U.S. NATIONAL COMMISSION ON LIBRARIES AND INFORMATION SCIENCE

A COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF PUBLIC 

INFORMATION DISSEMINATION 

FINAL REPORT, VOLUME 2 

LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY PROPOSALS 

(APPENDICES 11 AND 12) 

MARCH 27, 2001 

NCLIS 

U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

1110 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 820, Washington, DC 20005-3552
U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

1110 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 820, Washington, DC 20005-3552 

Telephone: 202-606-9200; Fax: 202-606-9203; Web: www.nclis.gov 

The National Commission on Libraries and Information Science is a permanent, independent agency 

of the federal government, established in 1970 with the enactment of Public Law 91-345. The 

Commission is charged with: 

• advising the President and the Congress on the implementation of policy; 

• conducting studies, surveys, and analyses of the library and informational needs of the nation; 

• appraising the adequacies and deficiencies of current library and information resources and 

services; and 

• developing overall plans for meeting national library and informational needs. 

The Commission also advises federal, state, and local governments, and other public and private 

organizations, regarding library and information sciences, including consultations on relevant treaties, 

international agreements and implementing legislation, and it promotes research and development 

activities which will extend and improve the nation's library and information handling capability as 

essential links in the national and international networks. 

Commissioners and Staff include: 

Martha B. Gould, Chair

Joan R. Challinor, Vice Chair 

C.E. "Abe" Abramson LeVar Burton Marilyn G. Mason 

Walter Anderson José-Marie Griffiths Bobby L. Roberts 

Rebecca T. Bingham Jack E. Hightower 

Paulette H. Holahan 

Donald L. Robinson 

 

James H. Billington Beverly Sheppard 

Librarian of Congress 

Robert S. Willard

Acting Director, Institute of 

Museum & Library Services 

 Executive Director 

Judith C. Russell 

 Deputy Director 

 

 Assessment Co-coordinators:

F. Woody Horton 

Sarah T. Kadec

NCLIS Consultants 
U.S. NATIONAL COMMISSION ON LIBRARIES AND INFORMATION SCIENCE

A COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF PUBLIC 

INFORMATION DISSEMINATION 

FINAL REPORT, VOLUME 2 

LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY PROPOSALS 

(APPENDICES 11 AND 12) 

MARCH 27, 2001 

NCLIS 

U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

1110 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 820, Washington, DC 20005-3552
Suggested Citation: 

U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science. 

A comprehensive assessment of public information dissemination, final report. Washington, DC: U.S. 

Government Printing Office, 2001. 

4 volumes. Volume 1: A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination; Volume 2: 

Legislative and Regulatory Proposals; Volume 3: Supplementary Reference Materials; and Volume 4: 

Compilation of Recent Statues Relating to Public Information Dissemination. 

Note: Volume 1 is available in electronic form at http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.vol1.pdf and 

in print; it contains the executive summary, report and Appendices 1 through 10. Volume 2 is 

available in electronic form at http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.vol2.pdf and in print; it 

contains appendices 11 and 12. Volume 3 is available only in electronic form at 

http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.vol3.pdf; it contains Appendices 13 through 34. Volume 4 is 

available only in electronic form at http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.vol4.pdf; it contains 

Appendix 35. 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

i 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 Table of Contents.....................................................................................................................................i

Glossary of Acronyms and Abbreviations...............................................................................................v

Volume 2: Legislative and Regulatory Proposals....................................................................................1

Appendix 11. The Public Information Resources Reform Act of 2001...............................................2

Introduction......................................................................................................................................3

Section 1. Findings...........................................................................................................................4

Section 2. Purposes ..........................................................................................................................7

Section 3. Definitions.....................................................................................................................13

Section 4. Recognition that Public Information Resources Are a Strategic National Asset ..........15

Section 5. Incorporation of Public Information Resources Dissemination Responsibility 

in the Mission Statements in Enabling Legislation and Major Programs of All 

Government Establishments ................................................................................................16

Section 6. Establishing a Federal Public Information Resources Management 

Organization in the Executive Branch .................................................................................17

6.a. The Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) ................................................18

6.b. Staffing Authority for the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA)..............19

6.c. Disposition of Programs for the Sale of Public Information Resources; Repeal of 

Statutory Requirements for Self-Funding Programs for the Sale of Public 

Information Resources.................................................................................................21

6.d. Transfer of the Authorities, Duties, Responsibilities and Assets of the National 

Technical Information Service (NTIS) ........................................................................22

6.e. Transfer of the Authorities, Duties, Responsibilities and Assets of the 

Superintendent of Documents......................................................................................23

6.f. Transfer of the Authorities, Duties, Responsibilities and Assets of Selected 

Programs of the General Services Administration (GSA) ...........................................23

6.g. Additional Authorities, Duties and Responsibilities of the Superintendent of Public 

Information Resources (SuPIR)...................................................................................23

6.h. The Public Information Resources Access Program (PIRAP) ............................................25

6.i. Transfer of the Authorities, Duties, Responsibilities and Assets for Executive 

Branch Procurement of Printing and Related Services................................................26

6.j. Additional Authorities, Duties and Responsibilities of the Superintendent of Public 

Information and Communication Technologies (SuPICT)..........................................27

6.k. Repeal of Waivers for Printing and Printing Procurement..................................................27

6.l. Responsibility for By-Law Distribution...............................................................................27

Section 7. Establishing a Federal Public Information Resources Management 

Organization in the Legislative Branch ...............................................................................28

7.a. The Congressional Information Resources Office (CIRO) .................................................28

7.b. Appointment and Duties of the Administrator of the Congressional Information 

Resources Office (CIRO).............................................................................................29

7.c. Transfer of the Remaining Authorities, Duties, Responsibilities and Assets of the 

Public Printer ...............................................................................................................29

7.d. Repeal of Waivers for Printing and Printing Procurement..................................................29
U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

ii 

7.e. Requirements for Supporting the Programs of the Superintendent of Public 

Information Resources (SuPIR) .................................................................................. 30

7.f. Legislative Branch Responsibilities for the Management of Public Information 

Resources .................................................................................................................... 30

Section 8. Establishing a Federal Public Information Resources Management 

Organization in the Judicial Branch.................................................................................... 31

8.a. The Judicial Information Resources Office (JIRO) ............................................................ 32

8.b. Appointment and Duties of the Administrator of the Judicial Information 

Resources Office (JIRO). ............................................................................................ 32

8.c. Transfer of the Authorities, Duties, Responsibilities and Assets for Judicial Branch 

Procurement of Printing and Related Services............................................................ 32

8.d. Repeal of Waivers for Printing and Printing Procurement................................................. 33

8.e. Requirements for Superintendent of Public Information Resources (SuPIR) Sales 

Programs ..................................................................................................................... 33

8.f. Judicial Branch Responsibilities for the Management of Public Information 

Resources .................................................................................................................... 33

Section 9. Consolidation and Coordination of Public Information Services and 

Information Management Authorities, Missions, Responsibilities, Functions and 

Resources ............................................................................................................................ 34

9.a. Eliminate Unnecessary Overlap and Duplication in Public Information Resources .......... 34

9.b. National Bibliography of Public Information Resources and Collection of Public 

Information Resources ................................................................................................ 35

9.c. Government Website Portal Development and Utilization................................................. 36

Section 10. Reforming the Federal Government’s Public Information Infrastructure .................. 37

Section 11. Updating and Modernizing Federal Information Handling and 

Telecommunications Systems, Services, and Networks ..................................................... 38

Section 12. Government Establishment Responsibility Under This Act....................................... 39

12.a. Compliance with the Rules, Regulations, Standards and Guidelines of the Public 

Information Resources Administration (PIRA) and Participation in the 

Programs of the Superintendent of Public Information Resources (SuPIR). .............. 39

12.b. Periodic Review Public Information Resources............................................................... 40

12.c. Preservation, Authentication and Permanent Public Availability..................................... 40

12.d. Notification of Changes to the Public and the SuPIR....................................................... 40

12.e. By-Law Distribution......................................................................................................... 41

12.f. Information Dissemination Budget for Each Government Establishment ........................ 41

12.g. Information Dissemination Plan for Each Government Establishment............................ 41

Section 13. Creation of a Council on Public Information Resources (CPIR)................................ 42

Section 14. Creation of a Public Information Resources Users Council (PIRUC)........................ 42

Section 15. Relationship Between Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) 

and National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)............................................ 43

Section 16. Harmonize Internal (For Official Use Only) and External (For Public Use) 

Information Resources Management Policies, Programs, and Practices ............................ 44

Section 17. Education, Training, Career and Professional Development of Public 

Information Resources Librarians and Other Information Professionals............................ 45

Section 18: Public Information Resources Research Institute (PIRRI)......................................... 47

Section 19. Abolishing the Joint Committee on Printing (JCP).................................................... 47

19.a. Legislative Oversight Functions ....................................................................................... 48

19.b. Government-Wide Regulations for Printing, Binding and Related Services ................... 48

19.c. Repeal of Waivers............................................................................................................. 48

Section 20. Authorization of Budgetary, Financing, and Accounting Mechanisms...................... 48
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

iii 

20.a. Funding for the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA), 

Congressional Information Resources Office (CIRO), and Judicial 

Information Resources Office (JIRO)..........................................................................49

20.b. R&D Information Dissemination Reserve Fund ...............................................................49

20.c. Development and Implementation of an Information Dissemination Budget (IDB) ........50

20.d. Information Dissemination Plans ......................................................................................51

20.e. Ensure That Inherently Governmental Functions Involving Public Information 

Resources Are Financed Directly Through Appropriated Funds.................................51

Section 21. Strengthen Public Sector/Private Sector Partnerships for Dissemination of 

Public Information Resources..............................................................................................52

Section 22. Federal Coordination of Public Information Resources Policies, Programs, 

and Practices With State, Local, and Tribal Governments ..................................................53

Public Information Resources Reform Act of 2001, Appendix A. Fact Sheet on 

Strengthening the Federal Depository Library Program..........................................................55

Public Information Resources Reform Act of 2001, Appendix B. Fact Sheet on 

Establishment of Public Information Resources Agencies in Each Branch of 

Government .............................................................................................................................58

Public Information Resources Reform Act of 2001, Appendix C. Schematic Showing 

Components of the Public Information Resources Reform Act of 2001 .................................62

Appendix 12. Suggested Revisions to the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) 

and OMB Circular A-130 ........................................................................................................63

Introduction....................................................................................................................................63

Section 1. Suggested Revisions to the Paperwork Reduction Act .................................................65

A. Recommendations With Respect 44 U.S.C. 3501, Purposes.................................................66

B. Recommendations With Respect to 44 U.S.C. 3502, Definitions .........................................66

C. Recommendations With Respect to 44 U.S.C. 3504, Authority and Functions of 

Director ........................................................................................................................68

D. Recommendations With Respect to 44 U.S.C. 3506, Federal Agency 

Responsibilities............................................................................................................69

Section 2. Suggested Revisions to OMB Circular A-130, Management of Federal 

Information Resources.........................................................................................................70

A. Recommendations for Development and Testing of Government Information Life 

Cycle Management Software.......................................................................................70

B. Recommendations for Development and Testing of a Current Awareness System for 

Public Information Resources......................................................................................71

C. Recommendations for Development and Testing of a Federal Identifier 

Classification Scheme..................................................................................................71

D. Recommendations for Harmonizing Federal, State, Local and Tribal Identifiers.................71

E. Recommendations for an Analysis of Non-Digital Information That Should Be 

Converted to Digital Information.................................................................................72

F. Recommendations for Development of Guidelines for Identification of Public 

Information Resources.................................................................................................72

G. Recommendations for Design of Comprehensive and Authoritative Inventory and 

Database of Public Information Resources..................................................................72

Section 3. Suggested Revisions to Other Existing Public Information Laws ................................73

A. Recommendations Pertaining to Amendments to the Administrative Procedure Act...........73

B. Recommendations Pertaining to Amendments to the Freedom of Information Act 

and the Privacy Act......................................................................................................73

C. Recommendations Pertaining to Amendments to the Federal Records Act..........................74

D. Recommendations Pertaining to Amendments to the Information Technology 

Management Reform Act (The Clinger-Cohen Act) ...................................................74
U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

iv 

E. Recommendations Pertaining to Amendments to the Government Performance and 

Results Act (GPRA).................................................................................................... 75

F. Recommendations Pertaining to Amendments to the Printing Act and the Depository 

Library Act.................................................................................................................. 75

G. Recommendations Pertaining to Amendments of the Government Paperwork 

Elimination Act (GPEA)............................................................................................. 76

Section 4. Suggested Additions to Laws Governing Legislative and Judicial Branch 

Responsibilities for Public Information Dissemination ...................................................... 76

A. Recommendations Pertaining to the Legislative Branch...................................................... 76

B. Recommendations Pertaining to the Judicial Branch ........................................................... 78
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

v

GLOSSARY OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

A variety of acronyms and abbreviations are used is this document and its appendices as a short form 

for long or commonly used names and phrases. The first time a name or phrase is mentioned in the 

text, the acronym is provided in parentheses following the full name, e.g., the National Commission on 

Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS). Subsequent references may use only the acronym. This 

table is provided to facilitate identification of acronyms and abbreviations since it may be difficult to 

locate the first use where the full name or phrase is provided. 

AO or AOUSC Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts 

AMA American Medical Association 

APA Administrative Procedure Act 

ATPA American Technology Preeminence Act 

CD-ROM Compact Disk-Read Only Memory 

CIC Consumer Information Center 

CIO Chief Information Officer 

CIRO Congressional Information Resources Office (proposed) 

CPIR Council on Public Information Resources (proposed) 

CPT Current Procedural Terminology, a copyrighted publication of the American 

Medical Association (AMA) 

E-FOIA Electronic Freedom of Information Act 

E-Gov Electronic Government 

FAR Federal Acquisition Regulations 

FDLP Federal Depository Library Program 

FLICC Federal Library and Information Center Committee 

FOIA Freedom of Information Act 

FPC Federal Publishers Committee 

GILS Government Information Locator Service 

GPEA Government Paperwork Elimination Act 

GPRA Government Performance and Results Act 

GPO Government Printing Office 

GSA General Services Administration 

HCFA Health Care Financing Administration, Department of Health and Human 

Services 

ICPPS Interagency Council on Printing and Publications Services 

IDB Information Dissemination Budget (proposed) 

IDP Information Dissemination Plan (proposed) 

IMLS Institute of Museum and Library Services 

IRM Information Resources Management 
U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

vi 

JCP Joint Committee on Printing, U.S. Congress 

JIRO Judicial Information Resources Office (proposed) 

MIS Management Information System 

NARA National Archives and Records Administration 

NAS National Academy of Sciences 

NCLIS National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

NIST National Institute of Standards and Technology 

NSF National Science Foundation 

NTIA National Telecommunications and Information Administration 

NTIS National Technical Information Service 

OIA Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, Executive Office of the President 

OIRA Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and 

Budget 

OMB Office of Management and Budget 

PIRA Public Information Resources Administration (proposed) 

PIRA Libraries Public Information Resources Access Libraries (proposed) 

PIRAP Public Information Resources Access Program (proposed) 

PIRRA Public Information Resources Reform Act of 2001 (proposed) 

PIRRI Public Information Resources Research Institute (proposed) 

PIRUC Public Information Resources Users Council (proposed) 

PRA Paperwork Reduction Act 

R&D Research and Development 

STI Scientific and Technical Information 

SuDocs Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office 

SuPICT Superintendent of Public Information and Communications Technologies 

(proposed) 

SuPIR Superintendent of Public Information Resources (proposed) 

XML eXtensible Markup Language 

WWW World Wide Web 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

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VOLUME 2: LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY PROPOSALS

NOTE: Appendices 1 through 10 are in Volume 1 of the Commission's report, A 

Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination, which is available in 

electronic form at http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.vol1.pdf and in print. 

Appendices 11 and 12 are in this volume, Legislative and Regulatory Proposals; Volume 2 

is available at http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.vol2.pdf and in print. Appendices 13 

through 34 are in Volume 3, Supplementary Reference Materials, which is available at 

http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.vol3.pdf. Appendix 35 is in Volume 4, 

Compilation of Recent Federal Statutes on Information Dissemination, which is available 

at http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.vol4.pdf. 

Each appendix is also available at http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.html as an 

individual file. The unique file name for each appendix is provided as a footnote at the 

beginning of the appendix. The appendices, and other files providing background on the 

assessment, will remain on the Commission website for permanent public access. The 

Commission feels that this method of distribution is in keeping with the subject matter of 

this report, which encourages government agencies to ensure the permanent public 

availability of their electronic public information resources. 

The Commission's report and the legislative and regulatory proposals in this volume reflect 

only the views of the Commission. Although a wide variety of stakeholders were 

encouraged to review and comment on drafts of the report and this legislative proposal, and 

their comments were extremely useful to the Commission, these recommendations do not 

necessarily represent a consensus of stakeholders. 

In addition, the report and the legislative and regulatory proposals in this volume do not 

necessarily reflect the views of the current, or former, Administration or any other agency. 

Because the legislative proposal addresses the activities and authority of agencies 

throughout the Executive Branch and it proposes the establishment by Congress of a new 

agency with government-wide authority, the Commission provided a draft of the report and 

the legislative proposal to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for its review and 

comment in December 2000. With the concurrence of the Commission, OMB, in turn, 

circulated the drafts to other agencies for their review and comment. OMB informed 

NCLIS in January 2001 that a number of agencies raised significant concerns about the 

draft report and, in particular, disagreed with some of the Commission's legislative 

recommendations contained in this volume. However, due to the requests the Commission 

received from Congress asking that the report be submitted for its consideration by a 

specified date, the Commission has not had an opportunity to discuss these concerns with 

the other agencies. Therefore, the report and the legislative proposal do not respond to all 

of those concerns. The Commission will continue to work with other agencies in the 

coming months in order to respond constructively to these issues. 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

2-2 

APPENDIX 11. THE PUBLIC INFORMATION RESOURCES REFORM ACT OF 

2001 

The Public Information Resources Reform Act of 20011

 

IMPORTANT NOTE: 

This is a narrative description that outlines the principal legislative proposal of the U.S. 

National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS), made as an integral 

part of its Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination. The 

Commission believes in the uniquely American approach that says that government of, by 

and for the people creates information that belongs to all the people. This approach is a 

jewel of our liberty. However, there are problems regarding government information and 

recent technological developments exacerbate these problems. Both this legislative 

proposal and the report set forth ways in which these problems can be resolved. The 

Commission knows that there will not be universal support for every idea put forward, but 

it is confident that these ideas and recommendations will form the basis for meaningful 

discussion that will culminate in reform to benefit all Americans. 

