Obama will publish list of White House visitors

Sep 4, 2009, 16:24 GMT

Washington - US President Barack Obama announced Friday he will publicize a list of most visitors to the White House to provide more information about who has access and influences policy.

The move was meant to satisfy demands by watchdog groups who have insisted on greater public transparency about the role of lobbyists in decision-making.

'For the first time in history, records of White House visitors will be made available to the public on an ongoing basis,' Obama said in a statement. 'American have a right to know whose voices are being heard in the policymaking process.'

Under the new rules, records of White House visitors from the previous 90 to 120 days will be published online on a monthly basis.

The White House said that visits by potential appointments or nominees to sensitive posts in government will be excluded from the public disclosure.