OMB seeks 'bloggers' help in reform bills

WASHINGTON, Oct. 4 (UPI) -- The U.S. Office of Management and Budget has turned to bloggers for help passing government reform and accountability bills through Congress.

OMB Deputy Director Clay Johnson III met with bloggers from Porkbusters.org, Townhall.com, Instapundit.com and Human Events Online's Right Angle blog after they gathered to witness President Bush sign the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act, also known as the Coburn-Obama bill, into law, The Washington Post reported Wednesday.

The act, which was passed after bloggers flushed out the source of a secret hold put on the bill -- Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska -- calls for an online database of all federal government contracts and grants totaling more than $25,000.

The assistance from bloggers led the OMB to consider further partnerships.

"Clay asked them, 'Gee, since you're so good at this, can you help us on some of our other initiatives?'" said OMB Director Rob Portman.

"(Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio) tried... to get a co-sponsor this year for a bill that called for that kind of performance evaluation, and Voinovich added that an employee had to be minimally successful to get a raise," Johnson said. "He could not get a co-sponsor... It might just make its way to the blog community."