How We Operate

GIW operates in coalition with other individual organizations and coalitions. This primarily takes place through letters and comments joined, and in regular meetings. For other work, see and search Topics

Press-Release-Ramzi-Bin-al-Shibh-Defense-Statement.pdf  25 September 2023

DPC-OSP-OMB AI Letter  13 June 2023

Letter to the House Administration Committee – Oversight Hearing on the Office of Congressional Ethics Hearing  12 June 2023

Civil Rights Letter to FTC  7 June 2023

Organizational Letter to USGS on Pesticide Mapping

Comment Circular A 4 and EO on Modernizing regulations  6 June 2023

Organizational Letter to USGS on Pesticide Mapping  15 May 2023

Human Rights Coalition Letter Opposing EARN IT [Eliminating Abusive and Rampant Neglect of Interactive Technologies] Act    2 May 2023

The Identity Project, Gov Info Watch, et.al Comments on NPRM, “Advance Passenger Information System: Electronic Validation of Travel Documents”, USCBP-2023-0002  3 April 2023

Opportunities for Fairness in Farming Act Letter  29 March 2023

Coalition Letter on Presidential Records Act Reform  22 March 2023

Coalition letter on Law-enforcement database  14 March 2023

Group Comments to OIRA on Public Engagement  10 March 2023 1

Letter to Pres Biden on the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework w recs for transparent & participatory process 1 March 2023

Letter to DHS Sec Mayorkas – cancel ICE’s contract with LexisNexis and stop ICE from using data brokers  23 February 2023

Fix Office of Congressional Ethics Provisions in House Rules 4 Jan 2023

 


2022

Re Census Bureau’s review of the Population Estimates Program and the resumption of a population estimate appeals process     22 Dec 2022

Letter to Pres Biden calling for release of the new lethal force policy and associated counter-terrorism strategy 19 December 2022

PRESS_Act_Coalition_Letter to Sen. Schumer 12 December 2022

Letter to Rep. Nadler re SCOTUS hearing and continued commitment to bringing transparency and accountability to the Supreme Court of the United States  8 December 2022

Letter to Pres Biden re our concern that existing forms of federal assistance to state and local law enforcement will be used to support state and local surveillance and investigations of reproductive health activities  7 December 2022

Coalition Letter on OLC Transparency Amendment to FY2023 NDAA  9 November 2022

Letter to Senators Reed and Inhofe re Reforms to National Guard Deployment Authorities and the Posse Comitatus Act in the FY2023 National Defense Authorization Act  3 November 2022

Letter to Speaker Pelosi on Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal and Transparency (SCERT) Act  23 September 2022

Letter to Sen Schumer and Speaker Pelosi urging the inclusion of the “Establishing New Authorities for Businesses Laundering and Enabling Risks to Security Act” (ENABLERS Act) in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (NDAA)                     1 October 2022

Call for a Transparent and Participatory Negotiating Process for the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) and Future Trade Negotiations  22 July 2022

Letter to Pres Biden re US Counter-Terrorism Review in light of military excursions into Somalia letter  10 August 2022

Follow Up Letter DHS Privacy and USCIS  31 May 2022

Human Rights & Security Coalition Letter on Torture-Derived Evidence  31 May 2022

Letter urging support of Non-Disclosure Order Fairness Act  27 May 2022

Letter thanking Archivist of the United States David Ferreiro  29 April 2022

Letter of Support for PLUM Act for transparency and oversight of senior level Exec Branch officials  28 April 2022

Letter to Chairman Nadler & Ranking Member Jordan Opposing “Pro CODES” Act  21 April 2022

Letter to House Science Committee urging passage of the Scientific Integrity Act to safeguard the rights of scientists working at
federal agencies
  21 March 2022

Letter to Senate urging support of DOJ OLC Transparency Act  16 March 2022

Letter to Pres Biden re signing statement for the FY 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) asserting authority to withhold from Congress information required by law  10 February 2022

Letter to Director of DOD Operational Test & Evaluation re Annual Report assertion of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) designation for findings  9 February 2022

Letter to President Biden calling for transparency and accountability re US-caused Civilian Harm  8 February 2022

Call to Secretary Raimondo to Release Calendars 1 February 2022

Amici brief to U.S. Supreme Court in Taub v Thompson re whether Donald J. Trump could prevent disclosure of records in face of Pres Biden’s waiving of privilege  5 January 2022


2021

Letter to Sens Schumer and McConnell encouraging improved online public access to bills and amendments considered on the Senate floor  9 December 2021