The Commission believes that this legislative proposal is the best means for 

implementation of the recommendations of this study. However, many of the study 

recommendations can and should be implemented, whether or not the Congress acts on the 

proposed legislation, especially those recommendations pertaining to ensuring the survival 

of the National Technical Information Service (NTIS). 

While this legislative proposal is formatted in a manner that parallels the arrangement of 

material in a Congressional bill, it is not a draft bill, which would be more succinct and 

concise and comply with legislative drafting conventions. It is a blueprint or explanation of 

key points that the Commission believes should be covered when a bill is drafted for 

introduction by a Member of Congress. 

The proposed legislation should be read and evaluated in the context of the findings, 

conclusions and recommendations in the Commission's final report, A Comprehensive 

Assessment of Public Information Dissemination, Volume 1, which is available on the 

Commission website at http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.vol1.pdf. The purpose of 

the proposed legislation is to bring together in a systematic fashion all of the key elements 

necessary for a comprehensive public information resources management program and to 

elevate the importance of federal government public information resources to the status of 

a strategic national asset. 

 

1

 Available at http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/appen11.pdf. 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

2-3 

The Commission's report, A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information 

Dissemination, Volume 1, and the legislative proposal in this appendix reflect only the 

views of the Commission. Although a wide variety of stakeholders were encouraged to 

review and comment on drafts of the report and this legislative proposal, and their 

comments were extremely useful to the Commission, these recommendations do not 

necessarily represent a consensus of stakeholders. 

In addition, the report and the legislative proposal do not necessarily reflect the views of 

the current, or former, Administration or any other agency. Because the legislative 

proposal addresses the activities and authority of agencies throughout the Executive 

Branch and it proposes the establishment by Congress of a new agency with governmentwide authority, the Commission provided a draft of the report and the legislative proposal 

to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for its review and comment in December 

2000. With the concurrence of the Commission, OMB, in turn, circulated the drafts to 

other agencies for their review and comment. OMB informed NCLIS in January 2001 that 

a number of agencies raised significant concerns about the draft report and, in particular, 

disagreed with some of the Commission's legislative recommendations contained in this 

volume. However, due to the requests the Commission received from Congress asking that 

the report be submitted for its consideration by a specified date, the Commission has not 

had an opportunity to discuss these concerns with the other agencies. Therefore, the report 

and the legislative proposal do not respond to all of those concerns. The Commission will 

continue to work with other agencies in the coming months in order to respond 

constructively to these issues. 

INTRODUCTION 

The purpose of the proposed legislation is to reform the federal government’s public information 

infrastructure so that public information resources are recognized and affirmed as a strategic national 

asset that is owned by the people, held in trust by the government, and should be permanently 

available to the people except where restricted by law; to establish accountability and a central focus 

for the policy leadership, program planning and management, and legislative and executive oversight 

of public information resources; and for other related purposes. This includes (1) designating the 

government's knowledge holdings as a strategic national asset, (2) amending the mission statements in 

enabling legislation and major programs of all government establishments with standard language to 

incorporate the responsibility for making public information resources proactively available to, and 

permanently accessible by, all Americans, including those who are disabled or disadvantaged, (3) 

strengthening statutory foundations and legislative oversight provisions relating to public information 

resources planning, creation, storage, organization, description, announcement, availability, access, 

dissemination, utilization, preservation and archiving, (4) harmonizing public information use policies 

and guidelines more closely with internal agency2

 information use policies and guidelines, (5) 

consolidating, realigning, and strengthening coordination between central service agencies and 

individual mission agencies public information services and information management authorities, 

missions, responsibilities, functions, programs and resources, in order to eliminate unnecessary 

overlap and duplication, and improve overall program effectiveness, and (6) establishing new lead 

 

2

 The terms "agency" and "agencies" in this legislative proposal should be assumed to mean "government establishment" as 

defined in Section 3. 
U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

2-4 

federal public information resources management organizations in the Executive, Legislative and 

Judicial Branches which can be held accountable for achieving these purposes. 

The working title for this legislative proposal is the Public Information Resources Reform Act of 

2001: Diffusing Government Information to the People. 

SECTION 1. FINDINGS 

Congress finds that: 

1. In a democracy, citizen access to the public information resources of their central government is 

absolutely critical to fostering an informed citizenry to enable meaningful and full participation of 

individuals in all aspects of the democratic process and to empower citizens so that they may 

realize their full potential and achieve their personal, business and professional goals and 

aspirations. 

2. The maximum availability of, and easy and equitable access to federal government information 

resources contributes to productive development in all sectors of the nation’s economy, cultural 

development in all sectors of the nation’s society, and political development in all facets and at all 

levels of the nation’s governance structure. 

3. The permanent public availability of, and access to, the public information resources of the federal 

government through a multiplicity and diversity of sources and channels, public and private, is 

more important than ever in the Information Age, and therefore government information resources 

should be made available to the public through a reformed and modernized Public Information 

Resources Access Program (PIRAP), including a reinvigorated program for public-private sector 

collaborative partnerships. 

4. The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Electronic Freedom of Information Act (EFOIA) are essential statutory cornerstones of public access to government information resources, 

and together, they provide a useful legal framework for the public to request information from the 

government, but neither provides for proactive dissemination of government information 

resources to the public, and they therefore must be supplemented. 

5. The federal government should seek the most effective, efficient, and economical means of 

producing, maintaining, preserving, disseminating, archiving, providing for the permanent 

availability and accessibility of, and managing the entire life cycle of, all of its public information 

resources, through a variety of means, including strengthened public-private sector partnership 

arrangements. These arrangements should not be placed at undue risk because of jurisdictional 

considerations between the three branches of the federal government or due to outmoded concepts 

of public and private sector roles that may have been appropriate in the past, but are inappropriate 

for the Internet Age. 

6. The absence of a clear, single, focal point within the government for public information resources 

policy leadership, program planning, program management, and both legislative and executive 

oversight, over the entire public information life cycle, including integration and planning, 

information standards and guidelines development, program implementation, and enforcement, 

must be remedied as soon as possible because these deficiencies are: 

a. Creating inconsistent and contradictory approaches to the planning, management, and control 

of public information resources. 

b. Impeding efficient and equitable public access to government information. 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

2-5 

c. Contributing to the loss of some electronic government information products, and to an 

increase in the number of "fugitive" documents. 

d. Obstructing efficient inter-branch, interagency3

 and intergovernmental sharing of public 

information resources, and the production of multi-purpose, multi-branch, multi-level public 

information products instead of proliferating single-purpose, single-branch, and singlegovernmental level products. 

e. Resulting in a lack of coordinated, focused development of public information resources 

planning, creation, storage, access, communication, dissemination, and handling standards 

and guidelines. 

f. Allowing an absence of an overall accountability focus for public information management 

and utilization to erode citizen confidence and trust in the reliability of government 

information as a strategic national asset on which they can depend to help cope with the full 

range of their personal, family, job-related, school, business, and other challenges. 

7. Although it cannot be accurately estimated, the value to the nation’s economy that stems from the 

government’s capital investment in the capture, preservation, permanent availability, and 

dissemination of information relating to governmentally-funded R&D, for entrepreneurs, teachers 

and students, faculty and other researchers, private enterprise, and government agencies at all 

levels—federal, state, local, and tribal—is enormous and far-reaching; scientific and technical 

information (STI) is a critical national asset, and greatly enhances the ability of American public 

and private enterprise to: (a) advance science and technology to improve agriculture, 

manufacturing, medicine, and so forth; (b) compete in foreign and domestic markets; (c) increase 

productivity; (d) promote employment and real wage growth; and (e) enhance the standard of 

living of the American people; such enhancements depend to a large extent on the rapid and 

efficient diffusion of R&D results throughout the economy and society. 

8. The United States is a multidisciplinary society, and seldom is the information from a single 

agency enough to support research, even on an apparently discrete topic; this is one compelling 

reason for improving inter-branch, interagency and intergovernmental information sharing, and for 

having a central bibliographic service to assist researchers, students, parents, teachers, businesses, 

entrepreneurs, and other users in the identification and location of government information 

regardless of its source, format or medium. 

9. The federal government’s policies, principles, guidelines and programs for the policy leadership, 

planning, budgeting, programming, and management of its internal (for official use only) 

information resources are not consistent with, and complementary to, its counterpart policies, 

principles, guidelines and programs as they relate to its external (for public use) information 

resources; yet the principles of life cycle information resources management are applicable to both 

because both internal and external agency information flows and holdings are inextricably 

interrelated at each stage of the government information life cycle, and they are converging, 

especially as the government moves more and more into the electronic Information Age. 

10. Because of rapidly changing state-of-the-art information and telecommunications technologies, all 

users of public information resources must cope with the increasing proliferation of both preelectronic and electronic information forms, formats, mediums, platforms, systems, and protocols, 

without the advantage of uniformly prescribed or even commonly agreed to standards and 

guidelines; these users include federal agencies, intermediary public and private sector 

information distribution providers, networks and systems, public information dissemination 

institutions such as depository libraries, public libraries, academic and school libraries, 

government information centers, clearinghouses, and other kinds of information repositories such 

 

3

 Agency as used in the term "interagency" in this legislative proposal should be assumed to mean "government 

establishment" as defined in Section 3. 
U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

2-6 

as FOIA reading rooms that assist a variety of internal government (agency) users and external 

(public) users to identify, locate and use effectively the whole range of government information 

resources. 

11. Unnecessarily duplicative, overlapping, inconsistent, and incompatible agency public information 

resources missions, functions, and operations, including the creation, storage, handling, records 

disposition, and archiving of public information products, is costly and inefficient, and should be 

consolidated and/or phased out; and replaced by effective Federal information resources 

management (IRM) policies and practices, as prescribed by the Paperwork Reduction 

Reauthorization Act of 1995 (PRA) and OMB Circular A-130: Management of Federal 

Information Resources, the Government Paperwork Elimination Act (GPEA), the Government 

Performance and Results Act (GPRA), the Information Technology Management Reform Act 

(Clinger-Cohen Act), this legislation, and related legislation and executive guidance, so that the 

federal information infrastructure is defined, structured, developed, and budgeted for in a holistic 

rather than piecemeal fashion. 

12. This legislation is complementary to the Paperwork Reduction Act—the latter is concerned 

primarily with reducing the collection burdens imposed when the government collects information 

from the public, whereas this legislation is concerned primarily with the proactive dissemination 

of information to the public; the two laws, together with the Federal Records Act and other 

elements of Title 44, address the entire government information life cycle. 

13. While the government has the primary responsibility for managing the entire life cycle of 

government information, including the dissemination and permanent public availability of such 

information to the American people, nevertheless, it also has an affirmative obligation to 

encourage and facilitate a diversity of public and private sector sources and channels for 

dissemination of federal government information resources to the public, and therefore, agencies 

in all three branches of the government should provide timely and equitable access to their public 

information resources and underlying data (in whole or in part) for that purpose. 

14. While well-intentioned, the recent commendable practice by Federal agencies to migrate their hard 

copy, microform, or early generation electronic public information product formats and mediums, 

including CD-ROM, to more advanced electronic formats and platforms, on either government or 

private sector host websites (including libraries and universities), is costly and has resulted in a 

significant loss of information resources that would have been made available to the public if an 

effective Public Information Resources Access Program (PIRAP) had been in place. 

15. Technological developments provide many opportunities for increasing efficiencies in the 

creation, production, storage, dissemination, preservation and archiving of government 

information resources to the public, but at the same time pose challenges for ensuring broadbased, permanent public availability of government information resources in new forms, formats, 

and mediums such as interactive and multimedia approaches, and on many new platforms, using 

many new protocols; therefore, inter-branch, intergovernmental, and interagency interconnectivity 

is critical. 

16. The establishment of an "early warning" state-of-the-art monitoring mechanism for tracking, 

evaluating, and applying to the management of government information resources the latest 

research and development results in information, computer, and telecommunications science and 

technology, and closely related fields, including state-of-the-art applied technology products, is 

essential in order to maintain a continuous flow of timely, useful, and permanently available and 

easily accessible government information resources for the public. 

17. The preservation, dissemination and permanent public availability of the public information 

resources of the government, including scientific and technical information, must be guaranteed 

through a mechanism with sufficient independence and authority to ensure agency compliance 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

2-7 

with their statutory obligation to provide information for the Public Information Resources Access 

Program (PIRAP); in short, enforcement of existing statutory provisions relating to public 

information dissemination is essential. 

18. It has been assumed, incorrectly, that public needs for government information are entirely met by 

the fortuitous enactment of individual laws that contain quite specific public information resource 

provisions. However, many public needs for government information are not adequately met by 

any law, and no systematic effort has been made to identify these needs and determine how best to 

meet them. This presumption is flawed and must be remedied for several reasons. 

• First, while it certainly is true that public needs for government information may, and, indeed, 

are significantly satisfied both individually when new legislation is passed, and in the 

aggregate when one looks at the entire set of statutes, there remain substantial gaps in meeting 

the government information needs of the public, either because those needs have never been 

reliably and systematically identified, or, where they may have been identified through 

research, corresponding legislation has never been introduced in that area. 

• Second, public information needs are constantly changing and need to be revisited and 

reevaluated regularly. Laws, on the other hand, are relatively permanent and are changed 

infrequently, so legislation should provide a framework for identifying and meeting public 

needs, but should not be overly specific with respect to the resulting information products and 

services. 

• Third, while the government has the primary responsibility for managing the entire life cycle 

of government information, including the dissemination and permanent public availability of 

and access to public information resources by the American public, without copyright-like 

restrictions, only a portion of the public’s information needs can be satisfied directly through 

the government. Many of those needs are now, and will continue to be, satisfied by private 

sector sources, both for-profit and not-for-profit, that re-disseminate public information 

resources and create and disseminate private information resources that are derived, at least in 

part, from public information resources. 

In short, the government information needs of the public must be periodically and systematically 

addressed, utilizing user assessments and other tried and tested research approaches, to identify 

new government knowledge sources, systems, and services that should be established to respond 

to the government information needs of the public that are not now being met by the government 

or the private sector. This includes needs that are not met at all or are inadequately addressed, 

whether or not there is an explicit statutory requirement. 

SECTION 2. PURPOSES 

The purposes of this Act are to: 

1. Affirm that the federal government’s public information resources are a strategic national asset 

that is owned by the people, held in trust by the government, and should be permanently available 

to the people except where restricted by law, and that public information resources: 

a. Serve a clear, broad, national public policy interest by ensuring the recording, preservation 

and availability of the nation's heritage, as that heritage is documented by its public 

information resources. 

b. Serve as a building block for the national policy of freedom of opinion and expression, and 

enable wide, easy, and equitable public access to government information resources. 
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c. Guarantee researchers, students, parents, teachers, businesses, policy-makers, entrepreneurs 

and ordinary citizens access to a comprehensive and authoritative research collection of the 

government's knowledge holdings. 

d. Facilitate active and informed citizen participation in government programs and processes. 

2. Amend the mission statements in enabling legislation and major programs of all government 

establishments, in each branch of the government, to incorporate the responsibility for proactively 

making public information resources more readily available to, and permanently accessible by, all 

Americans, including those who are disabled or disadvantaged. 

3. Reform the federal government’s public information infrastructure to provide for the creation, 

storage, communication, permanent public availability, proactive dissemination, preservation, 

archiving, and overall life cycle integration and management of public information resources, in 

all branches of government, and in so doing, put in place another essential statutory cornerstone, 

alongside the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Electronic Freedom of Information Act 

(E-FOIA), guaranteeing public knowledge of and access to government information resources. 

4. Consolidate, and more closely and effectively coordinate, public information services and 

information management authorities, missions, responsibilities, functions and resources of central 

information services establishments with those of other government establishments to: 

a. Eliminate unnecessary overlap and duplication and consolidate public information resources 

of the federal government, now unnecessarily dispersed, fragmented, and compartmentalized 

among government establishments in all branches. 

b. Ensure the compilation and availability of a comprehensive, authoritative National 

Bibliography of Public Information Resources that provides bibliographic control over a 

comprehensive and authoritative collection of both electronic and pre-electronic public 

information resources. 

c. Improve central government website portal development and utilization for dissemination and 

permanent public availability of public information resources. 

5. Update and modernize the government’s public information handling and telecommunications 

systems, services, and networks to ensure that they are: 

a. Adequate to support the federal government’s exploitation of the full and effective use of the 

Internet and the World Wide Web for storing, handling and disseminating its public 

information resources. 

b. Scalable to support future expansion. 

c. Incorporate the requirements of the federal government’s electronic government (E-Gov) 

plans and schedules. 

6. Effect major organizational consolidations and realignments by establishing a new federal public 

information resources management organization in the Executive Branch, including: 

a. Establish a new independent Executive Branch agency, the Public Information Resources 

Administration (PIRA), to: (1) serve as the federal government’s focal point and lead agency 

for overall leadership for utilization of public information as a strategic national asset; (2) 

strengthen government-wide public information resources management by amending existing 

or issuing new regulations, rules, standards and guidelines for public information resources 

management applicable to all branches; (3) provide policy leadership, planning, coordination, 

and budgeting for public information resources policies and programs; and (4) coordinate the 

provision and utilization of public information resources and services to the public and within 

the government. 

b. Establish under the Administrator of the Public Information Resources Administration 

(PIRA) two deputy administrators, the Deputy Administrator for Public Information 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

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Resources (Content), also known as the Superintendent of Public Information Resources 

(SuPIR) and the Deputy Administrator for Public Information and Communications 

Technologies (Technology), also known as the Superintendent of Public Information and 

Communication Technologies (SuPICT). Provide the Administrator with the authority to 

establish other new public information resources policy leadership and program management 

positions to implement the authorities, missions, responsibilities, functions and resources 

newly assigned or transferred to the Administrator in order to eliminate unnecessary overlap 

and duplication and effectively implement the mission of the agency in a manner appropriate 

to the Internet Age. 

c. Repeal all statutory requirements for self-funding programs for the sale of public information 

resources. Establish a single, government-wide authority for sale of public information 

resources in PIRA. Transfer the authorities, duties, responsibilities and assets for all other 

programs for the sale of public information resources to PIRA, which will have the authority 

to establish partnerships or other cooperative arrangements so that agencies may continue 

their sales programs as agents of the PIRA. 

d. Transfer the authorities, duties, responsibilities and assets of the National Technical 

Information Service (NTIS) from the Department of Commerce to the PIRA. 

e. Transfer the authorities, duties, responsibilities, and assets of the Superintendent of 

Documents, including the Document Sales Program, the Federal Depository Library Program 

(FDLP) and the GPO Access service, from the Government Printing Office (GPO) to the 

PIRA. 

f. Transfer the authorities, duties, responsibilities, and assets of the Government Information 

Locator Service (GILS), FirstGov, and the Consumer Information Center (CIC) from the 

General Services Administration (GSA) to the PIRA. 

g. Prescribe additional authorities, duties and responsibilities of the Superintendent of Public 

Information Resources (SuPIR). 

h. Change the name of the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) to the Public 

Information Resources Access Program (PIRAP) and establish a new vision and a new public 

information services model. This model should build on the institutional expertise and 

strengths of the nation’s federal depository libraries, and professional expertise and strengths 

of the nation’s government document librarians and other government information 

professionals. It should be time-phased into short-term, medium-term, and long-term actions 

to ensure the smooth completion of the transition already underway from the largely paperbased service and collections model to an increasingly digitally-based service and collections 

model that is already being developed and will continue to be employed in the future. 

i. Transfer the authorities, duties, responsibilities and assets for Executive Branch procurement 

of printing and related services from the Government Printing Office (GPO) to the PIRA. 

j. Prescribe additional authorities, duties and responsibilities of the Superintendent of Public 

Information and Communication Technologies (SuPICT). 

k. Repeal all waivers for agency printing plants and printing procurement authorized by the 

Joint Committee on Printing (JCP) of the U.S. Congress, and allow Executive Branch 

agencies to apply to the PIRA for new authorization. 

l. Establish responsibility for by-law distribution. 

