A key member of the House Government Operations Committee and the Government Information Subcommittee, Rep. Dante Fascell, D-Fla., worked with Rep. John Moss to wring concessions from the executive branch during the time FOIA was being developed and adopted.

A champion of Sunshine Laws, he consistently fought for the preservation of FOIA throughout his career and spearheaded legislation to open House committee meetings to the public. In 1984 he helped pass a law to open executive agency meetings as well.

Dante Fascell died in 1998.