Gov shutdown affects transparency, too, as FOIA requests reportedly grind to a halt

Government transparency also takes a hit during the insane federal shutdown in the United States. "Several functions dedicated to providing information to the American public have been declared 'non-essential' and are suspended during the lapse in appropriations," including the processing of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) at Federal Trade Commission, the Social Security Administration, and the National Labor Relations Board. The Office of Government Information Services, the FOIA ombudsman, has ceased all activities. [Center for Effective Government]