7. Effect major organizational consolidations and realignments by establishing a new legislative 

public information resources management organization in the Legislative Branch, including: 

a. Establish a new Legislative Branch agency, the Congressional Information Resources Office 

(CIRO), to (1) serve as the Legislative Branch’s focal point and lead agency for policy 

leadership coordination and program management in the utilization of Legislative Branch 
U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

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public information resources as a strategic national asset; (2) coordinate with the PIRA to 

establish and implement laws, regulations, rules, standards and guidelines for governmentwide public information resources management; and (3) coordinate with the PIRA to 

facilitate the provision and utilization of Legislative Branch public information resources and 

services to the public, as well as within the government. 

b. Provide for the appointment and describe the duties of the Administrator of the Congressional 

Information Resources Office (CIRO). 

c. Transfer the authorities, duties, responsibilities and assets of the Public Printer for Legislative 

Branch printing and related services and Legislative Branch procurement for printing and 

related services to the CIRO. 

d. Repeal all waivers for agency printing plants and printing procurement authorized by the 

Joint Committee on Printing (JCP) of the U.S. Congress, and allow Legislative Branch 

agencies to apply to the CIRO for new authorization. 

e. Support the requirements of the Sales Programs of the Superintendent of Public Information 

Resources (SuPIR) in the printing and procurement of printing and related services of the 

CIRO. 

f. Establish Legislative Branch responsibilities for management of public information resources 

comparable to selected provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act. 

8. Effect major organizational consolidations and realignments by establishing a new judicial public 

information resources management organization in the Judicial Branch, including: 

a. Establish a new Judicial Branch agency, the Judicial Information Resources Office (JIRO) in 

the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts to (1) serve as the Judicial Branch’s focal point 

and lead agency for policy leadership coordination and program management in the 

utilization of Judicial Branch public information resources as a strategic national asset; (2) 

coordinate with the PIRA to establish and implement laws, regulations, rules, standards and 

guidelines for government-wide public information resources management; and (3) 

coordinate with the PIRA to facilitate the provision and utilization of Judicial Branch public 

information resources and services to the public, as well as within the government. 

b. Provide for the appointment and describe the duties of the Administrator of the Judicial 

Information Resources Office (JIRO). 

c. Transfer the authorities, duties, responsibilities and assets for Judicial Branch procurement of 

printing and related services from the Government Printing Office (GPO) to JIRO. 

d. Repeal all waivers for agency printing plants and printing procurement authorized by the 

Joint Committee on Printing (JCP) of the U.S. Congress, and allow Judicial Branch agencies 

to apply to the JIRO for new authorization. 

e. Support the requirements of the Sales Programs of the Superintendent of Public Information 

Resources (SuPIR) in the procurement of printing and related services of the JIRO. 

f. Establish Judicial Branch responsibilities for management of public information resources 

comparable to selected provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act. 

9. Identify responsibilities of government establishments under this Act: 

a. For compliance with the regulations, rules, standards and guidelines of the Public Information 

Resources Administration (PIRA), including participation in the Public Information 

Resources Access Program (PIRAP) and the Sales Programs of the Superintendent of Public 

Information Resources (SuPIR). 

b. For periodic review of its public information resources to safeguard against technological 

obsolescence and limit proliferation of form(s), format(s) and medium(s) utilized for 

dissemination and permanent public availability. 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

2-11 

c. To ensure that public information resources are preserved and authenticated for permanent 

public availability and accessibility. 

d. For notification of the Superintendent of Public Information Resources (SuPIR) and the 

public of its intent to produce or procure, substantially modify, or terminate the production of 

a public information resource, regardless of form, format or medium. 

e. For the government establishment requesting or receiving the by-law distribution to obtain 

necessary funds as part of its own appropriation and to reimburse the PIRA for the costs of 

providing public information resources to the establishment, or its specified recipients, for 

these purposes. 

f. To prepare an Information Dissemination Budget (IDB) following guidance issued by the 

Office of Management and Budget and the Public Information Resources Administration 

(PIRA) as set forth in Section 20. 

g. To prepare an Information Dissemination Plan (IDP) following guidance issued by the Office 

of Management and Budget and the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) as 

set forth in Section 20. 

10. Create an inter-branch, interagency Council on Public Information Resources (CPIR), chaired by 

the Administrator of the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA), to serve as an 

advisory board to the PIRA and to ensure that regulations, rules, standards and guidelines 

promulgated by the PIRA are coordinated and consistently applied within the Executive Branch 

and with the Legislative and Judicial Branches. The Council should also consider the applicability 

of the PIRA regulations, rules, standards, guidelines, and procedures to state, local and tribal 

governments and endeavor to harmonize these among all levels of government. 

11. Create a Public Information Resources Users Council (PIRUC), chaired by the Superintendent of 

Public Information Resources (SuPIR), to provide advice to the SuPIR and the Council on Public 

Information Resources (CPIR), and as appropriate to the Congressional Information Resources 

Office (CIRO) and the Judicial Information Resources Office (JIRO), on the impact of federal 

regulations, rules, standards, guidelines, and procedures on the ability of the public to identify and 

effectively use public information resources. PIRUC will also recommend ways to improve the 

organization, cataloging and indexing, announcing, access and dissemination, and permanent 

public availability of public information resources. 

12. Direct the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) and the National Archives and 

Records Administration (NARA), with the participation of the Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB), the Congressional Information Resources Office (CIRO) and the Judicial Information 

Resources Office (JIRO), to establish standards and guidelines within one year of enactment of 

this Act, so that a government establishment transferring its public information resources to PIRA 

for permanent public availability can by that same transfer be assured that its obligations for 

permanent records retention under the Federal Records Act will be met simultaneously. 

13. Harmonize the government’s internal (for official use only) and external (for public use) 

information resources management policies, programs, and practices because they are inseparably 

inter-related. Decisions made in one domain inevitably affect the other domain, at each stage of 

the information life cycle. This harmonization should include: 

a. Strengthening standards and guidelines for interchanging government information resources. 

b. Extending the integrated government information life cycle concept to both internal and 

external information resources. 

c. Improving inter-branch, interagency and intergovernmental policies, programs, standards and 

guidelines. 

d. Exchanging "best practices" experiences. 
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e. Producing multi-branch, multi-level, and multi-purpose public information resources in lieu 

of proliferating single-branch, single level, single-purpose information resources. 

14. Coordinate education, training, professional development, and career development programs to 

broaden and strengthen the capabilities and competencies of librarians and other information 

professionals to: 

a. Enable them to more fully respond to the full range and diversity of their responsibilities as 

contemplated by this statute. 

b. Help citizens become more computer and information literate so that they can locate, 

evaluate, organize, summarize, and utilize public information resources for practical 

advantage in personal, social, educational, financial, employment, business, and other 

contexts. 

15. Establish and fund a research institute to conduct both basic and applied research germane to the 

planning, management and control of public information resources. 

16. Eliminate the Joint Committee on Printing (JCP) of the U.S. Congress, and provide for the orderly 

transfer of the functions of the JCP as appropriate by. 

a. Transferring responsibility for legislative oversight of the CIRO and Legislative Branch 

printing and procurement of printing and related services to the Committee on Rules and 

Administration of the Senate and the Committee on House Administration of the House of 

Representatives. 

b. Transferring responsibility for the issuance of government-wide regulations for printing, 

binding and related services to the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA). 

c. Repealing all waivers for printing and printing procurement and assigning responsibility for 

issuance of waivers for printing and printing procurement to the Public Information 

Resources Administration (PIRA) for the Executive Branch, the Congressional Information 

Resources Office (CIRO) for the Legislative Branch and the Judicial Information Resources 

Office (JIRO) for the Judicial Branch. 

17. Authorize funding for government establishments and programs controlled by this Act; and 

establish funding, budgeting, and financing mechanisms, including: 

a. Authorize funding for the Public Information Resource Administration (PIRA), the 

Congressional Information Resources Office (CIRO), the Judicial Information Resources 

Office (JIRO) and other programs and functions controlled by this Act. 

b. Establish an R&D Information Dissemination Reserve Fund to help finance the dissemination 

and permanent public availability of public information resources resulting from federal 

research and development. 

c. Develop and implement Information Dissemination Budgets (IDBs) and Information 

Dissemination Plans (IDPs) for each government establishment and branch. 

d. Ensure that inherently governmental functions involving public information resources are 

financed directly through appropriated funds, and not by recovering the costs through sales 

revenue, users fees or other self-financing mechanisms. 

18. Strengthen public sector/private sector partnerships for dissemination and permanent public 

availability of public information resources. 

19. Coordinate federal public information resources programs with the corresponding programs of 

state, local and tribal governments. 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

2-13 

SECTION 3. DEFINITIONS 

1. "Agency" means any executive department, military department, government corporation, 

government-controlled corporation, government-owned contractor-operated facility, and other 

establishment in the executive branch of the government (including the Executive Office of the 

President), and any independent regulatory agency. It does not include the District of Columbia 

and of the territories and possessions of the United States, and their various subdivisions. For 

purposes of this Act, the term "Agency" is subsumed in the definition of "Government 

Establishment." 

2. "Authentication" means the process by which an information product or service is attested to, and 

certified by an agency or agency official as an authorized, official government information 

resource and not a derivative, unauthorized or unofficial copy or representation of an official 

information resource. 

3. "Format" means the arrangement of data elements or the software standard used to configure data 

and information, whether text, numeric, audio, video, spatial, photographic, or other graphic, or 

any other type of information, and whether databases, spreadsheet, word processing, tagged, 

markup or image, for convenience of production, storage, handling, use, communication, 

archiving, and disposition. 

4. "Government Establishment" means any executive department, military department, government 

corporation, government-controlled corporation, government-owned contractor-operated facility, 

and other establishment in the executive branch of the government (including the Executive Office 

of the President), and any independent regulatory agency, as well as the Congress and all 

Legislative Branch agencies, offices and organizations, the Supreme Court, the Administrative 

Office of the U.S. Courts, and all Judicial Branch courts, offices and organizations. It does not 

include the District of Columbia or the territories and possessions of the United States, and their 

various subdivisions. 

5. "Government Information Life Cycle" means the stages through which government information 

passes, typically characterized as creation or collection, processing, dissemination, use, storage, 

and disposition. 

6. "Government Information Resources" means all information products or services that are created, 

compiled, produced, or maintained by or for the federal government, at government expense, or as 

required by law, regardless of form, format or medium; the term includes both "Internal 

Information Resources" and "Public Information Resources." Government Information Resources 

are a strategic national asset, owned by the people and held in trust by the government, and should 

be permanently available to the people except where restricted by law. 

7. "Information Standard" includes a standard established by an official standards-setting body, such 

as ANSI, ISO or NISO, a de facto standard or a guideline for creating, editing, organizing, 

cataloging, indexing, abstracting, storing, handling, searching, retrieving, communicating, recommunicating, scheduling as an official record, appraising, evaluating, archiving, or disposing of 

government information. 

8. "Inherently Governmental Functions" (with respect to government information resources) means 

those activities that should be undertaken by the government, or at government expense, so that 

public information resources are bibliographically verified (author, title, identifying numbers, 

etc.), complete, correct, authentic, timely, cataloged, indexed, abstracted, and maintained for 

current and future public access. Such activities, which may be done by the government 

establishment that originates the information or by a central information services establishment 

acting on behalf of the originating agency, include (a) the creation, collection or acquisition of 
U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

2-14 

information resources; (b) the indexing, abstracting and cataloging of these resources; (c) the 

further processing of these resources by scanning, microfilming or converting to an alternative 

electronic format for retention and use; (d) the creation and maintenance of a database which 

provides searching and locating information for this information collection including the 

maintenance of a system to maintain accessibility to information on agency web sites; (e) the 

mounting and maintaining of a searchable bibliographic database on a web site for free public 

access; (f) the mounting of the full text of the reports on servers for free public access; and (g) the 

maintenance of archive files to insure permanent public access to material not otherwise available. 

9. "Internal Information Resources" means any "Government Information Resources" that are both 

(1) created primarily for internal official use and (2) excluded from public use because they either 

(a) have been determined by the issuing components to be required for official use only or (b) 

have been determined by the issuing components to be for strictly administrative or operational 

purposes and have no public interest or educational value, (c) are classified for reasons of national 

security, or (d) are constrained from disclosure by another statute. 

10. "Medium or Media" means the type of physical substrate utilized to record and communicate 

information regardless of format, such as magnetic tape, paper, microfiche, CD-ROM, cable, 

broadcast, or the Internet and the World Wide Web. 

11. "Permanent Public Availability" means making "Public Information Resources" available to, and 

accessible by, the public on an indefinite, continuing basis. This public availability is 

distinguished from the deposit of an official copy for "Permanent Records Retention" by the 

National Archives and Records Administration and includes information resources that may not 

come under the Federal Records Act definitions of a federal record because they are acquired, 

organized and preserved solely for convenience of public reference; furthermore, public 

availability is meant to convey immediate access through the World Wide Web (or its successor 

technology) or availability through collections, both digital and non-digital, held by a widely 

distributed national network of libraries such as the "Public Information Resources Access 

Libraries" (PIRA Libraries). 

12. "Permanent Records Retention" means the scheduling, preservation, and indefinite retention of an 

agency record, regardless of its physical form or characteristics, pursuant to the Federal Records 

Act of 1950, and related legislation, at the direction and under the guidance of the National 

Archives and Records Administration. This permanent retention is distinguished from "Permanent 

Public Availability" and refers to information resources that are within the definition of a federal 

record under the Federal Records Act and are scheduled for permanent retention by the National 

Archives and Records Administration. It does not include copies of records scheduled for 

permanent retention that are acquired, organized and preserved solely for convenience of public 

reference and made available for immediate access through the World Wide Web (or its successor 

technologies) or a widely distributed national network of libraries such as the "Public Information 

Resources Access Libraries" (PIRA Libraries). 

13. "Preservation" means taking steps to safeguard physical and intellectual accessibility of 

information resources, i.e., the format and mediums employed to store government information, so 

that it neither disintegrates physically, nor becomes inaccessible or unreadable because of the 

obsolescence of the technologies originally used to create, organize, access, or store the 

information; it also includes the need to preserve the original provenance and origins context 

necessary to fully understand why the information was created in the first place, by whom, how, 

when, where, and other relevant information. 

14. "Private Sector" means private enterprise, for-profit and not-for-profit, as well as organizations 

such as professional societies and trade associations, hybrids that are joint government/private 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

2-15 

enterprise, and organizations such as libraries and academic institutions (even though they may be 

financed by state, local or tribal government funds or subsidized by federal funds). 

15. "Public Information Resources" means "Government Information Resources" that are either (1) 

created primarily for public use or (2) created primarily for internal use, but not excluded from 

public use because they (a) have been determined by the issuing components to be required for 

official use only or (b) have been determined by the issuing components to be for strictly 

administrative or operational purposes and have no public interest or educational value, (c) are 

classified for reasons of national security, or (d) are constrained from disclosure by another statute 

such as the Privacy Act. 

16. "Public Information Resources Access Library" (PIRA Library) means a library that has been 

designated under this Act to assist the public, without charge, in finding and using public 

information resources of the federal government utilizing locally held digital and non-digital 

collections and remotely accessible digital collections; all libraries designated as Federal 

Depository Libraries at the time of enactment are automatically re-designated as "Public 

Information Resources Access Libraries" (PIRA Libraries) and are subject to the terms and 

conditions set forth in this Act and by regulations and guidance issued under the authority of this 

Act. 

17. "Public Information Resources Access Program" (PIRAP) means the newly reconfigured and 

strengthened program to provide free public access to public information resources through a 

nationwide network of designated libraries, formerly known as the Federal Depository Library 

Program (FDLP). 

18. "Public Information Resources Sales Program" means the government-wide authority for sale of 

public information resources in the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA), 

including sales programs operated by other "Government Establishments" under cooperative 

agreements or partnerships arrangements with PIRA. This Program does not include the 

reimbursement of fees under the Freedom of Information Act or services within a government 

establishment that are provided on a reimbursable basis solely to employees, contractors and grant 

recipients of that establishment. It does include all interagency reimbursable services for creation, 

organization, cataloging, abstracting, indexing, management, and dissemination of public 

information resources as well as sale of government information to the public. 

SECTION 4. RECOGNITION THAT PUBLIC INFORMATION RESOURCES ARE A 

STRATEGIC NATIONAL ASSET 

The purpose of this Section is to affirm that the federal government’s public information resources are 

a strategic national asset that is owned by the people, held in trust by the government, and should be 

permanently available to the people except where restricted by law, and that public information 

resources: 

a. Serve a clear, broad, national public policy interest by ensuring the recording, preservation and 

availability of the nation's heritage, as that heritage is documented by its public information 

resources. 

b. Serve as a building block for the national policy of freedom of opinion and expression, and 

enable wide, easy, and equitable public access to government information resources. 

c. Guarantee researchers, students, parents, teachers, businesses, policy-makers, entrepreneurs and 

ordinary citizens access to a comprehensive and authoritative research collection of the 

government's knowledge holdings. 
U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

2-16 

d. Facilitate active and informed citizen participation in government programs and processes.4

The United States Government affirms that its public information resources are a strategic national 

asset that is owned by the people, held in trust by the government, and should be permanently 

available to the people except where restricted by law and that public information resources should be 

exploited to the fullest extent possible for the benefit of all Americans, state, local and tribal 

governments, private enterprise, academia, and other public and private institutions and organizations. 

