The Sunshine in Government Initiative Honors Boucher, Pence as Open Government Leaders

At the joint NAA/ASNE convention, the Sunshine in Government Initiative (SGI), of which NAA is a founding member, honored Reps. Mike Pence (R-IN) and Rick Boucher (D-VA) for their commitment and work to strengthen open government. The coalition presented its 2008 Sunshine Award to these lawmakers as part of its efforts to promote policies in Washington that support a more open, accessible and accountable government.

Reps. Boucher and Pence have strongly pushed for a federal shield law to protect a reporter's sources. Under their leadership, the shield legislation passed the House of Representatives with an overwhelming, bipartisan vote of 398-21. Both recipients have repeatedly reminded their colleagues and the American public that pressuring journalists to identify confidential sources not only damages a free and independent press, but discourages whistleblowers from coming forward to expose waste, fraud and abuse in government and in the private sector.

First Published:
April 22, 2008