There is an event in DC about the Freedom of Information Act on March 13, 2015. There is also supposed to be a livestream of the conference for anyone to watch online. The Freedom of Information Act can be used by anyone to request records from the US federal government. Many states and countries also have their own public records laws which can be very useful for journalists and researchers. Link http://www.newseum.org/event/2015-national-freedom-of-information-day-confer... Copy/Past of Agenda 2015 National Freedom of Information Day March 13 – The Knight Studio at the Newseum 8:15 - 8:30 a.m. Welcome: Gene Policinski, Chief Operating Officer, Newseum Institute Patrice McDermott, Executive Director, OpenTheGovernment.org 8:30 - 9:10 a.m. Speaker: Miriam Nisbet, former director of Office of Government Information Services, National Archives 9:10 – 9:15 a.m. BREAK 9:15 – 10:50 a.m. Sunshine Week at ‘10’ – and in 2015 Presented by Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, American Society of News Editors and Sunshine in Government Initiative Remarks: Rick Blum, Executive Director, Sunshine in Government Initiative Moderator: Andy Alexander, Visiting Professional, E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, Ohio University Panelists: Pete Weitzel, former editor, The Miami Herald; former executive director, Coalition of Journalists for Open Government Deb Gersh Hernandez, Communications Director, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and co-coordinator, Sunshine Week Megan Rhyne, Executive Director, Virginia Coalition for Open Government SW- 2015 Moderator: Kevin Hall, Chief Economics Correspondent, McClatchy Newspapers Presenters: Brian Carovillano, Vice President and Managing Editor, U.S. news, The Associated Press Bill Sternberg, Deputy Editorial Page Editor, USA TODAY 10:50 - 11 a.m. BREAK 11 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. Open Government: Successes, Challenges, Prospects Presented by OpenTheGovernment.org Moderator: Sean Moulton, Director, Open Government Policy, Center for Effective Government Panelists: Sean Vitka, Federal Policy Manager, Sunlight Foundation Tom Blanton, Director, National Security Archive Shanna Devine, Legislative Director, Government Accountability Project Miriam Nisbet Former Director, OGIS Eric Mill, 18F Project, General Services Administration Respondents Moderator: Joe Goldman, President, Democracy Fund Prof. Bruce Cain, Professor of Political Science, Stanford University (via Skype) Charles Clark, Senior Correspondent, Government Executive Media Group 12:45 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. 2015 James Madison Award Presented by the American Library Association Remarks: Sari Feldman, ALA President-elect Speaker: Madison Award winner (via video) Concludes