding scientific initiatives linked to these issues.
The ministerial proposed in the commitment is well-defined with a clear delineation of the issues it will address and its intended participants. However, the scope of engagement with indigenous groups is not well-specified, nor is the structure of format of the ministerial itself. As such, specificity for this commitment is medium.
The commitment is relevant for the OGP values of access to information and civic participation, as the proposed ministerial will further access to information on government-related scientific activities in the Arctic, while providing opportunities for members of civil society to engage with government on issues related to these activities. However, if fully implemented, the commitment is anticipated to have a minor potential impact due to the one-off nature of the ministerial and the difficulty in predicting the nature of initiatives that could result from the gathering.
Status
End of term: Complete
On 28 September 2016, the White House hosted the White House Arctic Science Ministerial described in the commitment text. The White House first announced the ministerial several months earlier in a White House blog post on 13 May 2016. [746] As described in a summary report for the ministerial prepared by the United States Arctic Research Commission, [747] the ministerial was attended by ministers of science (or their representatives) from 24 countries [748] and the European Union, with the US delegation led by John P. Holdren, President Obama’s Science Advisor and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. The ministerial itself revolved around four themes: (1) Arctic science challenges and their regional and global implications; strengthening and integrating arctic observations and data sharing; applying expanded scientific understanding of the Arctic to build regional resilience and shape global responses; and Arctic science as a vehicle for STEM education and citizen empowerment. [749] Structurally, the ministerial entailed four main sessions lasting 1.25 hours, each of which focused on one of the four themes described above, as well as an opening session, post-session plenary discussion, and closing remarks. [750]
One day prior to the ministerial, the White House hosted more than 30 Alaska-Native leaders, as well as representatives of five international indigenous organizations to “share their concerns and priorities” with over 40 US government officials from the White House and federal agencies in attendance. [751]
As described in the report, the ministerial “capstone” output was the signing of a joint statement that “recognizes that international collaboration and the inclusion of Arctic Indigenous peoples in science and decision-making are essential to advancing research in the Arctic.” [752] The report offers a forward-looking interpretation of the statement’s goals, noting that “The Joint Statement and the ASM help chart a new collective approach in Arctic science that will inform national policies concerning climate-change mitigation and resilience, Arctic development, stewardship, and the needs of the region’s Indigenous peoples.” [753] The statement itself touches on each of the four themes that informed the ministerial’s structure, and serves as a sort of “action plan” for specific activities to be carried out under each of these themes.
During the ministerial, the United States also released the first digital elevation model for the Arctic. These digital elevation models are the focus of Milestone 42.3, and are therefore evaluated more fully under Commitment 42. Participating governments also profiled several additional initiatives during the ministerial, such as the European Union’s development of the Integrated Arctic Observing System (INTAROS) and the US Office of Naval Research’s Arctic Mobile Observing System (AMOS), among other initiatives. [754]
According to the summary report, op-eds for the ministerial appeared in both the Washington Post and the Alaska Dispatch, with media coverage appearing in the Washington Post, on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, and others, with coverage via 27 total print and digital outlets. [755] With respect to attendance, participants included government officials from numerous countries, as well as individuals from major global academic institutions (e.g. National University of Singapore and University of Cambridge) and civil society organizations (e.g. the Aleut International Association, the Inuit Circumpolar Council, the Saami Council, and the United States Arctic Research Commission). However, as indicated by the ministerial’s participant list, government officials comprised the majority of attendants. [756]
Did It Open Government?
Access to Information: Marginal
Civic Participation: Marginal
This commitment marginally opened government with respect to access to information and civic participation.
With respect to access the information, the ministerial’s summary report offers a cohesive inventory of scientific initiatives in the Arctic, both new and existing. However, as the ministerial itself was a one-day event and did not clearly articulate follow-up reporting activities (such as reporting on the progress of the initiatives profiled at the ministerial), the commitment cannot be said to have opened government more substantially.