This unique strategic national asset serves a clear national public policy interest by ensuring the 

recording, preservation and permanent public availability of the nation's heritage in so far as that 

heritage is documented in public information resources; serves as a building block for the national 

policy of freedom of expression and opinion and public access to government information resources; 

guarantees manufacturers, researchers, students, parents, teachers, businesses, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and ordinary citizens access to a research collection of the government's public information 

resources; and permits citizens to actively participate in government programs and processes. 

The Paperwork Reduction Act already identifies government information as a valuable national 

resource, but this law goes a step further by: (1) singling out publicly available government 

information as a strategic national asset; (2) statutorily authorizing all government establishments to 

proactively disseminate their information to the public, and providing a financing mechanism, the 

Information Dissemination Budget, to facilitate that purpose; (3) reorganizing and consolidating 

selected agency missions and functions, including the programs of the National Technical Information 

Service (NTIS), the Superintendent of Documents (SuDocs) of the Government Printing Office (GPO) 

and the General Services Administration (GSA), to strengthen the government’s policy leadership 

focus; (4) expand and extend the federal government’s partnering arrangements among the three 

branches, with the private sector and with state, local and tribal governments; and (5) underscoring the 

need for special attention to serving the government information needs of the disabled, the 

disadvantaged, and special populations. 

SECTION 5. INCORPORATION OF PUBLIC INFORMATION RESOURCES 

DISSEMINATION RESPONSIBILITY IN THE MISSION STATEMENTS IN ENABLING 

LEGISLATION AND MAJOR PROGRAMS OF ALL GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHMENTS 

The purpose of this Section is to amend the mission statements in enabling legislation and major 

programs of all government establishments, in each branch of the government, to incorporate the 

responsibility for proactively making public information resources more readily available to, and 

permanently accessible by, all Americans, including those who are disabled or disadvantaged.5

The Congress of the United States, the Supreme Court, the Executive Office of the President and each 

other establishment of the federal government shall have the authority and responsibility to develop 

and implement a program to proactively disseminate its public information resources in a timely and 

equitable manner and provide permanent public availability of, accessibility to, and preservation of 

those resources, either directly or through the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA), or 

its successor agency. Wherever possible, mission statements in enabling legislation and major 

programs for all government establishments should be amended to incorporate the authority and 

responsibility for making public information resources proactively available to, and permanently 

 

4

 Section 2 lists the major purposes of the Public Information Resources Reform Act of 2001. This Section of the legislative 

proposal addresses Purpose 1, which is repeated here in italics for ease of reference. 

5

 Section 2 lists the major purposes of the Public Information Resources Reform Act of 2001. This Section of the legislative 

proposal addresses Purpose 2, which is repeated here in italics for ease of reference. 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

2-17 

accessible by, all Americans, including those who are disabled or disadvantaged and other elements of 

society and the economy, by inserting a standard phrase such as "shall develop and implement a 

program to proactively disseminate its public information resources in a timely and equitable manner 

and provide permanent public availability of those resources." 

SECTION 6. ESTABLISHING A FEDERAL PUBLIC INFORMATION RESOURCES 

MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION IN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH 

The purpose of this Section is to effect major organizational consolidations and realignments by 

establishing a new federal public information resources management organization in the Executive 

Branch, including: 

a. Establish a new independent Executive Branch agency, the Public Information Resources 

Administration (PIRA), to: (1) serve as the federal government’s focal point and lead agency for 

overall leadership for utilization of public information as a strategic national asset; (2) 

strengthen government-wide public information resources management by amending existing or 

issuing new regulations, rules, standards and guidelines for public information resources 

management applicable to all branches; (3) provide policy leadership, planning, coordination, 

and budgeting for public information resources policies and programs; and (4) coordinate the 

provision and utilization of public information resources and services to the public and within the 

government. 

b. Establish under the Administrator of the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) 

two deputy administrators, the Deputy Administrator for Public Information Resources (Content), 

also known as the Superintendent of Public Information Resources (SuPIR) and the Deputy 

Administrator for Public Information and Communications Technologies (Technology), also 

known as the Superintendent of Public Information and Communication Technologies (SuPICT). 

Provide the Administrator with the authority to establish other new public information resources 

policy leadership and program management positions to implement the authorities, missions, 

responsibilities, functions and resources newly assigned or transferred to the Administrator in 

order to eliminate unnecessary overlap and duplication and effectively implement the mission of 

the agency in a manner appropriate to the Internet Age. 

c. Repeal all statutory requirements for self-funding programs for the sale of public information 

resources. Establish a single, government-wide authority for sale of public information resources 

in PIRA. Transfer the authorities, duties, responsibilities and assets for all other programs for the 

sale of public information resources to PIRA, which will have the authority to establish 

partnerships or other cooperative arrangements so that agencies may continue their sales 

programs as agents of the PIRA. 

d. Transfer the authorities, duties, responsibilities and assets of the National Technical Information 

Service (NTIS) from the Department of Commerce to the PIRA. 

e. Transfer the authorities, duties, responsibilities, and assets of the Superintendent of Documents, 

including the Document Sales Program, the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) and 

the GPO Access service, from the Government Printing Office (GPO) to the PIRA. 

f. Transfer the authorities, duties, responsibilities, and assets of the Government Information 

Locator Service (GILS), FirstGov, and the Consumer Information Center (CIC) from the General 

Services Administration (GSA) to the PIRA. 

g. Prescribe additional authorities, duties and responsibilities of the Superintendent of Public 

Information Resources (SuPIR). 
U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

2-18 

h. Change the name of the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) to the Public Information 

Resources Access Program (PIRAP) and establish a new vision and a new public information 

services model. This model should build on the institutional expertise and strengths of the 

nation’s federal depository libraries, and professional expertise and strengths of the nation’s 

government document librarians and other government information professionals. It should be 

time-phased into short-term, medium-term, and long-term actions to ensure the smooth 

completion of the transition already underway from the largely paper-based service and 

collections model to an increasingly digitally-based service and collections model that is already 

being developed and will continue to be employed in the future. 

i. Transfer the authorities, duties, responsibilities and assets for Executive Branch procurement of 

printing and related services from the Government Printing Office (GPO) to the PIRA. 

j. Prescribe additional authorities, duties and responsibilities of the Superintendent of Public 

Information and Communication Technologies (SuPICT). 

k. Repeal all waivers for agency printing plants and printing procurement authorized by the Joint 

Committee on Printing (JCP) of the U.S. Congress, and allow Executive Branch agencies to 

apply to the PIRA for new authorization. 

l. Establish responsibility for by-law distribution.6

Nothing in the authorities prescribed in this Section shall in any way abrogate the Constitutional 

missions and authorities of the Legislative and Judicial Branches of government. The Administrator of 

PIRA should work closely with counterpart senior officials in those branches to maximize policy 

consistency and effectiveness, as well as information standards development and application within 

the U.S. Government, with the aim of better serving the public. 

Establish a new federal public information resources management organization in the Executive 

Branch and effect major organizational realignments in existing organizations, including: 

6.a. The Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA)

A new Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) is established as an independent agency 

in the Executive Branch. It will serve as the federal government’s focal point and lead agency for 

overall policy leadership, program planning and development, implementation, and executive 

oversight, in establishing public information as a strategic national asset. PIRA will, in consultation 

with the Council on Public Information Resources (CPIR), establish and implement government-wide 

public information resources management plans and programs, and issue rules, regulations, standards 

and guidelines. In consultation with OMB and the heads of the CIRO and JIRO, PIRA will provide 

government-wide policy leadership, coordination and budget guidance for public information 

resources policies and programs. PIRA will facilitate the dissemination and utilization of public 

information resources and services to users within the government, as well as to the public. 

The Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) is authorized to develop, promulgate and 

enforce regulations, rules, standards and guidelines necessary to implement its government-wide 

public information resources management authority under this Act, including Printing and Binding 

Regulations. These regulations, rules, standards and guidelines are to be developed in consultation 

with the Council on Public Information Resources (CPIR) described in Section 13. The PIRA is 

authorized to develop, promulgate and enforce regulations, rules, standards and guidelines necessary 

 

6

 Section 2 lists the major purposes of the Public Information Resources Reform Act of 2001. This Section of the legislative 

proposal addresses Purpose 6, which is repeated here in italics for ease of reference. 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

2-19 

for the administration of the Public Information Resources Access Program (PIRAP) and the 

Superintendent of Public Information Resources (SuPIR) Sales Programs. These regulations, rules, 

standards and guidelines are to be developed in consultation with the Council on Public Information 

Resources (CPIR) described in Section 13 and Public Information Resources Users Council (PIRUC) 

described in Section 14. All regulations, rules, standards and guidelines developed and promulgated by 

PIRA must be announced in the Federal Register with a period of not less than 30 days for public 

comment prior to implementation and shall include specific penalties for non-compliance. 

The Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) has enforcement authority with substantial 

consequences, including financial penalties, for non-compliance with the information collection and 

dissemination provisions of the American Technology Pre-eminence Act (ATPA) as well as the Public 

Information Resources Access Program (PIRAP) and other provisions of this Act, including the ability 

to require the non-compliant agency to make restitution; and the authority to repeal waivers and to 

rescind cooperative agreements or partnership arrangements established under this Act. 

The PIRA shall encourage the development of a combination of centralized and decentralized public 

information resources management structures, policies and programs, by: (1) centrally formulating 

policy and standards for all public information resources activities and providing common services 

through a centrally managed infrastructure; and (2) recognizing the decentralized authority of 

individual government establishments to plan, manage and control their own public information 

resources management requirements. 

The PIRA is authorized to accept, hold, administer, and utilize gifts, bequests, and devises of property, 

both real and personal, for aiding or facilitating the work of the agency. Gifts, bequests, and devises of 

money and proceeds from sales of other property received as gifts, bequests, or devises shall be 

deposited in the Treasury and shall be available for disbursement upon the order of the agency. 

6.b. Staffing Authority for the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA)

The President of the United States shall appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, an 

individual knowledgeable about the management of public information resources who shall take 

charge of and manage the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA). The Administrator of 

PIRA is to be appointed for a term of ten years. The Administrator is eligible for reappointment after 

completion of the term. 

The Administrator of the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) is given the authority 

to establish other new public information resources policy leadership and program management 

positions necessary to exercise the authorities, and implement the mission, responsibilities, functions, 

programs, and resources assigned, or existing resources and authorities transferred to him, in order to 

eliminate unnecessary overlap and duplication and effectively implement the mission of the agency in 

a manner appropriate to the Internet Age. The Administrator is also given the authority to establish the 

necessary administrative staff positions such as payroll and personnel, finance and budget, 

procurement and contracting, and public affairs, as well as legislative, judicial, and intergovernmental 

liaison. The Administrator shall ensure the establishment and maintenance of effective liaison 

arrangements with private sector entities that both provide and utilize public information resources, 

including public user groups, public interest groups, and for-profit and not-for-profit publishers, as 

well as disabled, disadvantaged and other special populations. 

The Administrator shall appoint two qualified persons to be the Deputy Administrators of the Public 

Information Resources Administration (PIRA): (1) the Deputy Administrator for Public Information 

Resources (Content), also known as the Superintendent of Public Information Resources (formerly the 
U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

2-20 

Superintendent of Documents) (SuPIR), and (2) the Deputy Administrator for Public Information and 

Communications Technologies (Technology), also known as the Superintendent of Public Information 

and Communication Technologies (SuPICT). The Deputy Administrators shall perform all duties and 

responsibilities assigned by the Administrator; and the duties and responsibilities of the Administrator 

in the event of (1) a vacancy in the office of the Administrator; or (2) incapacity of the Administrator. 

In the event of a vacancy or incapacity of the Administrator, one of the Deputy Administrators shall be 

designated by the Administrator to serve until a successor Administrator is appointed, but for no 

longer than 1 year after a vacancy or incapacity occurs. 

The Superintendent of Public Information Resources (SuPIR) has lead responsibility for (1) liaison 

with the Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branches for matters under the authority of the SuPIR; (2) 

database and portal administration, including user support and training; (3) bibliographic and metadata 

services administration, including the Government Information Locator Service (GILS) and other 

metadata programs, cataloging, abstracting, indexing, and the development of relevant standards and 

guidelines; (4) intergovernmental, inter-branch, and interagency information interchange and the 

development of relevant standards and guidelines; (5) Public Information Resources Access Program 

(formerly the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP)) administration; (6) public information 

resources sales program administration, including authorization of partnerships or other cooperative 

arrangements so that agencies may continue their sales programs as agents of PIRA; (7) facilitation of 

the utilization of a diversity of public and private sources to disseminate or re-disseminate public 

information resources, including collaborative or joint ventures, independent private sector initiatives, 

and government acquisition and use of private sector information as an integral part of public 

information resources;7

 and (8) facilitation of public information resources and services for the 

disabled, disadvantaged and other special populations, for information literacy, and for lifelong 

learning. 

The Superintendent of Public Information and Communication Technologies (SuPICT) has 

responsibility for (1) liaisons to the Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branches for matters under the 

authority of the SuPICT; (2) Executive Branch procurement for printing and related services, 

including electronic information services, and customer service to support these activities; (3) a federal 

Webmaster to provide policy leadership and coordination with individual government establishment 

webmasters and ensure an effective liaison with webmasters from state, local and tribal governments; 

(4) coordination of federal, national and global information infrastructure development; and (5) 

coordination of telecommunications interconnectivity, including federal websites, and intergovernmental and inter-branch website and portal connectivity; (6) facilitation of the utilization of a diversity 

of public and private sources for information technology support and services for public information 

resources creation, storage, interoperability and interconnectivity, including collaborative or joint 

ventures, independent private sector initiatives, and government acquisition and use of private sector 

information and telecommunications handling technologies.8

 

7

 For example, the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) uses codes for medical procedures reimbursed through 

Medicare that are developed and copyrighted by the American Medical Association (AMA). These Current Procedural 

Terminology (CPT) codes are used in HCFA regulations with the permission of the AMA, but without the AMA 

surrendering copyright ownership. 

8

 This does not imply that the SuPICT would procure technology and services on behalf of the government, as is currently 

done by the General Services Administration (GSA), but rather that the SuPICT will facilitate identification, evaluation, and 

adoption of appropriate technologies and related standards. 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

2-21 

6.c. Disposition of Programs for the Sale of Public Information Resources; Repeal of Statutory 

Requirements for Self-Funding Programs for the Sale of Public Information Resources

All provisions in statute for self-funding programs for the sale or dissemination of public information 

resources, other than reimbursement of fees under the Freedom of Information Act, are repealed 120 

days following the enactment of this Act, and all future sales of public information resources by the 

government are governed by the provisions for this Act. 

There is established in the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) under the 

Superintendent of Public Information Resources (SuPIR) a government-wide sales program for public 

information resources. 

All programs for the sale of public information resources in the Legislative, Executive and Judicial 

Branch agencies and establishments, other than reimbursement of fees under the Freedom of 

Information Act, whether required by statute, or authorized by other means, are transferred to the 

Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) 120 days following the enactment of this Act. 

This provision does not include services within a government establishment that are provided on a 

reimbursable basis solely to employees, contractors and grant recipients of that establishment. It does

include all interagency reimbursable services for creation, organization, cataloging, abstracting, 

indexing, management, and dissemination of public information resources as well as sale of 

government information to the public. Special cases should be brought to the attention of the 

Superintendent of Public Information Resources (SuPIR) who may authorize exceptions so long as 

obligations to the Public Information Resources Access Program (PIRAP) are met. 

The Superintendent of Public Information Resources (SuPIR) may authorize the continuation of the 

sale of public information resources by other agencies after establishing a cooperative agreement or 

partnership arrangement as authorized by this Act and ensuring compliance with requirements for sale 

of public information resources, provided that all public information resources in the authorized sales 

programs that are created, compiled, produced directly or by contract, updated, or maintained after the 

date of enactment of this Act are also available to the public without charge through the Public 

Information Resources Access Program (PIRAP) authorized by this Act. 

The pricing formula in 44 U.S.C. Chapter 17 is repealed and language is substituted to have the sales 

program fees based on the incremental cost of dissemination, including the applicable portion of 

overhead expenses of the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA). The Superintendent of 

Public Information Resources (SuPIR) is given authority to procure additional copies of any agency 

public information resource for the SuPIR sales programs; the Congressional Information Resources 

Office (CIRO) and Judicial Information Resources Office (JIRO) are required to integrate 

requirements for additional copies of public information resources for SuPIR sales programs as part of 

their production and procurement activities with the costs to be borne by the SuPIR. 

In order to ensure that the pricing policies for distributing public information resources reflect the true 

cost of access and/or reproduction, are appropriate to, and equitably distributed among, the public 

information resources offered for sale, the SuPIR will establish an independent Public Information 

Resources Pricing Board to review pricing formulas used in the Sales Programs of the PIRA and 

advise the SuPIR about pricing decisions. The Board shall consist of no more than nine members, 

appointed by the SuPIR for three year terms, and shall include representatives of both for-profit and 

not-for-profit private sector disseminators of government information, customers of the Sales 

Programs, government establishments operating information sales programs under the auspices of 

PIRA, and others knowledgeable about the economics and pricing of information. Within six months 

after establishment of the PIRA, the SuPIR will submit to the Board for its review the initial pricing 
U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

2-22 

plans of the Sales Programs. After that, the SuPIR will submit annual reports to the Board about the 

efficacy of the pricing formulas and seek their advice, as necessary, when changes in pricing formulas 

or other issues relating to pricing of public information resources arise. 

The PIRA is authorized to operate a revolving fund for its sales programs and to transfer into the 

revolving fund assets from other establishments transferred under this Act. The PIRA is authorized to 

hold customer funds as deposit accounts to facilitate the purchase of public information resources and 

payment for other services of the agency and to accept the deposit account balances from other 

establishments transferred under this Act. 

6.d. Transfer of the Authorities, Duties, Responsibilities and Assets of the National Technical 

Information Service (NTIS) 

The authorities, duties, responsibilities, personnel and assets of the National Technical Information 

Service (NTIS) are transferred from the Department of Commerce to the Public Information Resources 

Administration (PIRA). 

Scientific and technical information (STI) is a critical national asset. The benefits of the government's 

investment in the capture, preservation, permanent availability, and dissemination of scientific and 

technical information for entrepreneurs, students, faculty researchers, private enterprise, and 

government agencies at all levels—federal, state, local, and tribal—is enormous and far-reaching. 

Transfer of the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) to the Public Information Resources 

Administration (PIRA) will ensure that the NTIS authorities and responsibilities to locate, capture, 

identify, organize, preserve, and make permanently publicly available, and readily and equitably 

accessible, the results of federally-funded R&D are sustained and strengthened by their placement in 

an agency whose primary mission is the timely dissemination and permanent public availability of 

public information resources. 

The American Technology Pre-eminence Act (ATPA) is amended so that scientific and technical 

information to be transferred or made available to the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) 

under the ATPA will be transferred or made available to PIRA. 

