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
Group Comments to OIRA on Public Engagement 10 March 2023
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
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
Coalition Letter on OLC Transparency Amendment to FY2023 NDAA 9 November 2022
Letter to Speaker Pelosi on Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal and Transparency (SCERT) Act 23 September 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 Senate urging support of DOJ OLC Transparency Act 16 March 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
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
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 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 Senators endorsing the Private Prison Information Act Endorsement Letter 2021 28 October 2021
Letter to Senators Peters & Portman (HSGAC) on Inspectors General Reform 5 October 2021
Letter to Senators and Members – Congress Must Pass The Protecting Our Democracy Act 22 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 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
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
42-Orgs-Endorse-Amash-Lofgren 13 June 2019
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_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