Example Data Data Governance

OMB Releases OPEN Government Data Act Guidance

This Congressional Research Service (CRS) Insight discusses the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB)guidance for implementing the OPEN Government Data Act of 2019.

Organization: Congressional Research Service (CRS)

Published Year: 2025

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The report details Memorandum M-25-05, issued in January 2025, which provides a framework for federal agencies to inventory and share their data assets with the public.

• Open by Default: Reaffirms the statutory requirement that government data should be available for public access and use through a centralized federal data catalogue.
• Broad Scope: Clarifies that “data assets” include any collection of data—including those procured through private contracts—that are maintained by or on behalf of an agency.
• FOIA Integration: Requires agencies to proactively assess data assets for public availability under Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) standards, discouraging withholding unless a specific exemption truly applies.
• Transparency Tools: Mandates that agencies maintain a public inventory (data.json) and specific descriptive metadata for each asset, including its security and privacy categorizations.
• Congressional Oversight: Suggests that Congress may want to monitor how agencies balance the “open by default” mandate against records management responsibilities and FOIA exemptions.