Census of Agriculture Act of 1996

Summary: Census of Agriculture Act of 1996 - Amends Federal law to transfer authority to conduct the census of agriculture from the Secretary of Commerce to the Secretary (Secretary) of Agriculture.  Requires the Secretary to take a census every five years beginning after 1998. 
Sets forth confidentiality provisions.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Census of Agriculture Act of 1996''.

SEC. 2. TRANSFER TO THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE OF THE AUTHORITY TO 
              CONDUCT THE CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE.

    (a) In General.--Section 526 of the Revised Statutes (7 U.S.C. 
2204) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(c)(1) The Secretary shall, in 1998 and in every 5th year 
beginning after 1998, take a census of agriculture. In connection with 
each such census, the Secretary may conduct any survey or other data 
collection, and employ any sampling or other statistical method, that 
the Secretary determines is necessary and appropriate.
    ``(2) The data collected in each census taken under this subsection 
shall relate to the year immediately preceding the year in which the 
census is taken.
    ``(3) Any person who refuses or neglects to answer questions 
submitted to such person in connection with a census or survey under 
this subsection, or who answers any such questions falsely, shall be 
subject to section 221 of title 13, United States Code, to the same 
extent and in the same manner as if--
            ``(A) section 142 of such title 13 had remained in effect; 
        and
            ``(B) the census or survey were a census or survey under 
        such section 142, rather than under this subsection.
The failure or refusal on the part of any person to disclose such 
person's social security number in response to a request made in 
connection with any census or other activity under this subsection 
shall not be a violation under the preceding sentence.
    ``(4) Each census under this subsection shall include each State, 
and as may be determined by the Secretary, the District of Columbia, 
the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
Islands, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and any such other 
possessions and areas over which the United States exercises 
jurisdiction, control, or sovereignty. Inclusion of other areas over 
which the United States exercises jurisdiction, control, or sovereignty 
shall be subject to the concurrence of the Secretary of State.
    ``(5) The Secretary of Commerce may, upon written request of the 
Secretary of Agriculture, furnish any information collected under title 
13, United States Code, which the Secretary of Agriculture considers 
necessary for the taking of a census or survey under this subsection. 
Any information so furnished may not be used for any purpose other than 
the statistical purposes for which it is supplied.
    ``(6) The Secretary of Agriculture shall, upon written request of 
the Secretary of Commerce, furnish any information collected in a 
census taken under this subsection which the Secretary of Commerce 
considers necessary for the taking of a census or survey under title 
13, United States Code. Any information so furnished may not be used 
for any purpose other than the statistical purposes for which it is 
supplied.
    ``(7) Any rules or regulations necessary to carry out this 
subsection may be prescribed by--
            ``(A) the Secretary, to the extent that matters within the 
        jurisdiction of the Secretary are involved; and
            ``(B) the Secretary of Commerce, to the extent that matters 
        within the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Commerce are 
        involved.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--Effective October 1, 1998--
            (1) section 142 of title 13, United States Code, and the 
        item relating to section 142 in the table of sections for 
        chapter 5 of such title 13, are repealed; and
            (2) section 343(a)(11)(F) of the Consolidated Farm and 
        Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1991(a)(11)(F)) is amended by 
        inserting ``or section 526(c) of the Revised Statutes (7 U.S.C. 
        2204(c)), as the case may be,'' before ``except''.

SEC. 3. PROVISIONS RELATING TO CONFIDENTIALITY OF INFORMATION.

    (a) Information Furnished to the Department of Agriculture.--
            (1) Authority to furnish information.--Section 9(a) of 
        title 13, United States Code, is amended by striking ``chapter 
        10 of this title--'' and inserting ``chapter 10 of this title 
        or section 526(c)(5) of the Revised Statutes--''.
            (2) Confidentiality of information.--Section 1770(d)(5) of 
        the Food Security Act of 1985 (7 U.S.C. 2276(d)(5)) is amended 
        to read as follows:
            ``(5) subsections (a) and (c) of section 526 of the Revised 
        Statutes (7 U.S.C. 2204(a) and (c));''.
    (b) Information Furnished to the Department of Commerce.--
            (1) Authority to furnish information.--Section 1770 of the 
        Food Security Act of 1985 is amended by adding at the end the 
        following:
    ``(e) Nothing in this section shall be considered to prohibit any 
release of information under section 526(c)(6) of the Revised Statutes 
(7 U.S.C. 2204(c)(6)).''.
            (2) Confidentiality of information.--Information furnished 
        under section 526(c)(6) of the Revised Statutes shall, for 
        purposes of sections 9 and 214 of title 13, United States Code, 
        be treated as if it were information furnished under the 
        provisions of such title 13.

            Passed the House of Representatives July 22, 1996.

            Attest:

                                                ROBIN H. CARLE,

                                                                 Clerk.