With respect to civic participation, the ministerial provided an opportunity for members of civil society to engage with government officials on initiatives in the Arctic. While media reports noted that the meeting was “much broader and more inclusive than the high-level dialogues typically convened by the Arctic Council” [757] and was “first-of-its-kind,” [758] the executive director of the Aleut International Association expressed disappointment that Arctic indigenous peoples were not involved in the planning of the event. [759] Moreover, while the ministerial’s outreach to and engagement with representatives of indigenous groups is noteworthy, the ministerial itself was a one-off event that did not provide a clear or institutionalized pathway for follow-on engagement. In light of this, the commitment cannot be said to have opened government more substantially in this area.
Carried Forward?
At the time of writing, the US government had not published its fourth national action plan, so it is unclear if this theme will be carried forward. While the commitment is complete, the government should nevertheless continue to support the various scientific initiatives profiled at the Ministerial.
[743] Holdren, John P. “White House Arctic Science Ministerial: September 28, 2016.” The White House Blog. 13 May 2016. https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2016/05/13/white-house-arctic-science-ministerial-september-28-2016. Consulted 3 October 2017. Much of the commitment text was taken verbatim from this press release.
[744] Cuevas, Mayra and Max Blau. “Arctic Heating Up Twice as Fast as Rest of Globe.” CNN Press Release14 December 2016.http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/14/world/arctic-report-card/index.html. Consulted 3 October 2017.
[745] Quoted in Ibid. For additional discussion of potential spillover effects and the changing Arctic environment, see Kahn, Brian. “Climate Change Altering the Arctic Faster Than Expected.” Climate Central. 25 April 2017. http://www.climatecentral.org/news/rapid-climate-change-arctic-21389. Consulted 3 October 2017.
[746] Holdren, John P. “White House Arctic Science Ministerial: September 28, 2016.” The White House Blog. 13 May 2016. https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2016/05/13/white-house-arctic-science-ministerial-september-28-2016. Consulted 3 October 2017. Much of the commitment text was taken verbatim from this press release.
[747] United States Arctic Research Commission. “Supporting Arctic Science: A Summary of the White House Arctic Science Ministerial Meeting.” November 2016. https://www.arctic.gov/publications/other/supporting_arctic_science.html. Consulted 3 October 2017. Per its website, the United States Arctic Research Commission is “an independent agency that advises the President and Congress on domestic and international Arctic research through recommendations and reports.” The report itself is available directly at https://storage.googleapis.com/arcticgov-static/publications/other/Supporting_Arctic_Science_1.pdf. Consulted 3 October 2017.
[748] These governments included Canada, the People’s Republic of China, the Kingdom of Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Greenland, Iceland, India, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, the Russian Federation, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. See Ibid. p.5.
[749] Ibid. p1.
[750] Ibid. p.3.
[751] Ibid. p.1.
[752] Ibid. p.4. For the text of the Joint Statement itself, see pp.10-19 of the report. Consulted 3 October 2017.
[753] Ibid. p.4.
[754] Ibid. p.4.
[755] Ibid. pp. 20-21.
[756] Ibid. pp.22-25.
[757] Hoag, Hannah. “Top Arctic Science Officials to Meet at White House.” Arctic Deeply. 27 September 2016.https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2016/09/27/top-arctic-science-officials-to-meet-at-white-house
[758] Martinson, Erica. “Alaska Natives, international officials gather for White House meeting on Arctic research.” Anchorage Daily News. 28 September 2016. https://www.adn.com/arctic/2016/09/28/alaska-natives-international-officials-gather-for-white-house-arctic-meeting/
[759] Hoag, Hannah.“Top Arctic Science Officials to Meet at White House.” Arctic Deeply. 27 September 2016.https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2016/09/27/top-arctic-science-officials-to-meet-at-white-house
Commitments
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Federal Data Strategy
US0105, 2019, E-Government
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Grants Accountability
US0106, 2019, E-Government
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Public Access to Federally Funded Research
US0107, 2019, Access to Information
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Workforce Data Standards
US0108, 2019, E-Government
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Chief Data Officers
US0109, 2019, Access to Information
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Open Data for Public Health
US0110, 2019, Access to Information
-
Enterprise Objective
US0111, 2019, Capacity Building
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Developing Future Action Plans
US0112, 2019, Public Participation
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Reconstitution of the USA.gov
US0053, 2015, E-Government
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Accessibility of Government Information Online
US0054, 2015, Marginalized Communities
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Access to Educational Resources
US0055, 2015, Access to Information
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Public Listing of Every Address in the US
US0056, 2015, Access to Information
-
Informed Decisions About Higher Education.