As noted in Section 6.a. above, the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) has 

enforcement authority with substantial consequences, including financial penalties for non-compliance 

with the information collection and dissemination provisions of the American Technology Preeminence Act, including the ability to require the non-compliant agency to make restitution; and the 

authority to repeal waivers and to rescind cooperative agreements or partnership arrangements 

established under this Act. 

Consolidation of NTIS with the Superintendent of Documents (SuDocs) Programs in Public 

Information Resources Administration (PIRA) under Superintendent of Public Information Resources 

(SuPIR) places all information resources covered under the American Technology Pre-eminence Act 

(ATPA) in the Public Information Resources Access Program (PIRAP) and eliminates the necessity 

for agencies to comply separately with the provisions of the ATPA and the requirements for the 

Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP). Furthermore, consolidation of the NTIS bibliographic 

database with the Government Printing Office (GPO) Catalog of U.S. Government Publications

provides the basis for the compilation and availability of a single, central, comprehensive and 

authoritative inventory, the National Bibliography of Public Information Resources, including the 

associated indexing and abstracting. Consolidation of the NTIS and SuDocs collections, including 

both the holding at GPO and those distributed in Federal Depository Libraries, establishes the basis for 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

2-23 

a single, central, comprehensive and authoritative database of electronic public information resources 

as part of a collection of both electronic and pre-electronic public information resources. 

6.e. Transfer of the Authorities, Duties, Responsibilities and Assets of the Superintendent of 

Documents 

The Superintendent of Documents authorities, duties and responsibilities, personnel and assets are 

transferred from the Government Printing Office (GPO) to the Public Information Resources 

Administration (PIRA). This includes the Document Sales Program, the Federal Depository Library 

Program (FDLP), addressed in Section 6.h. below, and the GPO Access service, including the 

personnel and assets necessary to operate the GPO Access service. 

44 U.S.C. 4101 should be amended to ensure that the Superintendent of Public Information Resources 

(SuPIR), under the direction of the Administrator of PIRA, (1) maintains an electronic directory of 

Federal electronic public information resources as part of National Bibliography of Public Information 

Resources required by Section 9.b of this Act; (2) provides online access to the Congressional Record, 

the Federal Register, and, as determined by the SuPIR, other appropriate public information resources 

as part of the National Database of Public Information Resources required by Section 9.b of this Act; 

and (3) operates an electronic storage facility for Federal electronic public information resources to 

which online access is made available, also as part of the National Database of Public Information 

Resources. 

44 U.S.C. 1711, Catalog of Government publications, should be amended to ensure the compilation 

and availability of a comprehensive and authoritative National Bibliography of Public Information 

Resources as required by Section 9.b of this Act. 

6.f. Transfer of the Authorities, Duties, Responsibilities and Assets of Selected Programs of the 

General Services Administration (GSA) 

The authorities, duties, responsibilities, and assets of the General Services Administration (GSA) 

related to the Consumer Information Center (CIC), the Government Information Locator Service 

(GILS) and FirstGov are transferred from the GSA to PIRA. 

6.g. Additional Authorities, Duties and Responsibilities of the Superintendent of Public 

Information Resources (SuPIR)

The Superintendent of Public Information Resources (SuPIR) shall use whatever measures are 

necessary to ensure the timely identification, acquisition, organization, cataloging, (and for scientific 

and technical information, abstracting and indexing) of public information resources; to ensure timely 

delivery of public information resources, utilizing a variety of formats, mediums, channels and 

methods, for access, dissemination and distribution, appropriate to the content and its intended uses; 

and to expand and improve the permanent public availability of the federal government’s public 

information resources. To accomplish these objectives, the SuPIR may establish a variety of 

cooperative agreements and partnership arrangements with the responsible agencies as authorized by 

this Act and both the Superintendent of Public Information Resources (SuPIR) and the responsible 

agency shall utilize electronic mediums and methods to the maximum extent possible for these 

purposes. 

The Superintendent of Public Information Resources (SuPIR) is responsible for permanent public 

availability of federal government public information resources, as defined in this Act. 
U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

2-24 

Any determination by a government establishment that one of its government information resource is 

an internal information resource under Section 3.9(2)(b) of the definitions in this Act can be appealed 

by any interested party to the Superintendent of Public Information Resources (SuPIR). In making this 

determination, the SuPIR will use a public interest standard, which provides that a government 

information resource can be withheld as an internal information resource only where the public 

interest in maintaining the exception outweighs the public interest in disclosure. If the issuing 

establishment is in the Executive Branch, the SuPIR will make a recommendation to the President 

after consultation with the issuing establishment. If the issuing establishment is in the Legislative or 

Judicial Branch, the SuPIR shall make a recommendation to the head of the issuing establishment and 

the Administrator of the Congressional Information Resources Office (CIRO) or the Judicial 

Information Resources Office (JIRO), respectively, who may then accept or reject the 

recommendation. If a recommendation of the SuPIR is not accepted, then the head of the issuing 

establishment and the Administrator of the Congressional Information Resources Office (CIRO) or the 

Judicial Information Resources Office (JIRO), respectively, must provide a written justification of 

their position to the SuPIR who will, in turn, respond to the party appealing the original determination. 

Such justifications may be made public at the discretion of the SuPIR. 

The Superintendent of Public Information Resources (SuPIR) shall provide selection, cataloging, 

classification, locator, and indexing services for all public information resources from the Executive, 

Legislative, and Judicial Branches. The SuPIR shall create, maintain, and make available in electronic 

and/or printed form, a comprehensive and timely catalog (including abstracting and indexing of 

scientific and technical information) of public information resources, regardless of form, format or 

medium, that shall be accessible to the public through the Public Information Resources Access 

Libraries or directly. 

The Superintendent of Public Information Resources (SuPIR) shall encourage maximum availability 

of public information resources as well as development of multi-purpose, multi-establishment or 

multi-level public information resources in lieu of the proliferation of incompatible and inconsistent 

single purpose, single establishment or single level public information resources. The SuPIR, in 

consultation with Council on Public Information Resources (CPIR) described in Section 13 and other 

government establishments, shall undertake, and periodically update, an in-depth assessment to: 

a. Assist government establishments in identifying internal information resources that are not 

otherwise statutorily precluded from public disclosure to determine whether these resources could 

and should be considered as public information resources under this Act. In this regard, individual 

agencies are the authority in classifying a resource as an internal resource or a public resource, 

subject to the appeal process identified in earlier in this Section. 

b. Identify the need for public information resources that are not now being met by federal, state, 

local or tribal governments or the private sector, whether for profit or not-for-profit. This includes 

needs that could and should be met, but are not met at all or are inadequately addressed. The 

needs assessment should include a recommendation identifying the appropriate establishment(s) 

to address the unmet needs, whether in government, the private sector or through a public-private 

partnership, recognizing that, in some instances, the private sector may be better positioned to 

independently develop value-added public information dissemination products, rather than 

working in a partnership mode with the public sector. 

c. Identify unnecessary overlap and duplication among single purpose, single establishment or 

single level public information resources, either across branches, across federal agency lines, or 

across levels of government that could be consolidated into multi-purpose, multi-establishment or 

multi-level public information resources. 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

2-25 

The Superintendent of Public Information Resources (SuPIR) shall ensure that government 

establishments create and maintain Government Information Locator Service (GILS) records for all 

appropriate government information resources, in accordance with 44 U.S.C. Chapter 41 and 

additional guidance provided by the SuPIR, and that such records are provided or made available to 

the PIRA. Such locator services shall identify, describe, and link users to public information resources 

available through government or, where appropriate, private sector electronic telecommunications 

systems and networks serving as hosts. 

The Administrator of PIRA and the Superintendent of Public Information Resources (SuPIR) shall 

encourage and facilitate the meetings and activities of interagency groups concerned with public 

information resources, such as the Federal Publishers Committee (FPC), the Federal Library and 

Information Center Committee (FLICC), the Federal Webmasters Forum, and the Interagency 

Committee on Statistical Policy ICSP. 

The Superintendent of Public Information Resources (SuPIR) or, at the discretion of the Congress, the 

Administrator of the Congressional Information Resources Office (CIRO) may prepare and produce a 

consolidated index of congressional documents and index single volumes of documents as the 

Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate and the Committee on House Oversight of the 

House of Representatives direct. This will be a reimbursable service funded by the Congress. 

6.h. The Public Information Resources Access Program (PIRAP)

The Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) is renamed the Public Information Resources Access 

Program (PIRAP). All libraries designated as Federal Depository Libraries at the time of enactment 

are automatically re-designated as Public Information Resources Access Libraries (PIRA Libraries) 

and are subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Act and by regulations and guidance issued 

under the authority of this Act. 

The basic mission and functions of the FDLP are not changed by this renaming. The responsibility for 

free public access to materials received from, or available through, the PIRAP remains the primary 

purpose of the program. Congressional designation and other criteria for becoming a Public 

Information Resources Access Library (PIRA Library) are retained. 

Public information resources made available by the Superintendent of Public Information Resources 

(SuPIR) may be chosen or accessed by PIRA Libraries according to regulations and guidelines issued 

by the SuPIR for such purposes. 

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, public information resources created, compiled, produced 

or maintained by the Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branches shall be made available to the 

public at no charge through the Public Information Resources Access Program (PIRAP). If 

government funds, including funds from Gift Accounts and Trust Funds of government 

establishments, are to be used for the creation, compilation, production, dissemination or maintenance 

of information products and services, in part or in whole, then those products and services are public 

information resources. 

The exemption in 44 U.S.C. 1903 for "so-called cooperative publications which must be sold to be 

self-sustaining" is repealed because the only self-sustaining programs for the sale of public 

information resources are within, or under the authority of, the Public Information Resources 

Administration (PIRA) and any public information resources available for sale also must be available 

without charge through Public Information Resources Access Libraries (PIRA Libraries). 
U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

2-26 

The expansion of the definition of public information resources to cover all "forms, formats or 

mediums" explicitly includes data and information, whether text, numeric, audio, video, spatial, 

photographic, or other graphic, or any other type of information, as well as database, spreadsheet, 

word processing, tagged, markup or image, and future, as yet unknown, formats and media used to 

organize, store, disseminate, display or preserve information resources within the scope of the Public 

Information Resources Access Program (PIRAP). In addition, this includes within the scope of the 

program time-sensitive information, such as press releases, fact sheets and other announcements, that 

often contain substantive information of value both for current awareness and historical research. This 

does not mean that government establishments cease to have control over the content and timing of the 

release of such information, but rather that there is an additional means for timely and permanent 

public access to such material. 

Implicit in the definition of government information resources is the fact that information resources or 

may be published or unpublished. Published government information resources may be posted as 

electronic files on agency intranets or public web sites, printed on paper, or otherwise made available 

and accessible in one or more formats and mediums. Unpublished government information resources 

remain in files and/or databases until they are published "on demand," but they are still retrievable 

although they may never be published or retrieved. 

As noted in Section 6.a. above, the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) has 

enforcement authority with substantial consequences, including financial penalties for non-compliance 

with the requirements of the Public Information Resources Access Program (PIRAP) and other 

provisions of this Act, including the ability to require the non-compliant agency to make restitution; 

and the authority to repeal waivers and to rescind cooperative agreements or partnership arrangements 

established under this Act. 

6.i. Transfer of the Authorities, Duties, Responsibilities and Assets for Executive Branch 

Procurement of Printing and Related Services

The authorities, duties, responsibilities and assets for Executive Branch procurement of printing and 

related services are transferred from the Government Printing Office to the Public Information 

Resources Administration (PIRA), as are the proportion of printing procurement and customer service 

assets and personnel required to handle printing procurement for the Executive Branch. The PIRA 

may contract with the Congressional Information Resources Office (CIRO) to continue to house the 

Superintendent of Documents and printing procurement functions within the CIRO facility indefinitely 

or until a suitable alternative space is available. 

The Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) has the authority to procure all printing and 

related production services for the Executive Branch; however, PIRA is required to allow 

Congressional Information Resources Office (CIRO) to bid on any job that it procures for an executive 

agency that CIRO is capable of producing and to accept the CIRO bid if it is less than or equal to that 

of any other bidder. The PIRA may contract with the CIRO to fulfill its procurement of printing and 

related production services indefinitely, or for a fixed period of time, rather than transfer assets and 

personnel to PIRA. 

The PIRA is authorized to operate a revolving fund for its procurement of printing and related services 

and to transfer into the revolving fund assets from other establishments transferred under this Act. 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

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6.j. Additional Authorities, Duties and Responsibilities of the Superintendent of Public 

Information and Communication Technologies (SuPICT)

The Superintendent for Information and Communication Technologies (SuPICT) has the authority to 

issue government-wide printing and binding regulations and to issue waivers to the printing and 

binding regulations for Executive Branch agencies, and has the right to review, and recommend 

approval or disapproval, of waivers authorized by the Congressional Information Resources Office 

(CIRO) and Judicial Information Resources Office (JIRO) before they take effect. The regulations for 

the procurement of printing and related services are independent of the Federal Acquisition 

Regulations (FAR). 

All waivers are conditional upon compliance with requirements of this Act for inclusion of public 

information resources in the Public Information Resources Access Program (PIRAP) and of the 

American Technology Pre-eminence Act (ATPA) for the transfer of public information resources to 

the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) as the successor to the National Technical 

Information Service, as well as the requirements in Sections 7.e, 8.e and 12.a of this Act to integrate 

requirements for additional copies of public information resources for the Superintendent of Public 

Information Resources (SuPIR) Sales Programs and to provide timely access to or provisions of public 

information resources for the comprehensive and authoritative inventory and database required under 

Section 9.b of this Act. Failure to comply with these and other requirements of this Act may result in 

the suspension or cancellation of the waiver, the assessment of penalties, or the requirement for 

restitution of the public information resources. 

6.k. Repeal of Waivers for Printing and Printing Procurement

All waivers for agency printing plants and printing procurement authorized by the Joint Committee on 

Printing (JCP) of the U.S. Congress are repealed by Section 19.c of this Act. Executive Branch 

agencies wishing to continue to operate under such waivers must apply to the Superintendent of Public 

Information and Communication Technologies (SuPICT) for new authorization. Waiver requests will 

be reviewed with the objective of reducing excess printing capacity in individual agencies and 

ensuring the most cost-effective printing procurement for the government. All waivers are (1) publicly 

posted on the PIRA website (or its successor), including the relevant terms and conditions of the 

waiver and (2) subject to periodic review and renewal/modification at least once every 5 years. 

6.l. Responsibility for By-Law Distribution

Responsibility for by-law distribution currently assigned to the Superintendent of Documents and 

funded through the salaries and expenses appropriation of the Superintendent of Documents are 

transferred to PIRA. In the first full fiscal year funding cycle following this transfer, the agency 

requesting or receiving the by-law distribution shall have the responsibility for obtaining necessary 

funds as part of its own appropriation in order to ensure maximum accountability for the funds and for 

the programs they support. The PIRA will retain the authority to fulfill, or to coordinate fulfillment of, 

these requirements for the program agency on a cost reimbursement basis. Thus, for example, the 

Library of Congress is to obtain funds for copies of public information resources it receives "by-law" 

and for the International Exchange Program as part of its annual appropriation and reimburse the 

PIRA for the costs of providing public information resources to the Library, or its specified recipients, 

for these purposes. 
U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

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SECTION 7. ESTABLISHING A FEDERAL PUBLIC INFORMATION RESOURCES 

MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION IN THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH 

The purpose of this Section is to effect major organizational consolidations and realignments by 

establishing a new legislative public information resources management organization in the 

Legislative Branch, including: 

a. Establish a new Legislative Branch agency, the Congressional Information Resources Office 

(CIRO), to (1) serve as the Legislative Branch’s focal point and lead agency for policy leadership 

coordination and program management in the utilization of Legislative Branch public 

information resources as a strategic national asset; (2) coordinate with the PIRA to establish and 

implement laws, regulations, rules, standards and guidelines for government-wide public 

information resources management; and (3) coordinate with the PIRA to facilitate the provision 

and utilization of Legislative Branch public information resources and services to the public, as 

well as within the government. 

b. Provide for the appointment and describe the duties of the Administrator of the Congressional 

Information Resources Office (CIRO). 

c. Transfer the authorities, duties, responsibilities and assets of the Public Printer for Legislative 

Branch printing and related services and Legislative Branch procurement for printing and 

related services to the CIRO. 

d. Repeal all waivers for agency printing plants and printing procurement authorized by the Joint 

Committee on Printing (JCP) of the U.S. Congress, and allow Legislative Branch agencies to 

apply to the CIRO for new authorization. 

e. Support the requirements of the Sales Programs of the Superintendent of Public Information 

Resources (SuPIR) in the printing and procurement of printing and related services of the CIRO. 

f. Establish Legislative Branch responsibilities for management of public information resources 

comparable to selected provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act.9

Establish a new federal public information resources management organization in the Legislative 

Branch and effect major organizational realignments in existing organizations, including: 

7.a. The Congressional Information Resources Office (CIRO)

A new Congressional Information Resources Office (CIRO) is established in the Legislative Branch. 

The CIRO will serve as the Legislative Branch’s focal point and lead agency for policy leadership 

coordination and program management in the utilization of Legislative Branch public information 

resources as a strategic national asset. It will coordinate with the Public Information Resources 

Administration (PIRA) to establish and implement laws, regulations, rules, standards and guidelines 

for public information resources management and to facilitate the provision and utilization of 

Legislative Branch public information resources and services to users within the government, as well 

as to the public. The CIRO is responsible for ensuring complete and timely Legislative Branch 

compliance with the Public Information Resources Access Program in Section 6.h and other programs 

of the PIRA. 

 

9

 Section 2 lists the major purposes of the Public Information Resources Reform Act of 2001. This Section of the legislative 

proposal addresses Purpose 7, which is repeated here in italics for ease of reference. 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

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7.b. Appointment and Duties of the Administrator of the Congressional Information Resources 

Office (CIRO)

The Administrator of the Congressional Information Resources Office (CIRO) is to be appointed for a 

term of ten years The Administrator shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives 

and the President pro tempore of the Senate after considering recommendations received from the 

House Committee on House Administration and the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, 

without regard to political affiliation and solely on the basis of fitness to perform the duties of the 

office. The Administrator is eligible for reappointment after completion of the term. 

The Administrator of the CIRO serves as one of the permanent members of the Council on Public 

Information Resources (CPIR) described in Section 13. The Administrator has the responsibility to 

coordinate with the Clerk of the House, Secretary of the Senate, Librarian of Congress, and the heads 

of other legislative branch agencies and organizations, to ensure full compliance with the regulations, 

rules, standards and guidelines promulgated by the Public Information Resources Administration 

(PIRA). 