Letter to House Rules Committee in strong support of the Jacobs amendment to the Protecting Our Democracy Act which would allow all members who serve on committees the authority to designate one personal office staffer as eligible to apply for a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) clearance.  7 December 2021

Statement of Members of the Human Rights and Security Coalition onClosing Guantánamo: Ending 20 Years of Injustice Before the Senate Judiciary Committee December 7, 2021  7 December 2021

Letter to Reps Johnson & Raskin and Sens Whitehouse & Padilla in support of Bivens act to amend 42 U.S.C. § 1983 to ensure that federal officials are held to same standards as state & local officials when constitutional rights are implicated  7 December 2021

Letter to  Senators Durbin and Grassley supporting their efforts to bring the Open Courts Act (S. 2614) to a vote before the Senate Judiciary Committee  6 December 2021

Letter to DOD Secretary Austin – urging robust accounting for and reckoning with the civilian harm of the last twenty years, and
committing to finally implementing structural changes to prioritize civilian protection andaccountability for civilian harm
These efforts need to incorporate civil society, and, wherever possible, communities impacted by U.S. military operations and lethal strikes.  1 December 2021

Letter to SASC & HASC Chairs & Ranking Members – requesting urgent congressional oversight of U.S. civilian harm
policies and adherence to international humanitarian law
in light of recent reporting that the U.S. military hid the consequences of an airstrike in Baghuz, Syria that may have killed dozens of civilians and wasflagged as a possible war crime by at least one Defense Department lawyer.  30 November 2021

Letter to OMB Acting Director Shalanda Young encouraging prioritizing implementation of President Biden’s Jan 20 2021 memorandum “Modernizing Regulatory Review”  17 November 2021

Thank You letter Peters and Portman (HSGAC) for work to advance legislation to improve the federal IG system16 November 2021

Coalition Endorsement to Senators Schumer & McConnell of Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act 15 November 2021

Letter to Senate & House Approps Committee leaders – provide the Census Bureau with no less than $1.442 billion in the final
FY 2022 CJS bill and consider request to provide the agency with $2 billion in FY 2022
  8 November 2021

Letter to Senators endorsing the Private Prison Information Act Endorsement Letter 2021  28 October 2021

Letter to DHS Sec Mayorkas – stop use of expensive, disproportionately invasive, and non-transparent surveillance tools under the guise of “streamlined data sharing  27 October 2021

Letter to Senators Peters & Portman (HSGAC) on Inspectors General Reform  5 October 2021

Thank you letter to Rep Al Green for sponsoring the Whistleblower Protection Reform Act of 2021 (H.R. 5485 to amend the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934  20 October 2021

Letter to Ambassador Rice, Chair Domestic Policy Council urging a high priority on ensuring that data-driven technologies protect civil rights, prevent unlawful discrimination, and advance equal opportunity  27 October 2021

Letter to Senators and Members – Congress Must Pass The Protecting Our Democracy Act  22 September 2021

Letter to House Rules leaders – make in order amendments to strengthen postemployment restrictions on and enhance
transparency of lobbying by former DOD personnel/Address Revolving Door in FY 22 NDAA
  17 September 2021

Letter Urging Permanent SCOTUS Live Audio  8 September 2021

Coalition Letter — fill PCLOB Vacancies with nominees that will vigorously protect privacy and civil liberties while upholding government transparency  7 September 2021

Joint Comments to OSTP on Request for Information to Improve Scientific Integrity Policies  28 July 2021

Letter to Senators Peters & Portman in Support of Rob Santos as Census Director 27 July 2021

Ltr to Judiciary Committees for support and hearing on The Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act  20 July 2021

Scientific Coalition Letter on Aduhelm to HHS Inspector General  7 July 2021

Letter to President Biden demanding an end to the unlawful program of lethal strikes outside any recognized battlefield,
including through the use of drones
  30 June 2021

Letter to Chairs & Ranking Members of Armed Services Committees in opposition to DOD’s proposal to exempt from disclosure unclassified information on “military tactic, technique, or procedure,” and on military “rule of engagement or rule for the use of force”  21 June 2021

Letter to AG Garland & Judiciary Committees leaders re Congress and Press Surveillance in 2017 & 2018  18 June 2021

Letter to Pres Biden re Data Flows Negotiations ensure new transatlantic data transfer deal is coupled with reform of government surveillance practices and provision of comprehensive privacy protections  10 June 2021

Letter_Assistant_Attorney_General_re OLC  26 May 2021

Human Rights & Security Coalition letter to IC leaders re review of Army Field Manual 2–22.3 use the opportunity the make revisions to the AFM to better safeguard against a return to U.S.torture in the interrogation context, and as a step toward dismantling the legal and policy structure of the “forever war” 20 May 2021