US0057, 2015, Access to Information
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New Authentication Tools to Protect Individual Privacy and Ensure That Personal Records Go Only to the Intended Recipients.
US0058, 2015,
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Transparency of Open311
US0059, 2015, E-Government
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Support Medicine Research Throught Opening up Relevant Data of the Field
US0060, 2015, Access to Information
-
Access to Workforce Data
US0061, 2015, Access to Information
-
Using Evidence and Concrete Data to Improve Public Service Delivery
US0062, 2015, Capacity Building
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Expand Use of the Federal Infrastructure Permitting Dashboard
US0063, 2015,
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Consolidation of Import and Export Systems
US0064, 2015, E-Government
-
Improving Government Records
US0065, 2015, Access to Information
-
Ammendments to FOIA
US0066, 2015, Access to Information
-
Streamline the Declassification Process
US0067, 2015, Capacity Building
-
Implement the Controlled Unclassified Information Program
US0068, 2015, Access to Information
-
Transparency of Privacy Programs and Practices
US0069, 2015, Capacity Building
-
Transparency of Federal Use of Investigative Technologies
US0070, 2015, E-Government
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Increase Transparency of the Intelligence Community
US0071, 2015, Access to Information
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Open Science Through Open Data
US0072, 2015, Access to Information
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Open Data Portal
US0073, 2015, E-Government
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Increase Transparency of Trade Policy and Negotiations
US0074, 2015, E-Government
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Develop a Machine Readable Government Organizational Chart
US0075, 2015, Access to Information
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Improving Public Participation
US0076, 2015, Public Participation
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Expand Public Participation in the Development of Regulations
US0077, 2015, Open Regulations
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Civic Engagement in Decision-Making Processes
US0078, 2015, Public Participation
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Open Mapping
US0079, 2015, Access to Information
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Tracking OGP Implementation
US0080, 2015,
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Strengthening Whistleblower Protection
US0081, 2015, Anti-Corruption
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Transparency of Legal Entities
US0082, 2015, Anti-Corruption
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Extractive Industries Transparency
US0083, 2015, Anti-Corruption
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Spending Transparency
US0084, 2015, Access to Information
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Enhance the Use of U.S. Foreign Assistance Information
US0085, 2015, Aid
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Participatory Budgets and Responsive Spending
US0086, 2015, Fiscal Openness
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Expand Access to Justice to Promote Federal Programs
US0087, 2015, Dispute Resolution & Legal Assistance
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Build Safer Communities with Police Open Data
US0088, 2015, Access to Information
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Open Federal Data to Benefit Local Communities
US0089, 2015, Access to Information
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Support the Municipal Data Network
US0090, 2015, Access to Information
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Foster Data Ecosystems
US0091, 2015, Capacity Building
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Extend Digital, Data-Driven Government to Federal Government’S Support for Communities
US0092, 2015, Capacity Building
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Promote Implementation of SDGs
US0093, 2015, Access to Information
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Promote Open Climate Data
US0094, 2015, Access to Information
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Air Quality Data Available
US0095, 2015, Access to Information
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Promote Food Security and Data Sharing for Agriculture and Nutrition
US0096, 2015, Access to Information
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Promote Data Sharing About Global Preparedness for Epidemic Threats
US0097, 2015, Capacity Building
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Promote Global Interconnectivity
US0098, 2015, Aid
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Open Contracting
US0099, 2015, Access to Information
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Harness the Data Revolution for Sustainable Development
US0100, 2015, Access to Information
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Open Government to Support Global Sustainable Development
US0101, 2015, Anti-Corruption
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Open Collaboration Onf the Arctic
US0102, 2015, Environment and Climate
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Support Capacity Building for Extractives Transparency
US0103, 2015, Anti-Corruption
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Support Responsible Investment and Business Practices for Companies
US0104, 2015, Private Sector
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Improve Public Participation in Government
US0027, 2013, Capacity Building
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Modernize Management of Government Records
US0028, 2013, Records Management
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Modernize the Freedom of Information Act
US0029, 2013, Access to Information
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Transform the Security Classification System
US0030, 2013, Peace & Security
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Implement the Controlled Unclassified Information Program