The Administrator of the CIRO or, at the discretion of the Congress, the Administrator of the Public 

Information Resources Administration (PIRA), may prepare and produce a consolidated index of 

congressional documents and index single volumes of documents as the Committee on Rules and 

Administration of the Senate and the Committee on House Oversight of the House of Representatives 

direct. This will be a reimbursable service funded by the Congress. 

7.c. Transfer of the Remaining Authorities, Duties, Responsibilities and Assets of the Public 

Printer 

The Congressional Information Resources Office (CIRO) will incorporate the portions of the 

Government Printing Office (GPO) not transferred elsewhere by this Act, specifically the functions of 

Congressional and other Legislative Branch printing and printing procurement and the physical plant 

and related assets currently used by the GPO for those purposes, and will assume the responsibility for 

the orderly transfer of functions, personnel and assets to the Public Information Resources 

Administration (PIRA) and Judicial Information Resources Office (JIRO). The Public Printer will 

report to the Administrator of CIRO and will continue the functions of printing and procurement of 

printing and related services for the Legislative Branch, as well as that contracted by Executive or 

Judicial Branch agencies, in compliance with Government Printing and Binding Regulations issued by 

PIRA. 

The Congressional Information Resources Office (CIRO) may contract with the Public Information 

Resources Administration (PIRA) to continue to house the Superintendent of Public Information 

Resources (SuPIR) and Executive Branch printing procurement functions within the CIRO facility 

indefinitely or until a suitable alternative space is available. 

The Congressional Information Resources Office (CIRO) may contract with the Judicial Information 

Resources Office (JIRO) to continue to house the Judicial Branch printing procurement functions 

within the CIRO facility indefinitely or until a suitable alternative space is available. 

7.d. Repeal of Waivers for Printing and Printing Procurement

All waivers for agency printing plants and printing procurement authorized by the Joint Committee on 

Printing (JCP) of the U.S. Congress are repealed by Section 19.c of this Act. Legislative Branch 
U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

2-30 

establishments wishing to continue to operate under such waivers must apply to the Congressional 

Information Resources Office (CIRO) for new authorization. Waiver requests will be reviewed with 

the objective of reducing excess printing capacity in individual establishments and ensuring the most 

cost-effective procurement of printing and related services for the government. All waivers are (1) 

publicly posted on the CIRO website (or its successor), including the relevant terms and conditions of 

the waiver and (2) subject to periodic review and renewal/modification at least once every 5 years. 

7.e. Requirements for Supporting the Programs of the Superintendent of Public Information 

Resources (SuPIR) 

The Congressional Information Resources Office (CIRO) shall integrate requirements for additional 

copies of public information resources for Superintendent of Public Information Resources (SuPIR) 

sales programs as part of their production and procurement activities with the costs to be borne by the 

SuPIR. The CIRO shall ensure the timely access to, or provision of, the public information resources 

by each establishment in the Legislative Branch so that the SuPIR may include those resources in the 

comprehensive, authoritative inventory and database required by Section 9.b of this Act. 

7.f. Legislative Branch Responsibilities for the Management of Public Information Resources

The Legislative Branch should have responsibilities for the management of public information 

resources that parallel selected provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), particularly Section 

3506(d). To accomplish this, a new section should be added to Title 2 of the U.S. Code to read as 

follows: 

Legislative Branch establishment responsibilities 

(a) The head of each Legislative Branch establishment shall oversee the use of public 

information resources as a strategic national asset, owned by the people and held in 

trust by the government, which should be permanently available to the people except 

where restricted by law. This oversight shall both improve the efficiency and 

effectiveness of governmental operations to serve establishment missions, including 

service delivery to the public, and ensure the proactive dissemination of public 

information resources so that all Americans may benefit from it. 

(b) With respect to dissemination of public information resources, each establishment 

shall - 

(1) ensure that the public has timely and equitable access to the 

establishment's public information resources, including ensuring such access 

through 

(A) encouraging a diversity of public and private sources for 

information based on government public information resources; 

(B) in cases in which the establishment provides public information 

resources maintained in electronic format, providing timely and 

equitable access to the underlying data (in whole or in part); and 

(C) establishment dissemination of public information resources in an 

efficient, effective, and economical manner, including availability of 

public information resources through the Public Information 

Resources Access Program or its successors; 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

2-31 

(2) regularly solicit and consider public input on the need for the 

establishment's public information resources and on the establishment's public 

information dissemination activities; 

(3) provide adequate notice through publication in the Federal Register and 

other appropriate means when initiating, substantially modifying, or 

terminating public information resources; and 

(4) not, except where specifically authorized by statute - 

(A) establish an exclusive, restricted, or other distribution 

arrangement that interferes with timely and equitable availability of 

public information resources to the public; 

(B) restrict or regulate the use, resale, or redissemination of public 

information resources by the public; 

(C) charge fees or royalties for resale or redissemination of public 

information resources; or 

(D) establish user fees for public information resources that exceed 

the cost of dissemination. 

SECTION 8. ESTABLISHING A FEDERAL PUBLIC INFORMATION RESOURCES 

MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION IN THE JUDICIAL BRANCH 

The purpose of this Section is to effect major organizational consolidations and realignments by 

establishing a new judicial public information resources management organization in the Judicial 

Branch, including: 

a. Establish a new Judicial Branch agency, the Judicial Information Resources Office (JIRO) in the 

Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts to (1) serve as the Judicial Branch’s focal point and lead 

agency for policy leadership coordination and program management in the utilization of Judicial 

Branch public information resources as a strategic national asset; (2) coordinate with the PIRA 

to establish and implement laws, regulations, rules, standards and guidelines for governmentwide public information resources management; and (3) coordinate with the PIRA to facilitate 

the provision and utilization of Judicial Branch public information resources and services to the 

public, as well as within the government. 

b. Provide for the appointment and describe the duties of the Administrator of the Judicial 

Information Resources Office (JIRO). 

c. Transfer the authorities, duties, responsibilities and assets for Judicial Branch procurement of 

printing and related services from the Government Printing Office (GPO) to JIRO. 

d. Repeal all waivers for agency printing plants and printing procurement authorized by the Joint 

Committee on Printing (JCP) of the U.S. Congress, and allow Judicial Branch agencies to apply 

to the JIRO for new authorization. 

e. Support the requirements of the Sales Programs of the Superintendent of Public Information 

Resources (SuPIR) in the procurement of printing and related services of the JIRO. 

f. Establish Judicial Branch responsibilities for management of public information resources 

comparable to selected provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act.10

 

10 Section 2 lists the major purposes of the Public Information Resources Reform Act of 2001. This Section of the legislative 

proposal addresses Purpose 8, which is repeated here in italics for ease of reference. 
U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

2-32 

Establish a new federal public information resources management organization in the Judicial Branch 

and effect major organizational realignments in existing organizations, including: 

8.a. The Judicial Information Resources Office (JIRO)

A new Judicial Information Resources Office (JIRO) is established in the Administrative Office of the 

U.S. Courts (AO). It will serve as the Judicial Branch’s focal point and lead agency for policy 

leadership coordination and program management in the utilization of Judicial Branch public 

information resources as a strategic national asset. It will coordinate with the Public Information 

Resources Administration (PIRA) to establish and implement laws, regulations, rules, standards and 

guidelines for public information resources management and to facilitate the provision and utilization 

of Judicial Branch public information resources and services to users within the government, as well 

as to the public. The JIRO is responsible for ensuring complete and timely Judicial Branch compliance 

with the Public Information Resources Access Program (PIRAP) in Section 6.h and other programs of 

the PIRA. 

8.b. Appointment and Duties of the Administrator of the Judicial Information Resources Office 

(JIRO).

The Administrator of the Judicial Information Resources Office (JIRO) is to be appointed for a term of 

ten years by the Chief Justice of the United States from a list of three candidates recommended by the 

Judicial Conference of the United States. The Administrator is eligible for reappointment after 

completion of the term. 

The Administrator of the JIRO serves as one of the permanent members of the Council on Public 

Information Resources (CPIR). The Administrator has the responsibility to coordinate with the Clerk 

of the Supreme Court, the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AO), and the heads of other 

Judicial Branch agencies and organizations, to ensure full compliance with the regulations, rules, 

standards and guidelines promulgated by the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA). 

8.c. Transfer of the Authorities, Duties, Responsibilities and Assets for Judicial Branch 

Procurement of Printing and Related Services

The Judicial Information Resources Office (JIRO) will assume the function of procurement of judicial 

printing and related services, in compliance with Government Printing and Binding Regulations issued 

by Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA). The proportion of printing procurement and 

customer service assets and personnel required to handle printing procurement for the Judicial Branch 

are transferred from the Government Printing Office (GPO) to the JIRO. The JIRO may contract with 

the Congressional Information Resources Office (CIRO) to continue to house the printing procurement 

functions within the CIRO facility indefinitely or until a suitable alternative space is available. 

The Judicial Information Resources Office (JIRO) receives the authority to procure all printing and 

related services for the Judicial Branch; however, JIRO is required to allow the Congressional 

Information Resources Office (CIRO) to bid on any job that it procures for a judicial agency that 

CIRO is capable of producing and to accept the CIRO bid if it is less than or equal to that of any other 

bidder. JIRO may contract with the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) or the CIRO 

to fulfill all of its procurement of printing and related production services indefinitely, or for a fixed 

period of time, rather than transfer assets and personnel from CIRO to JIRO. 

The Judicial Information Resources Office (JIRO) receives authority for the Administrator of the JIRO 

to issue waivers to the printing and binding regulations for Judicial Branch agencies, subject to the 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

2-33 

review and approval of the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) to ensure compliance 

with the Public Information Resources Access Program (PIRAP) and compliance with other 

regulations, rules, standards and guidelines promulgated by PIRA 

8.d. Repeal of Waivers for Printing and Printing Procurement

All waivers for agency printing plants and printing procurement authorized by the Joint Committee on 

Printing (JCP) of the U.S. Congress are repealed by Section 19.c of this Act. Judicial Branch 

establishments wishing to continue to operate under such waivers must apply to the Judicial 

Information Resources Office (JIRO) for new authorization. Waiver requests will be reviewed with the 

objective of reducing excess printing capacity in individual establishments and ensuring the most costeffective printing procurement for the government. All waivers are (1) publicly posted on the JIRO 

website (or its successor), including the relevant terms and conditions of the waiver and (2) subject to 

periodic review and renewal/modification at least once every 5 years.

8.e. Requirements for Superintendent of Public Information Resources (SuPIR) Sales Programs

The Judicial Information Resources Office (JIRO) shall integrate requirements for additional copies of 

public information resources for Superintendent of Public Information Resources (SuPIR) sales 

programs as part of its procurement of printing and related services, with the costs to be borne by the 

SuPIR. The JIRO shall ensure the timely access to, or provision of, the public information resources 

by each establishment in the Judicial Branch so that the SuPIR may include those resources in the 

comprehensive, authoritative inventory and database required by Section 9.b of this Act. 

8.f. Judicial Branch Responsibilities for the Management of Public Information Resources

The Judicial Branch should have responsibilities for the management of public information resources 

that parallel selected provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), particularly Section 3506(d). 

To accomplish this, a new section should be added to Title 28 of the U.S. Code to read as follows: 

Judicial Branch establishment responsibilities 

(a) The head of each Judicial Branch establishment shall oversee the use of public 

information resources as a strategic national asset, owned by the people and held in 

trust by the government, which should be permanently available to the people except 

where restricted by law. This oversight shall both improve the efficiency and 

effectiveness of governmental operations to serve establishment missions, including 

service delivery to the public, and ensure the proactive dissemination of public 

information resources so that all Americans may benefit from it. 

(b) With respect to dissemination of public information resources, each establishment 

shall - 

(1) ensure that the public has timely and equitable access to the 

establishment's public information resources, including ensuring such access 

through 

(A) encouraging a diversity of public and private sources for 

information based on government public information resources; 

(B) in cases in which the establishment provides public information 

resources maintained in electronic format, providing timely and 

equitable access to the underlying data (in whole or in part); and 
U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

2-34 

(C) establishment dissemination of public information resources in an 

efficient, effective, and economical manner, including availability of 

public information resources through the Public Information 

Dissemination Access Program or its successors; 

(2) regularly solicit and consider public input on the need for the 

establishment's public information resources and on the establishment's public 

information dissemination activities; 

(3) provide adequate notice through publication in the Federal Register and 

other appropriate means when initiating, substantially modifying, or 

terminating public information resources; and 

(4) not, except where specifically authorized by statute - 

(A) establish an exclusive, restricted, or other distribution 

arrangement that interferes with timely and equitable availability of 

public information resources to the public; 

(B) restrict or regulate the use, resale, or redissemination of public 

information resources by the public; 

(C) charge fees or royalties for resale or redissemination of public 

information resources; or 

(D) establish user fees for public information resources that exceed 

the cost of dissemination. 

SECTION 9. CONSOLIDATION AND COORDINATION OF PUBLIC INFORMATION 

SERVICES AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT AUTHORITIES, MISSIONS, 

RESPONSIBILITIES, FUNCTIONS AND RESOURCES 

The purpose of this Section is to consolidate, and more closely and effectively coordinate, public 

information services and information management authorities, missions, responsibilities, functions 

and resources of central information services establishments with those of other government 

establishments to: 

a. Eliminate unnecessary overlap and duplication and consolidate public information resources of 

the federal government, now unnecessarily dispersed, fragmented, and compartmentalized among 

government establishments in all branches.

b. Ensure the compilation and availability of a comprehensive, authoritative National Bibliography 

of Public Information Resources that provides bibliographic control over a comprehensive and 

authoritative collection of both electronic and pre-electronic public information resources. 

c. Improve central government website portal development and utilization for dissemination and 

permanent public availability of public information resources.11

9.a. Eliminate Unnecessary Overlap and Duplication in Public Information Resources 

The Administrator of Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) shall undertake an 

examination of additional opportunities to reduce unnecessary overlap and duplication by 

consolidation of public information resources that are unnecessarily dispersed, fragmented, and 

 

11 Section 2 lists the major purposes of the Public Information Resources Reform Act of 2001. This Section of the legislative 

proposal addresses Purpose 4, which is repeated here in italics for ease of reference. 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

2-35 

compartmentalized among government establishments in all branches. The results of this analysis and 

recommendations for transfer of programs and authorities to eliminate the unnecessary overlap and 

duplication shall be provided through a biennial report to the President, the Congress and the Chief 

Justice of the United States that will be issued by the end of January in each odd numbered year. 

As soon as practicable after the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) is established, 

the Administrator should undertake an analysis of human, financial, physical plant, and other 

resources and assets that have been transferred to PIRA from existing organizations, pursuant to other 

provisions of this law, to eliminate or reduce unnecessary overlap in these resources by consolidating, 

streamlining, and simplifying them on the one hand, and/or identifying gaps where existing resources 

and assets are not adequate to satisfy the resource and asset needs of PIRA in carrying out its mission 

and responsibilities effectively and efficiently. 

For example, such analysis should include: 

a. The skills, competencies, and expertise of specialized information professionals transferred to 

PIRA from the Government Printing Office (GPO), the National Technical Information Service 

(NTIS), the General Services Administration (GSA) and other government establishments to 

assess whether they are adequate, both as to quality and to quantity, to meet mission needs and 

obligations of PIRA. 

b. The adequacy of the plant capacity of transferred physical capital from GPO, NTIS, GSA and 

other government establishments in terms of computer and telecommunications hardware, 

software, networks, systems, and so forth. 

c. The adequacy of financial resources, including transferred budgetary authorities from GPO, 

NTIS, GSA and other government establishments to ensure that the preliminary new budget 

authorities authorized by Congress are adequate for PIRA to meet its mission responsibilities. 

To the extent that the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) determines that there is a 

shortfall in resources and assets needed to fulfill its statutory responsibilities, the Administrator of 

PIRA should request new budget authority, staff, physical plant, and other resources, in the context of 

the annual budget cycle. 

To the extent that Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) determines that there are 

overages in existing resources and assets needed to fulfill its statutory responsibilities, the 

Administrator of PIRA will have the authority to downsize, retire, declare surplus, and otherwise 

reduce, as appropriate, the excess resources and assets, in accordance with established resource 

management guidelines and procedures in the respective resource areas. The Administrator is given 

specific authority for two years following the enactment of this legislation to offer voluntary 

separation incentive payments to employees who are eligible for retirement and/or whose positions are 

eliminated as a result of the consolidation of employees from other agencies into PIRA. 

9.b. National Bibliography of Public Information Resources and Collection of Public Information 

Resources

The authorities and responsibilities of the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) 

extends to federal scientific and technical information (STI) as a special class of public information 

resources, as well as to all other classes of public information resources. The requirements of the users 

of federal STI must be considered in developing and implementing the PIRA programs for 

management of federal STI and other public information resources. This includes requirements for 

abstracting and for indexing with specialized thesauri. 
U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

2-36 

The authority and responsibility for a Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (44 U.S.C. 1711) is 

transferred to the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA), and Section 1711 is amend to 

require the Superintendent of Public Information Resources (SuPIR) to ensure the compilation and 

availability of a comprehensive and authoritative National Bibliography of Public Information 

Resources to provide bibliographic control over a comprehensive and authoritative collection of both 

electronic and pre-electronic public information resources, including the associated indexing and 

abstracting. The National Bibliography shall include information on where to locate the public 

information resources and how to obtain them. 

Based on both new and transferred authority and responsibility, the Superintendent of Public 

Information Resources (SuPIR) is required to establish and maintain the National Database of Public 

Information Resources, a single, central, comprehensive and authoritative database of electronic public 

information resources as part of a collection of both electronic and pre-electronic public information 

resources available. The SuPIR shall ensure the permanent public availability of public information 

resources in the National Database and in the pre-electronic collection. This National Database 

should provide online access to the Congressional Record, the Federal Register, and other databases 

currently available through the GPO Access service as well as public information resources currently 

available through the electronic storage facility established under 44 U.S.C. 4101. The National 

Database should also provide online access to the information available through the National 

Technical Information Service (NTIS) FedWorld portal. The SuPIR is authorized to determine other 

appropriate public information resources for inclusion in the National Database. To the extent 

practicable, the SuPIR should accommodate any request by the head of a government establishment to 

include in the National Database information that is under the control of that government 

establishment. 

In carrying out the responsibilities for the National Bibliography and the National Database, the 

SuPIR should consult (1) users of the National Bibliography and the National Database, (2) 

government establishments with information resources in the National Bibliography and the National 

Database; and (3) other providers of similar information services. Consultations with users should 

include participation at conferences and workshops, logging and analyzing correspondence and 

inquiries, and formal user surveys. The purpose of such consultation shall be to assess the quality and 

value of the National Bibliography and the National Database, in light of user needs and the 

availability of new technology for information storage and dissemination. 