NGO Letter to Congressional Leadership re Police Accountability 19 May 2021

DOJ Must Review Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) Personnel and Install New Leadership 18 May 2021

Letter to Senate re George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021 (JPA) H.R. 1280 13 May 2021

Letter endorsing “Demilitarizing Local Law Enforcement Act of 2021” to end the 1033 Program  13 May 2021

Letter to Senators Schumer and McConnell – End Qualified Immunity 10 May 2021

Comments in response to Notice of Request for Public Comment on the Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad 29 April 2021

Statement on Appropriate Data for Redistricting  27 April 2021

Classification reform letter to President Biden  21 April 2021

Human Rights & Security Coalition letter re review of Army Field Manual 2–22.3 20  20 May 2021

Letter to DHS Secretary about the federal government’s use of Clearview AI facial recognition technology 19 April 2021

Letter to Ambassador Rice on Ethics.gov  15 April 2021

Support Letter for the Access to Congressionally-Mandated Reports Act (ACMRA) 13 April 2021

Letter to Senate Judiciary (Durbin & Grassley) on FOIA Hearings 7 April 2021

Letter to Attorney General Garland on FOIA  7 April 2021

Letter-265 Organizations Support Whistleblower Freedom of Speech Protections 1 April 2021

Letter to DHS Secretary re DHS Blocking Media Access at Border Facilities 24 March 2021

Letter in support of increased transparency and accountability in federal courts  8 March 2021

Make public OPM’s report on political appointees’ conversion to nonpolitical permanent positions 23 February 2021

Comments on Digitizing Permanent Records and Reviewing Records Schedules 15 February 2021


2020

Coalition Letter to Block Pres Trump from Firing Civil Servants and Burrowing Appointees  11 December 2020

President-Elect Biden Transition Letter on Regulations  9 December 2020

Letter to Sen. Warren & Rep. Pressley in support of COVID-19 in Corrections Data Transparency Act  3 December 2020

Letter to Pelosi-McCarthy Bring Intel Auth to Floor under Regular Order  24 November 2020

Letter to Congress to retain 3 amendments to NDAA  23 November 2020

Coalition Letter – Block new Trump Schedule F job classification 20 November 20

Letter on Continuation of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress in the 117th Congress                     16 November 2020

Sign on comment on Dept of Education rulemaking guidance   2 November 2020

Thanking Rep. Eshoo for Surveillance Inquiries 27 October 2020

Graham-Feinstein Barrett Opposition Letter  16 October 2020

Letter to NARA re preserving presidential records  9 October 2020

Letter on Further Improving the House Committee on Appropriations  7 October 2020

Letter to Armed Services Committees – Preserve SIGAR ability of evaluate-audit spending  5 October 2020

97 Organizations Submit Comments to NARA re CBP Document Destruction Proposal (NARA-20-0017-0014; Control Number DAA-0568-2018-0001) 30 September 2020

Coalition Letter to Vote No on The Motion to Proceed – S. 3985 (JUSTICE Act) 23 June 2020

Restoring Science Protecting the Public_portfolio June 2020

Strengthening_the_Legislative_Branch_by_Increasing_its_302b_Allocation 22 June 2020

Sign-on Census Project letter re Census funding in Senate COVID package  22 June 2020

Coalition Letter Defund Police Surveillance 17 June 2020

COVID-19 Privacy + Civil Rights Principles_Coalition Letter_House 11 June 2020

Coalition Urges Open and Transparent Senate Proceedings Urges Open and Transparent Senate Proceedings  10 June 2020

Coalition_Letter_to_House_and_Senate_Leadership_on_Federal_Policing_Priorites_Final 1 June 2020

Final Wyden-Daines_House_Amendment letter (re 2020 reauthorization of USA FREEDOM Act) 18 May 2020

FINAL Comments on EPA Supplemental Science Proposal  18 May 2020

Letter to House Oversigh & Reform – Plum Book Transparency 4 May 2020

Data Coalition Public Endorsement Letter re Financial Transparency Act   24 April 2020

Transition-Letter-to-Biden re Need to demonstrate a high regard for good governance 23 April 2020

Stimulus Transparency Accountability Letter 21 April 2020

Coalition Letter to Bureau of Prisons – Demographic Data FINAL 21 April 2020

GIW Comments on Transparency in Stengtherning Transparency in Regulatory Science proposed rule  13 April 2020

Civil Society Support for IG removal protections 10 April 2020

Sign-on Letter on DoD Secret Spending  7 April 2020

COVID-19-Funding-Letter-FINAL inc key policies for public’s safety & fair/inclusive voting 22 Mar 2020

