In a U.S adaptation of the expense scandal rocking the U.K, The Wall Street Journal has a great story on the current state of expense management and receipt tracking in the House and Senate.
According to the Journal “Currently, the information is published only in printed volumes”. Summaries of lawmaker expenses are available to the public in print, either by mail or in volumes that can be viewed in basement rooms on Capitol Hill. The House’s quarterly reports — which run over 3,000 pages apiece, across multiple volumes — are stored in a cupboard in a windowless office near a shoeshine stand. The Senate’s semiannual reports, which use type about half the size of the print in a daily newspaper, are in a building nearby. Expense entries for both chambers can be difficult to decipher, with entries and explanations sometimes cutting off midword.”
That is a lot of locked up information, of value both to the general public and to the lawmakers themselves. Clearly there are better ways to deal with that information and all the information can be made searchable and made accessible anytime, anywhere (or by anyone). The Journal also goes on to say that “The House and Senate say they are considering making lawmakers’ spending records available in electronic form”.
We would like to extend an open invitation to them. Just send your receipts and expense reports to OfficeDrop. We will liberate your (our?) information, and can do our bit towards transparent governance? What say you?
You can read the entire article here.
Update: Looks like our blog post had its intended effect. WSJ breaking news reports that Speaker Pelosi has ordered that the information be made available online. We are glad we could help 
Attached snippet from the Journal :
