"Congressman John Moss was a man of great integrity who made an impact on all Americans. He doggedly pursued efficient ways to run a modern government and made a distinguished record of searching out the truth." President William F. Clinton

"John was a true mentor for me and countless others who aspired to serve in public office." Honorable Robert T. Matsui (D-Calif.)

"By all that was holy, I was destined to be a one-termer." Congressman John E. Moss 

"He took up the fight against misuse of executive privilege when there were only a few in the press who recognized the potential problem." J. Russell Wiggins, former executive editor, The Washington Post.

"Moss was just relentless. I had to take a few days off just to recover from the pace he set." Former Congressman Jeffrey Cohelan (D-Calif) after accompanying Congressman Moss to Vietnam 

"He was a seeker of justice wherever he found it." Ralph Nader

"Because of John Moss, going to my mailbox can be like Christmas morning. If I get a huge package from the government, I rip out the documents looking for clues about how my government works and - when it doesn’t - why it doesn’t. I constantly urge journalists to use the Freedom of Information Act, and use it often so we can keep the bureaucrats used to the idea that these records are ours - not theirs." Mike McGraw, Kansas City Star 

"Congressman Moss has never received the credit he deserves for his work on the Freedom of Information Act.  It is, without a doubt, one of the great contributions of an individual congressman.  He devoted a great deal of his time and energy, and that of his staff, to persuading Congress to adopt a law for which there was a great need.  This law is still gaining access for newspapers and others which they never would have obtained but for its passage. "  James Russell Wiggins; Editor, The Ellsworth American.

"John McCain is a great selection as the first recipient of the John E. Moss Public Service Award - he fits perfectly with what Moss was all about. "  Leo Rennert, Washington Bureau Chief, McClatchy Newspapers (retired).

"While we knock little holes in news barriers, one at a time, John Moss is trying to remove any excuse for their existence." James S. Pope,  past president of the American Society of Newspaper Editors

"The government should not hide the facts from the American public, nor should the government twist the facts for publicity purposes, for we have a right to know the truth about our capabilities in both war and peace."  Congressman John E. Moss