Public Interest_Jt Ltr Comment_Extension during COVID Emergency  19 Mar 2020

Letter House Comm on Judiciary re 215 amendments 26 Feb 2020

Safeguarding Americans’ Private Records Act (SAPRA) of 2020 Coalition Endorsement 12 Feb 2020

Letter re Restrictions_on_press_access_during_Senate_impeachment_trial  17 Jan 2020

FINAL Org sign-on – 30-day comment period extension request re asylum bar NPRM 2 Jan 2020


2019

Letter to National Archives and Records Administration Regarding Records Appraisal December 13, 2019

IC Whistleblower Reform letter 12 Nov 2019

Coalition Letter on Section 702 FINAL 17 Oct 2019

Support for Budget Justification Transparency Act of 2019 S. 2560 15 Oct 2019

Electronic Court Records Reform Act (ECRRA) Letter – Senate  15 Oct 2019

Open and Responsive Govt Act Sign on letter.FINAL 19 Sep 2019

Group Letter to House Leadership FAIR “Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal” Act 18 Sep 2019

200+NGO Sign-on – FY20 DHS Priorities Sept. 2019  12 Sep 2019

FY 2020 302(b) Leg Branch Allocation Letter 9 Sep 2019

Letter re NDAA Lethal Targeting Provisions   19 Aug 2019

OFCCP-NPRM_RIN-1250-AA09_Religious-Exemption_Letter-from-Civil-Rights-Groups-to-Extend-Comment-Period

42-Orgs-Endorse-Amash-Lofgren 13 June 2019

CBO_Transparency_Letter

Coalition Letter OLC (DOJ Office of Legal Counsel) Transparency – Appropriations  15 May 2019

Coalition Letter on Ofc of Technology Assessment 10 May 2019

OSHA Whistleblower Stakeholder Sign On Letter FINAL 9 May 2019

US SCt Amicus Brief re states’ exclusion of citizens from state/local docs on copyright claims 6 May 2019

Civilian Casualties_Letter_Congress_2020_NDAA 2 May 2019

Coalition Letter to DHS in opposition to surveillance activity  1 May 2019

Amicus Brief Department of Commerce v. New York supporting the lower court’s decision 2 April 2019

Groups File FOIA Request to Demand Transparency on Implementation of “Remain in Mexico” Policy  20 Feb 2019

Letter to Judge Jackson re General Order in FOIA Cases 20 Feb 2019

Electronic Court Records Reform Act Letter Senate 116th Congress  14 Feb 2019

Letter to Chairman Schiff re Closed HPSCI Meeting on 2019-02-06  5 Feb 2019

Joint Comments on Proposed Dept of Interior Rule – DOI-2018-0017, RIN 1093-AA26  29 Jan 2019

Request for Extension Interior FOIA Rulemaking  14 Jan 2019


2018

DHS-HHS Letter on use of info from detained children 28 Nov 2018

DOI Records Request Openness-Accountability Community Comments  26 Nov 2018

Openness-Accountability Community Comments urging NARA to reconsider the proposed Department of Interior records retention schedule (DAA-0048-2015-0003) and NARA’s Appraisal  26 Nov 2018Denaturalization Priorities 10.27.21

Letter to Ryan and Pelosi on Oversight of the IC 2018 16 Nov 2018

Government Information Watch DCRA Comment 8-10-18 Deaths in Custody Reporting Act (DOJ implementation/lack thereof)

24 Orgs Comments on BJS Data Collection NCRP 7 September 2018    Opposing Bureau of Justice Statistics request to state agencies about inmates’ citizenship & nationality

Multiple Commenters IBBC SORN Privacy Act comments 30 August 2018  Comments on Notice of a New System of Records (SORN): Department of Homeland Security/ US Citizenship and Immigration Services -018 Immigration Biometric and Background Check System of Records; and Comments on Notice of Privacy Act Exemptions: Department of Homeland Security/ US Citizenship and Immigration Services-018 Immigration Biometric and Background Check System of Records

PCLOB nominees letter to Senators Grassley & Feinstein 29 August 2018

Letter to Senate Judiciary re Kavanaugh records 27 August 2018

Sign-on Letter to Sec Mattis on DoD Secrecy  7 Aug 2018

Government Information Watch Comments on 2020 Census 7 Aug 2018  Opposing the addition of a citizenship question

Comments on DHS External Biometric Records SORN 24 May 2018

Congressional Accountability Act Reform in the Senate 23 May 2018

Opposing S. 2794, the Protect and Serve Act of 2018 16 May 2018

Opposing H.R. 5698, the Protect and Serve Act of 2018, which creates a new crime for offenses that target law enforcement officers; bills such as this appear to be a political response to the growing national movement for police accountability  15 May 2018