The SuPIR may utilize a distributed approach, combining centralized and decentralized resources, to 

store and manage the public information resources for the National Bibliography and the National 

Database, so long as the timely and permanent public availability of the inventory and database are 

assured and the public can search for and retrieve public information resources as if the information 

was available from a single site. 

9.c. Government Website Portal Development and Utilization

Based on both new and transferred authority and responsibility, the Public Information Resources 

Administration (PIRA) will improve central government website portal development and utilization 

for dissemination and permanent public availability of public information resources. This will be 

accomplished both by management of its own programs and by its advice to, and collaboration with, 

other establishments and organizations and will take into account the experiences of FirstGov and 

other government information portals. 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

2-37 

SECTION 10. REFORMING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S PUBLIC INFORMATION 

INFRASTRUCTURE 

The purpose of this Section is to reform the federal government’s public information infrastructure12

to provide for the creation, storage, communication, permanent public availability, proactive 

dissemination, preservation, archiving, and overall life cycle integration and management of public 

information resources, in all branches of government, and in so doing, put in place another essential 

statutory cornerstone, alongside the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Electronic Freedom 

of Information Act (E-FOIA), guaranteeing public knowledge of and access to government 

information resources.13

The Administrator of Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA), in collaboration with 

other agencies and committees, including OMB/OIRA, the new CIRO and JIRO, NTIA, NIST, the 

CIO Council, and others, and utilizing the vehicle of its own newly created councils prescribed 

elsewhere in this Act, should undertake and complete within one year an in-depth assessment of the 

federal government’s public information infrastructure at all levels, and in all branches of government, 

to include the following: 

a. Conduct a review to ascertain whether or not there are appropriate, effective and smoothly 

functioning intergovernmental, inter-branch, and interagency forums and other mechanisms to 

consider statutory, policy, managerial, and operating questions relating to reforming and/or 

strengthening the public information infrastructure. Report the findings to the President and the 

Congress not later than one year following enactment of this legislation, with recommendations 

for corrective action if such forums or arrangements are inadequate or ineffective. 

b. Ensure that the foregoing review also ascertains whether the representation of both public and 

private sector elements on the forums mentioned above is adequate, or whether there may be 

missing elements in those forums from which representatives should be brought into the process. 

c. Determine the various major components of the public information infrastructure, including: 

hardware, software, required human resources, required financial resources, networks, systems, 

services, and so forth, and how they all inter-relate, both conceptually, and at the operational 

(transaction) level; in short, develop a schematic showing the relative position and relationship 

among the major components of the infrastructure, as well as a detailed list of the goals, 

objectives, functions and purposes of the public information infrastructure. 

d. Develop one or more enterprise modeling and simulation approaches that would enable the 

government to utilize operations research and related modern management techniques, tools, and 

methods to simulate the performance of the public information infrastructure, and assess the 

impacts of changes in constants and variables, such as the possible adverse impacts and 

consequences arising from natural disasters, and related matters. 

e. Ensure that the plan for the public information infrastructure fits into the federal information 

infrastructure, which embraces in its scope all government information, both internal and 

external, and into the national information infrastructure, which includes both governmental and 

non-governmental components, including state, local and tribal governments. 

 

12 The term Public Information Infrastructure encompasses the entire set of foundation building blocks that are employed to 

ensure that government information resources are efficiently, effectively and economically produced, organized, 

bibliographically controlled, authenticated, regularly updated, preserved, and made available to and accessible by the public. 

These building blocks include eight major components: (a) the content and the metadata describing the content; (b) the 

software component; (c) the computing hardware component; (d) the telecommunications hardware and services component; 

(f) the standards and guidelines component; (g) the human resources component; and (h) the financial resources component. 

13 Section 2 lists the major purposes of the Public Information Resources Reform Act of 2001. This Section of the legislative 

proposal addresses Purpose 3, which is repeated here in italics for ease of reference. 
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f. Evaluate the initial implementation of public information as a strategic national asset by the 

federal government, as well as by state, local and tribal governments, and identify actions 

necessary to improve that implementation. 

g. Ensure that inherently governmental functions involving public information resources are 

financed directly through appropriated funds, and not by recovering the costs through sales 

revenue, users fees or other means. This is not intended to preclude the use of Gift Accounts or 

Trust Funds by government establishments to fund or partially fund such "public good" functions. 

h. Take the lead in collaboration with the Department of State, the National Telecommunications 

and Information Administration (NTIA), the National Commission on Libraries and Information 

Science (NCLIS), the Department of Defense, the intelligence community and other government 

establishments to ensure that the U.S. public information infrastructure interfaces effectively with 

the global public information infrastructure. 

As an integral part of this in-depth assessment, the Public Information Resources Administration 

(PIRA) should utilize and build on the expertise of both the public and private sectors, including 

academia, professional societies, state, local and tribal governments and the commercial sector. 

SECTION 11. UPDATING AND MODERNIZING FEDERAL INFORMATION HANDLING 

AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, SERVICES, AND NETWORKS 

The purpose of this Section in to update and modernize the government’s public information handling 

and telecommunications systems, services, and networks to ensure that they are: 

a. Adequate to support the federal government’s exploitation of the full and effective use of the 

Internet and the World Wide Web for storing, handling and disseminating its public information 

resources. 

b. Scalable to support future expansion. 

c. Incorporate the requirements of the federal government’s electronic government (E-Gov) plans 

and schedules.14

The Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) should undertake an in-depth assessment of 

existing components of the federal information and telecommunications infrastructure that supports 

access to and dissemination of public information resources, in collaboration with the National 

Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), the CIO Council, and other appropriate 

agencies and committees, to ensure that: 

a. Federal networks, services and systems are adequate to meet the expanded role for public 

information resources creation, handling and dissemination contemplated by this Act. 

b. Federal information and telecommunications interchange standards, guidelines and protocols are 

adequate to sustain the greatly enhanced role of public information resources contemplated by 

this legislation. 

c. Federal website and portal prototype design, development and testing, such as FirstGov, are 

encouraged and carefully monitored. 

 

14 Section 2 lists the major purposes of the Public Information Resources Reform Act of 2001. This Section of the legislative 

proposal addresses Purpose 5, which is repeated here in italics for ease of reference. 
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SECTION 12. GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHMENT RESPONSIBILITY UNDER THIS ACT 

The purpose of this Section is to identify responsibilities of government establishments under this Act: 

a. For compliance with the regulations, rules, standards and guidelines of the Public Information 

Resources Administration (PIRA), including participation in the Public Information Resources 

Access Program (PIRAP) and the Sales Programs of the Superintendent of Public Information 

Resources (SuPIR). 

b. For periodic review of its public information resources to safeguard against technological 

obsolescence and limit proliferation of form(s), format(s) and medium(s) utilized for 

dissemination and permanent public availability. 

c. To ensure that public information resources are preserved and authenticated for permanent 

public availability and accessibility. 

d. For notification of the Superintendent of Public Information Resources (SuPIR) and the public of 

its intent to produce or procure, substantially modify, or terminate the production of a public 

information resource, regardless of form, format or medium. 

e. For the government establishment requesting or receiving the by-law distribution to obtain 

necessary funds as part of its own appropriation and to reimburse the PIRA for the costs of 

providing public information resources to the establishment, or its specified recipients, for these 

purposes. 

f. To prepare an Information Dissemination Budget (IDB) following guidance issued by the Office 

of Management and Budget and the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) as set 

forth in Section 20. 

g. To prepare an Information Dissemination Plan (IDP) following guidance issued by the Office of 

Management and Budget and the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) as set 

forth in Section 20.15

Under this Act every government establishment is responsible for the following: 

12.a. Compliance with the Rules, Regulations, Standards and Guidelines of the Public 

Information Resources Administration (PIRA) and Participation in the Programs of the 

Superintendent of Public Information Resources (SuPIR).

The head of each establishment in the Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branch shall take such 

action as is necessary to ensure compliance with the regulations, rules, standards and guidelines of the 

Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) and participation in the programs of the 

Superintendent of Public Information Resources (SuPIR). 

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the head of each establishment in the Executive, 

Legislative and Judicial Branch shall take such action as is necessary to ensure that all public 

information resources created, compiled, produced or maintained by the establishment or at 

establishment expense are made available to the Superintendent of Public Information Resources 

(SuPIR), as required by this Act, for permanent public availability to the public at no charge through 

the Public Information Resources Access Program (PIRAP). 

 

15 Section 2 lists the major purposes of the Public Information Resources Reform Act of 2001. This Section of the legislative 

proposal addresses Purpose 9, which is repeated here in italics for ease of reference. 
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Each establishment shall ensure timely access to or provision of its public information resources for 

the SuPIR so that the resources may be included in the National Bibliography of Public Information 

Resources and in the National Database of Public Information Resources required by Section 9.b of 

this Act. 

Each establishment shall integrate requirements for additional copies of public information resources 

for Superintendent of Public Information Resources (SuPIR) sales programs as part of its procurement 

of printing and related services, with the costs to be borne by the SuPIR. 

12.b. Periodic Review Public Information Resources

Each government establishment will ensure that the information and telecommunication technologies 

utilized to organize, store, and manage its public information resources are periodically refreshed to 

safeguard against technological obsolescence. 

Each establishment will ensure that the form(s), format(s) and medium(s) utilized for dissemination 

and permanent public availability of its public information resources are cost effective and comply 

with standards or guidelines wherever appropriate to limit the unnecessary proliferation of forms, 

formats and mediums to an absolute minimum in order to reduce the burdens and costs on both endusers and intermediaries, such as librarians and information specialists in Public Information 

Resources Access Libraries (PIRA Libraries) and other libraries and information centers. 

Public information resources will be periodically reviewed by each government establishment and by 

the Public Information Resources Users Council (PIRUC) for validating the practical utility of the 

products, and considering changes, including refreshing obsolescent hardware platforms, software file 

formats and supporting technologies. The same principles prescribed by the Paperwork Reduction Act 

and OMB Circular A-130 on the Management of Federal Information Resources shall generally be 

applied, except that the paramount criterion is whether the information resource has continued 

practical utility to the public in its present form and, if not, what changes are necessary to ensure its 

permanent public availability and utility. The public includes, but is not be limited to, the primary 

constituencies of the federal government establishment that creates, manages and may also use the 

information resource. 

Each establishment should have procedures for the periodic review of internal agency resources to 

determine which ones can become public information resources. The primary criteria for this 

determination should be that the public interest in disclosure of government information is paramount 

and that exemptions should be weighed using a test that favors disclosure unless the public interest in 

maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosure 

12.c. Preservation, Authentication and Permanent Public Availability

Each government establishment that disseminates or otherwise makes available a public information 

resource, regardless of form, format or medium, shall ensure that the public has a reliable means to 

ascertain that the information resource is official and to ensure that its public information resources are 

preserved and authenticated for permanent public availability, directly and/or through the Public 

Information Resources Administration (PIRA). 

12.d. Notification of Changes to the Public and the SuPIR

Each government establishment shall immediately notify the Superintendent of Public Information 

Resources (SuPIR) of its intent to initiate, substantially modify, or terminate the production of a public 
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2-41 

information resource, regardless of form, format or medium, so that the SuPIR can maintain accurate 

entries in the National Bibliography required by Section 6.h, has the opportunity to order or obtain 

access to public information resources at the incremental rate for the Public Information Resources 

Access Program and the Public Information Resources Sales Program, and for other purposes. 

Government establishments intending to eliminate printed, microform, or other pre-electronic format 

and/or medium copies of public information resources, and to provide only electronic access to those 

resources, shall notify the Superintendent of Public Information Resources (SuPIR) at least 60 days in 

advance. 

Government establishments shall also notify the public of their intention to initiate, significantly 

change, or terminate public information resources, utilizing the Federal Register for this purpose, as 

well as other appropriate means that the establishment may select. 

12.e. By-Law Distribution

As noted in Section 6.l, responsibility for by-law distribution currently assigned to the Superintendent 

of Documents and funded through the salaries and expenses appropriation of the Superintendent of 

Documents are transferred to PIRA. In the first full fiscal year funding cycle following this transfer, 

the government establishment requesting or receiving the by-law distribution shall have the 

responsibility for obtaining necessary funds as part of its own appropriation in order to ensure 

maximum accountability for the funds and for the programs these funds support. The PIRA will retain 

the authority to fulfill, or to the coordinate fulfillment of, these requirements for the government 

establishment on a cost reimbursement basis. Thus, for example, the Library of Congress is to obtain 

funds for copies of public information resources it receives "by-law" and for the International 

Exchange Program as part of its annual appropriation, and reimburse the PIRA for the costs of 

providing public information resources to the Library, or its specified recipients, for these purposes. 

12.f. Information Dissemination Budget for Each Government Establishment

Each government establishment will prepare an Information Dissemination Budget (IDB) following 

guidance jointly developed and issued by the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) in 

conjunction with Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Executive Branch establishments, and 

the Congressional Information Resources Office (CIRO) and the Judicial Information Resources 

Office (JIRO) for the Legislative and Judicial Branch establishments, respectively, as set forth in 

Section 20.c of this Act. 

Government establishment information dissemination budgets will be submitted to the Administrator 

of Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) and also to the Director of OMB or the 

Administrators of CIRO or JIRO for the Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branches, respectively. 

The Administrator of PIRA will integrate the IDB for PIRA with the IDBs for Executive Branch 

establishments and aggregate information dissemination resource requirements for the Executive 

Branch into an overall IDB that is included in the President’s Budget, along with the IDBs for the 

Legislative and Judicial Branches. 

12.g. Information Dissemination Plan for Each Government Establishment

Each government establishment will prepare an Information Dissemination Plan (IDP) following 

guidance developed and issued by the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) as set 

forth in Section 20.d of this Act. 
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Government establishment information dissemination plans will be submitted to the Administrator of 

Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) and also to the Director of OMB or the 

Administrators of CIRO or JIRO for the Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branches, respectively, 

for review and for consultation during the evaluation of establishment IDBs. The plans will also be 

available to the public through the establishment websites and/or through PIRA. 

SECTION 13. CREATION OF A COUNCIL ON PUBLIC INFORMATION RESOURCES 

(CPIR) 

The purpose of this Section is to create an inter-branch, interagency Council on Public Information 

Resources (CPIR), chaired by the Administrator of the Public Information Resources Administration 

(PIRA), to serve as an advisory board to the PIRA and to ensure that regulations, rules, standards and 

guidelines promulgated by the PIRA are coordinated and consistently applied within the Executive 

Branch and with the Legislative and Judicial Branches. The Council should also consider the 

applicability of the PIRA regulations, rules, standards, guidelines, and procedures to state, local and 

tribal governments and endeavor to harmonize these among all levels of government.16

The Administrator of the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) should create and chair 

an inter-branch, interagency Council on Public Information Resources (CPIR), having as its permanent 

members the Superintendent of Public Information Resources (SuPIR), the Superintendent of Public 

Information and Communication Technologies (SuPICT), the heads of the Congressional Information 

Resources Office (CIRO) and the Judicial Information Resources Office (JIRO), the Clerk of the 

House of Representatives, the Secretary of the Senate, the Clerk of the Supreme Court, the Archivist 

of the United States, the Librarian of Congress and the directors of the other National Libraries, the 

executive director of the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS) and, for 

intergovernmental coordination and communication, the head of the Office of Intergovernmental 

Affairs (OIA) in the Executive Office of the President, the administrators of the Office of Information 

and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the General Services 

Administration (GSA) and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), 

the Chief Statistician of the United States, the directors of the National Science Foundation (NSF) and 

the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST), the Chairperson of the CIO Council, as 

well as a minimum of five other individuals representing executive departments and agencies with 

significant public information dissemination missions, at least one of whom represents an independent 

agency and two of whom are from departments or agencies with extensive R&D programs, to serve as 

an advisory board to the PIRA and to ensure that regulations, rules, standards and guidelines, 

promulgated by the PIRA are coordinated within the Executive Branch and with the Legislative and 

Judicial Branches to ensure a consistent application of such regulations, rules, standards, guidelines, 

and procedures. The Council should also consider the applicability of PIRA regulations, rules, 

standards, guidelines, and procedures to state, local and tribal governments and endeavor to harmonize 

these among all levels of government, while acknowledging the rights of each level of government to 

manage its own government information resources for the benefit of its citizens. 

SECTION 14. CREATION OF A PUBLIC INFORMATION RESOURCES USERS COUNCIL 

(PIRUC) 

The purpose of this Section is to create a Public Information Resources Users Council (PIRUC), 

chaired by the Superintendent of Public Information Resources (SuPIR), to provide advice to the 

 

16 Section 2 lists the major purposes of the Public Information Resources Reform Act of 2001. This Section of the legislative 

proposal addresses Purpose 10, which is repeated here in italics for ease of reference. 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

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SuPIR and the Council on Public Information Resources (CPIR), and as appropriate to the 

Congressional Information Resources Office (CIRO) and the Judicial Information Resources Office 

(JIRO), on the impact of federal regulations, rules, standards, guidelines, and procedures on the 

ability of the public to identify and effectively use public information resources. PIRUC will also 

recommend ways to improve the organization, cataloging and indexing, announcing, access and 

dissemination, and permanent public availability of public information resources.17

The Superintendent of Public Information Resources (SuPIR) should create and chair a Public 

Information Resources Users Council (PIRUC), consisting of at least 15 other members, each serving 

a three year term. Terms shall be staggered, so that one-third of the terms expire each year; at least 6 

of the members shall represent Public Information Resources Access Libraries (PIRA Libraries, 

formerly Federal Depository Libraries) and their terms shall be spread equally among the staggered 

terms, so that two will complete their terms each year. The remaining nine members shall be drawn 

from state, local and tribal government, other public interest groups, user groups, trade associations 

and professional organizations, and individuals with a substantial knowledge of the need for and uses 

of public information resources. The Council will provide advice to the SuPIR and the CPIR, and as 

appropriate to the CIRO and the JIRO, on the impact of federal regulations, rules, standards, 

guidelines, and procedures on the ability of the public to identify and use public information resources 

effectively, as well as recommending ways to improve the organization, cataloging and indexing, 

announcing, access and dissemination, and permanent public availability of public information 

resources. 

