AP reports Bush to Ease Public Access to Information, via an Executive Order signed this afternoon. According to White House press secretary Scott McClellan’s statements at the briefing today: “The order requires agencies to designate a senior official as the chief officer for Freedom of Information Act requests. They’ll be responsible for agency-wide implementation of the response, or of this disclosure of information. Under the order, each agency will also be required to take a close look at their programs, identify areas in which it can do better, and then map out a plan for the agency to implement those improvements in the coming fiscal years of ’06 and ’07. And agencies will also designate public liaisons to serve as a second level to respond to inquiries from those who are requesting information, to assist in resolving issues after staff in those centers have done their best.”