Oversight.gov Coalition Support Letter  14 May 2018

MOTION FOR LEAVE TO FILE REDACTED VERSION OF MOTION FOR RELIEF RE TAPES AND DRAWINGS FINAL Motion to Order Director ODNI  to search for tapes and drawings depicting petitioners torture, to report the results of that search under oath, and to deliver any responsive material to court security [re Gail Helt who revealed copies of torture videotapes, etc., had been sent to ODNI for archiving  1 May 2018

Coalition Letter Open Hearings With Service Chiefs  Writing in protest of a reported decision not to have any public hearings on the budget with Service chiefs, and to instead hold closed, classified roundtables 13 Apr 2018

Letter in support of CHA Markup of ACMRA  Supporting the bipartisan Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act (“ACMRA”) 5 Apr 2018

Senate Cong’l Accountability Act reform bill_Coalition letter Urging the Senate to act quickly to address discrimination and harassment within the legislative workforce 19 Mar 2018

AMICI CURIAE BRIEF IN OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANT’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT AND IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT – FILED  To ensure that the Central Intelligence Agency (“CIA”) and other agencies are not permitted to create such a significant exception to the well-established prior official disclosure doctrine that the doctrine itself is rendered virtually ineffective  16 Mar 2018

Haspel coalition letter Expressing grave concerns and asking that senators not advance her nomination until all of the records on her past involvement in the CIA torture program are declassified and released to the public 16 Mar 2018

Extreme-Vetting-Initiative FOIA-Request to DHS 1 Mar 2018

Reforms in light of Nunes Memo final  Increasing Transparency and Oversight of the Intelligence Community 18 Feb 2018

Joint Statement on H.R.2579 Opposing H.R.2579, the Secure and Succeed Act of 2018; in its current form, if passed, this bill will expand the authority of the Department of Homeland Security beyond any meaningful oversight or accountability protections 14 Feb 2018

Coalition-Letter-to-Congress-on-GREAT-Act-and-nonproprietary-identifier  Supporting the ​Grant Efficiency and Agreements Transparency Act ​(GREAT) Act (H.R. 4887) – federal spending data should be open and accessible to taxpayers and the public, free of charge or licensing restrictions 5 Feb 2018


2017

Nonprofit Net Neutrality Sign On Letter  12 Dec 2017

38 Orgs Support ACMRA 2017-12-11 11 Dec 2017

Letter In Opposition to FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017        30 Nov 2017

43 Orgs Support Poe-Lofgren -Shut the Backdoor- Amdt to USA Liberty           6 Nov 2017

Oppose USA LIBERTY w-o backdoor fix 31 Oct 2017

Release to One/Release to All Coalition Letter  31 Oct 2017

Coalition letter calling for release of President’s tax return  11 Oct 2017

Coalition Letter to DHS Opposing Extreme Vetting Initiative 10 Nov 2017

Comments Signed On -DHS-Alien-File 18 Oct 2017

Coalition_Letter_HJC_Urging_Stronger_USA_Liberty_Act_Backdoor_Fix  13 Oct 2017

Coalition letter urging the Joint Committee on Taxation and the IRS Commissioner to release Trump’s taxes to the public under 26 USC § 6103(k)(3)  11 Oct 2017

Coalition_Letter_Section_702_Backdoor_Search_Reform  2 Oct 2017

State Dept extreme vetting comments – FINAL SUBMITTED 10.2.2017 2 Oct 2017

Letter to House Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group FOIA  20 Sep 2017

Coalition letter on cross-border access by foreign governments to electronic communications and related data held in the United States – 9-20-17 urging Senators & Members to oppose this legislation in its current form if it is introduced as either a stand-alone bill or as part of another legislative vehicle  20 Sep 2017

Coalition Letter_Private Prison Information Sharing Act of 2017 (S.1728) Dear Senator letter urging support 0f S. 1728, legislation to apply the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to federally-funded private prison facilities  3 Aug 2017

Al-Darbi Coalition Letter expressing serious concern and opposition regarding recent decisions by the Department of Defense with respect to observation of the military commissions at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and the potential these decisions have to negatively affect transparency in the judicial proceedings occurring there  1 Aug 2017

Commerce Committee Letter urging the Senate Commerce Committee to hold a hearing on the state of media in the United States  27 Jul 2017

702-Coalition-Letter calling for reforms to FISA Sec 702 in light of civil rights concerns and potential for law enforcement misuse  July 10, 2017