US0031, 2013, Peace & Security
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Increase Transparency of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Activities
US0032, 2013, Data Stewardship and Privacy
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Make Privacy Compliance Information More Accessible
US0033, 2013, E-Government
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Support and Improve Agency Implementation of Open Government Plans
US0034, 2013,
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Strengthen and Expand Whistleblower Protections for Government Personnel
US0035, 2013, Anti-Corruption
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Increase Transparency of Legal Entities Formed in the United States
US0036, 2013, Legislation & Regulation
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Implement the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative
US0037, 2013, Access to Information
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Make Fossil Fuel Subsidies More Transparent
US0038, 2013, Anti-Corruption
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Increase Transparency in Spending
US0039, 2013, Access to Information
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Increase Transparency of Foreign Assistance
US0040, 2013, Aid
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Continue to Improve Performance.Gov
US0041, 2013, E-Government
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Consolidate Import and Export Systems to Curb Corruption
US0042, 2013, Private Sector
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Promote Public Participation in Community Spending Decisions
US0043, 2013, Fiscal Openness
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Expand Visa Sanctions to Combat Corruption
US0044, 2013, Anti-Corruption
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Further Expand Public Participation in the Development of Regulations
US0045, 2013, Capacity Building
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Open Data to the Public
US0046, 2013, Access to Information
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Continue to Pilot Expert Networking Platforms
US0047, 2013, Public Participation
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Reform Government Websites
US0048, 2013, E-Government
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Promote Innovation Through Collaboration and Harness the Ingenuity of the American Public
US0049, 2013, Capacity Building
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Promote Open Education to Increase Awareness and Engagement
US0050, 2013, E-Government
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Deliver Government Services More Effectively Through Information Technology
US0051, 2013, E-Government
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Increase Transparency in Spending
US0052, 2013, Access to Information
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Reform Records Management
US0001, 2011, Records Management
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Lead a Multi-Agency Effort
US0002, 2011, Capacity Building
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Monitor Agency Implementation of Plans
US0003, 2011,
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Provide Enforcement and Compliance Data Online
US0004, 2011, Access to Information
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Advocate for Legislation Requiring Meaningful Disclosure
US0005, 2011, Legislation & Regulation
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Apply Lessons from Recovery Act to Increate Spending Transparency
US0006, 2011, Fiscal Openness
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Government-Wide Reporting Requirements for Foreign Aid
US0007, 2011, Access to Information
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Use Performanc.Gov to Improve Government Performance and Accountability
US0008, 2011,
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Overhaul the Public Participation Interface on Regulations.Gov
US0009, 2011, Legislation & Regulation
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Launch Expertnet
US0010, 2011, E-Government
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Launch International Space Apps Competition
US0011, 2011, E-Government
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Launch “We the People”
US0012, 2011, E-petitions
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Open Source “We the People”
US0013, 2011, E-petitions
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Develop Best Practices and Metrics for Public Participation
US0014, 2011, Capacity Building
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Professionalize the FOIA Administration
US0015, 2011, Access to Information
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Harness the Power of Technology
US0016, 2011, Access to Information
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Advocate for Legislation on Whistleblower Protection
US0017, 2011, Anti-Corruption
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Explore Executive Authority to Protect Whistleblowers
US0018, 2011, Anti-Corruption
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Implement the EITI
US0019, 2011, Anti-Corruption
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Partnership to Build on Recent Progress
US0020, 2011, Anti-Corruption
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Promote Data.Gov to Spur Innovation Through Open Sourcing
US0021, 2011, Access to Information
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Data.Gov: Foster Communities on Data.Gov
US0022, 2011, Access to Information
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Begin Online National Dialogue with the American Public
US0023, 2011, Public Participation
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Update Government-Wide Policies for Websites
US0024, 2011,
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Promote Smart Disclosure to Ensure Timely Release of Information
US0025, 2011, Access to Information
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Publish Guidelines on Scientific Data
US0026, 2011, Access to Information