SECTION 15. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PUBLIC INFORMATION RESOURCES 

ADMINISTRATION (PIRA) AND NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS 

ADMINISTRATION (NARA) 

The purpose of this Section is to direct the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) and 

the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), with the participation of the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB), the Congressional Information Resources Office (CIRO) and the 

Judicial Information Resources Office (JIRO), to establish standards and guidelines within one year of 

enactment of this Act, so that a government establishment transferring its public information resources 

to PIRA for permanent public availability can by that same transfer be assured that its obligations for 

permanent records retention under the Federal Records Act will be met simultaneously.18

The Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) and the National Archives and Records 

Administration (NARA), with the participation of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the 

Congressional Information Resources Office (CIRO) and the Judicial Information Resources Office 

(JIRO), should establish standards and guidelines within one year of enactment of this Act, so that an 

agency transferring its public information resources to PIRA for permanent public availability can, by 

that same transfer, be assured that its obligations for permanent records retention under the Federal 

Records Act will be met simultaneously. To accomplish this PIRA and NARA will establish and 

promulgate mutually agreed upon standards and guidelines for the authentication and transfer of 

agency public information resources to PIRA. The PIRA will ensure the permanent public availability 

of these public information resources, and through cooperative agreements and partnership 

arrangements with NARA and the originating agency, PIRA will either maintain the public 

 

17 Section 2 lists the major purposes of the Public Information Resources Reform Act of 2001. This Section of the legislative 

proposal addresses Purpose 11, which is repeated here in italics for ease of reference. 

18 Section 2 lists the major purposes of the Public Information Resources Reform Act of 2001. This Section of the legislative 

proposal addresses Purpose 12, which is repeated here in italics for ease of reference. 
U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

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information resources that NARA schedules for permanent records retention, or transfer the official 

record copy of those public information resources to NARA at the appropriate time and in the 

appropriate format. Public information resources not scheduled for permanent records retention will 

nevertheless be maintained by PIRA for permanent public availability. 

SECTION 16. HARMONIZE INTERNAL (FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY) AND EXTERNAL 

(FOR PUBLIC USE) INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT POLICIES, 

PROGRAMS, AND PRACTICES 

The purpose of this Section is to harmonize the government’s internal (for official use only) and 

external (for public use) information resources management policies, programs, and practices 

because they are inseparably inter-related. Decisions made in one domain inevitably affect the other 

domain, at each stage of the information life cycle. This harmonization should include: 

a. Strengthening standards and guidelines for interchanging government information resources. 

b. Extending the integrated government information life cycle concept to both internal and external 

information resources. 

c. Improving inter-branch, interagency and intergovernmental policies, programs, standards and 

guidelines. 

d. Exchanging "best practices" experiences. 

e. Producing multi-branch, multi-level, and multi-purpose public information resources in lieu of 

proliferating single-branch, single level, single-purpose information resources.19

The Public Information Resources Agency (PIRA) should work with the Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB), the CIO Council and other representatives of the Executive, Legislative and Judicial 

Branches to develop and implement a plan to harmonize the government’s internal (for official use 

only) and external (for public use) information resources management policies, programs, and 

practices because they are inseparably inter-related. Decisions made in one domain inevitably affect 

the other domain at each stage of the information life cycle. To the extent that the guidelines, 

standards, procedures, and information handling systems that apply to the internal information domain 

also apply to the external information domain, government establishments will be able to more quickly 

and efficiently disseminate the information resources to the public when and if those resources are 

reclassified for public use. This will also facilitate exchange and sharing of both internal and external 

government information resources among government establishments. 

This harmonization plan should include: 

a. Strengthening standards and guidelines for interchanging government information. 

b. Extending the integrated government information life cycle concept to both internal and external 

information resources. 

c. Improving inter-branch, interagency and intergovernmental policies, programs, standards and 

guidelines. 

d. Exchanging "best practices" experiences. 

e. Producing multi-branch, multi-level, and multi-purpose public information resources in lieu of 

proliferating single-branch, single level, single-purpose resources. 

 

19 Section 2 lists the major purposes of the Public Information Resources Reform Act of 2001. This Section of the legislative 

proposal addresses Purpose 13, which is repeated here in italics for ease of reference. 
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This harmonization plan should address barriers to harmonizing the government’s internal and 

external information resources management policies, programs, and practices that must be removed, 

including: 

a. Inconsistent and incompatible standards and guidelines for interchanging government information 

between establishments at the same government level and/or within the same branch, or between 

establishments at different government levels and/or between different branches; 

b. Inconsistent and incompatible interfaces between successive stages in the government 

information life cycle, as between internal information and external information; for example, the 

procedures for cataloging, indexing, publishing, searching for, and retrieving both kinds of 

information should, to the maximum extent feasible, be standard, or at least harmonized; 

c. Inconsistent and incompatible intergovernmental policies and programs as they apply to the 

planning, programming, budgeting, accounting for, management, and control of internal 

information versus external information; 

d. Failure to regularly and systematically capture, organize, summarize, and interchange "best 

practices" experiences as between establishments at the same government level and/or within the 

same branch, or between different government levels and/or within different branches; and 

e. The unnecessary proliferation of single-branch, single-level, and single-purpose public 

information resources in lieu of producing multi-branch, multi-level, and multi-purpose 

resources. 

The Administrator of PIRA will submit a plan to the President, the Congress and the Chief Justice, 

within one year after enactment of this Act, and the Administrator will submit biennial reports 

thereafter, reporting the progress made in implementation of the plan and revising the plan, as 

necessary, to reflect the actions that are necessary to accomplish the desired harmonization. 

SECTION 17. EDUCATION, TRAINING, CAREER AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 

OF PUBLIC INFORMATION RESOURCES LIBRARIANS AND OTHER INFORMATION 

PROFESSIONALS 

The purpose of this Section is to coordinate education, training, professional development, and career 

development programs to broaden and strengthen the capabilities and competencies of librarians and 

other information professionals to: 

a. Enable them to more fully respond to the full range and diversity of their responsibilities as 

contemplated by this statute. 

b. Help citizens become more computer and information literate so that they can locate, evaluate, 

organize, summarize, and utilize public information resources for practical advantage in 

personal, social, educational, financial, employment, business, and other contexts.20

The effective and efficient implementation of all of the provisions of this law depends on the rapid 

education, training, and deployment of a full cadre of trained librarians, government information 

specialists, and other public information specialists and professionals. To that end, the Administrator 

of PIRA shall undertake a comprehensive review of public and private sector education, training, 

career development, and professional development opportunities and programs, as well as the training 

needs, for: 

 

20 Section 2 lists the major purposes of the Public Information Resources Reform Act of 2001. This Section of the legislative 

proposal addresses Purpose 14, which is repeated here in italics for ease of reference. 
U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

2-46 

a. Identifying opportunities and programs related to the identification, location and use of public 

information resources (information literacy). 

b. Identifying opportunities and programs related to learning how to use computers and 

telecommunications technologies (computer and telecommunications literacy). 

c. Identifying the education and training needs of public information resources professionals and 

support staff. 

d. Matching needs with opportunities and programs, to identify training gaps and proactively advise 

individuals who desire and need training what the opportunities are, how they can be accessed, 

and so forth. 

e. Identifying appropriate grant, loan, and other financial assistance opportunities for helping to 

finance the education and training needs for public information resources professionals and 

support staff. 

The Administrator of PIRA shall work closely with the National Commission on Libraries and 

Information Science (NCLIS), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Academy of 

Sciences (NAS), the Department of Education, and the Institute for Museum and Library Services 

(IMLS) for: 

a. Identifying academic institutions, professional societies and associations, foundations or other 

organizations that could, and would be willing to, develop an inventory of existing education and 

training courses and modules, including online tutorials and other materials, targeted to librarians 

and other information professionals who assist end user of government information, as well as 

alternative funding mechanisms and sources for such an inventory. 

b. Identifying appropriate grant opportunities to secure financial assistance for the training 

institutions, both public and private, that could be utilized for satisfying education, training, 

career development, and professional development needs related to the identification, location 

and use of public information resources. 

Such a review should take into account the fact that: 

• Library and information professional associations, and library and information schools and 

programs, are well positioned to play a key role in helping to satisfy the information literacy 

challenges of this section. Computer and management information systems (MIS) professional 

associations, and computer science and MIS schools and programs are well positioned to play a 

key role in helping to satisfy the computer literacy challenges in this section. Oftentimes the two 

types of schools and programs, as well as the relevant professional associations, work together in 

collaborative modes. 

• Most universities, colleges, and schools already have in place education and training curricula, and 

associations offer professional and career development programs that are continuously updated in 

the light of the Internet and other information handling technologies. They provide opportunities 

for traditional classroom courses, as well as online courses and distance learning. Both schools 

and societies also provide regular opportunities for conferences and meetings that bring these 

groups together, for exchanging experiences and listening to respected foreign, national and 

regional leaders from the public and private sectors, as well as accrediting and certifying 

individuals so that their credentials are more widely recognized and accepted by employers and 

potential employers. 

• Academic programs in public affairs and political science afford yet another opportunity to train 

government public information resources officials in effective public administration practices 

related to the purposes of this law. 
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2-47 

• The private sector offers many opportunities for both computer and information literacy training in 

commercial training settings. 

• The federal government also provides a wide variety of education, training, career development, 

and professional development opportunities, but most are earmarked for federal employees only. 

However, this is not universally true, and some government training institutions allow nongovernment enrollment and/or participation in their programs. 

SECTION 18: PUBLIC INFORMATION RESOURCES RESEARCH INSTITUTE (PIRRI) 

The purpose of this Section is to establish and fund a research institute for conducting both basic and 

applied research germane to the planning, management and control of public information resources.21

The Administrator of Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) is authorized to establish 

and fund22 a Public Information Resources Research Institute (PIRRI) as a principal center of 

excellence for conducting both basic and applied research germane to the objectives of this Act. In 

establishing the FILIS, the Administrator of PIRA should consult with the National Commission on 

Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS), the Library of Congress, National Science Foundation 

(NSF), the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), and the Smithsonian Institution, as well as other 

government establishments. The mission of the Institute is to conduct and fund relevant research, as 

well to track and evaluate the research and development results of other organizations. The research 

agenda focuses on information, computer, and telecommunications science and technology, including 

state-of-the-art applied technology products, as they relate to the planning, management and control of 

public information resources. The Institute could have as one of its major responsibilities the system 

engineering and technical direction involved in the design and implementation of an integrated 

national digital information infrastructure, including development and coordination of digital libraries 

for public information resources. 

The Institute will have the authority to conduct research directly or by issuing grants and contracts. It 

will also have the authority to receive funding through grants from and contracts with other 

government establishments or private sector organizations, so long as that research is relevant to the 

objectives of this Act and the research results are recognized as public information resources.

SECTION 19. ABOLISHING THE JOINT COMMITTEE ON PRINTING (JCP) 

The purpose of this Section is to eliminate the Joint Committee on Printing (JCP) of the U.S. Congress 

and provide for the orderly transfer of the functions of the committee as appropriate, to (1) the 

Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate; (2) the Committee on House Oversight of the 

House of Representatives; (3) the Congressional Information Resources Office (CIRO); (4) the 

Judicial Information Resources Office (JIRO); and (5) the Public Information Resources 

Administration (PIRA); repeal all waivers for agency printing plants and printing procurement 

authorized by the Joint Committee on Printing (JCP) of the U.S. Congress; and allow Executive 

 

21 Section 2 lists the major purposes of the Public Information Resources Reform Act of 2001. This Section of the legislative 

proposal addresses Purpose 15, which is repeated here in italics for ease of reference. 

22 The specific amount to be provided will be determined by the President and the Congress in the context of normal 

executive budgetary and legislative processes. 
U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

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Branch agencies to apply to the PIRA, Legislative Branch agencies to the CIRO and Judicial Branch 

agencies to the JIRO for new authorization.23

The Joint Committee on Printing (JCP) of the U.S. Congress is abolished and its functions are 

transferred as follows: 

19.a. Legislative Oversight Functions

All legislative oversight functions (including all oversight jurisdiction, duties, authorities, and 

responsibilities) of the Joint Committee on Printing (JCP) on the day before the effective date of this 

Act shall be performed by the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate and the 

Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives on and after such date. Other 

functions and authorities are transferred as prescribed in Sections 6, 7 and 8 of this Act. 

19.b. Government-Wide Regulations for Printing, Binding and Related Services

Unless otherwise provided by this Act, the Administrator of the Public Information Resources 

Administration (PIRA) shall cause to remain in effect as appropriate the Government Printing and 

Binding Regulations No. 26, effective February 1990, as contained in Senate Publication S Pub. 101-

9, until revised final regulations are developed and promulgated in consultation with the heads of the 

Congressional Information Resources Office (CIRO) and the Judicial Information Resources Office 

(JIRO). 

19.c. Repeal of Waivers

All waivers granted to Legislative, Executive and Judicial Branch agencies and independent 

establishments by the Joint Committee on Printing (JCP) under the Government Printing and Binding 

Regulations before the date of enactment of this Act shall be void 120 days following such date of 

enactment. Executive Branch agencies wishing to continue to operate under such waivers must apply 

to the PIRA, Legislative Branch agencies to the CIRO and Judicial Branch agencies to the JIRO for 

new authorization, with the objective of reducing excess printing capacity in individual agencies and 

ensuring the most cost-effective printing procurement for the government. 

SECTION 20. AUTHORIZATION OF BUDGETARY, FINANCING, AND ACCOUNTING 

MECHANISMS 

The purpose of this Section is to authorize funding for government establishments and programs 

controlled by this Act; and establish funding, budgeting, and financing mechanisms, including: 

a. Authorize funding for the Public Information Resource Administration (PIRA), the Congressional 

Information Resources Office (CIRO), the Judicial Information Resources Office (JIRO) and 

other programs and functions controlled by this Act. 

b. Establish an R&D Information Dissemination Reserve Fund to help finance the dissemination 

and permanent public availability of public information resources resulting from federal research 

and development. 

 

23 Section 2 lists the major purposes of the Public Information Resources Reform Act of 2001. This Section of the legislative 

proposal addresses Purpose 16, which is repeated here in italics for ease of reference. 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

2-49 

c. Develop and implement Information Dissemination Budgets (IDBs) and Information 

Dissemination Plans (IDPs) for each government establishment and branch. 

d. Ensure that inherently governmental functions involving public information resources are 

financed directly through appropriated funds, and not by recovering the costs through sales 

revenue, users fees or other self-financing mechanisms.24

Congress will authorize spending for the new federal information resources management agencies and 

programs as follows: 

20.a. Funding for the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA), Congressional 

Information Resources Office (CIRO), and Judicial Information Resources Office (JIRO)

The Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) is funded by a combination of (1) 

reimbursement for services provided to agencies to support the identification, creation, production, 

management and dissemination of public information resources, including administrative fees for 

procurement of printing and related services; (2) sale of public information resources, and (3) direct 

appropriations, including funds reserved from appropriations for federal, and federally funded, 

research and development, administered through the mechanism of the Information Dissemination 

Budget (IDB). 

The Administrator has authority to operate one or more revolving funds to manage the retained 

earnings from reimbursable services, procurement fees, and sale of public information resources and 

other sources. The Administrator also has the authority to maintain deposit accounts for individuals 

and organizations to purchase public information resources. The balance from existing deposit 

accounts of the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) and the Superintendent of Documents 

Sales Program are transferred to the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) so that 

customers of both organizations can receive uninterrupted service. 

The Congressional Information Resources Office (CIRO), and Judicial Information Resources Office 

(JIRO) are funded by direct appropriations to those respective branches. 

20.b. R&D Information Dissemination Reserve Fund

An R&D Information Dissemination Reserve Fund is established that receives a fraction of every $1 

billion of all funds appropriated for research, development, demonstration, and comparable 

government and government-funded activities.25 The Administrator of the Public Information 

Resources Administration shall administer the Reserve Fund and, in consultation with the Council on 

Public Information Resources (CPIR) described in Section 13, allocate these funds to PIRA itself, and 

to mission agency information dissemination programs, in any branch of the federal government, to 

optimize the dissemination of public information resources resulting from federal, and federally 

funded, research and development. 

 

24 Section 2 lists the major purposes of the Public Information Resources Reform Act of 2001. This Section of the legislative 

proposal addresses Purpose 17, which is repeated here in italics for ease of reference. 

25 The specific amount to be earmarked for this Reserve Fund will be determined by the President and the Congress in the 

context of normal executive budgetary and legislative processes. However, the Commission believes that the amount should 

be a fraction of 1 percent of the annual R&D budget. 
U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

2-50 

20.c. Development and Implementation of an Information Dissemination Budget (IDB)

The Administrator of the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) will establish policies, 

procedures, and guidelines, in collaboration with the Director of OMB and the Administrators of 

CIRO and JIRO to guide government establishments in the preparation of an establishment level 

Information Dissemination Budget (IDB) line item in each establishment budget. Such guidelines will 

also include the process for rolling up Executive Branch establishment level IDBs with the IDB of 

PIRA itself, so that an overall IDB line item for the Executive Branch can be included in the 

President’s Budget. 

Establishment information dissemination budgets will be prepared taking into account the following 

general policies and principles: 

1. Ensuring that the requirement that government establishments proactively disseminate their public 

information resources is explicitly recognized in enabling legislation for both the establishment 

and its major programs, as prescribed in Section 5, and incorporated appropriately in each 

establishment's formal planning, programming, budgeting, and accounting procedures and 

practices. 

2. Ensuring that government establishment public information dissemination plans and program 

expenses are appropriately estimated under each establishment's budgeting, financing, and 

accounting rules and regulations. 

3. Identifying financing for each government establishment Information Dissemination Budget 

(IDB), following established principles currently prescribed by internal government establishment 

budget preparation policies and procedures, and additional guidelines jointly prepared by PIRA 

and OMB for the Executive Branch and PIRA and CIRO and JIRO for the Legislative and Judicial 

Branches, respectively. 

4. Ensuring that "public good" information activities considered to be inherently governmental 

functions are financed by directly appropriated funds, including the R&D Information 

Dissemination Reserve Fund, rather than financed through establishment overhead, imposition of 

user fees or other self-financing mechanisms. This is not intended to preclude the use of Gift 

Accounts or Trust Funds by government establishments to fund or partially fund such "public 

good" functions. 

5. Ensuring that establishment-wide internal coordination mechanisms are utilized in the preparation 

of IDBs to guard against unnecessary overlap and duplication among the dissemination plans of 

different internal establishment units. 

Agency information dissemination budgets will be submitted to the Administrator of Public 

Information Resources Administration (PIRA) and also to the Director of OMB or the Administrators 

of CIRO or JIRO for the Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branches, respectively; the Administrator 

of PIRA will integrate the IDB for PIRA with the IDBs for Executive Branch establishments and 

aggregate information dissemination resource requirements for the Executive Branch into an overall 

IDB component that can be entered into the President’s Budget, along with IDBs for the Legislative 

and Judicial Branches. 

The Administrator of PIRA and the Director of OMB will collaborate with the Administrator of 

OIRA, in preparation of the IDB discussion text portion of the President’s Budget. 

The Administrators of CIRO and JIRO will collaborate with the Administrator of PIRA to prepare 

comparable guidelines for development of Information Dissemination Budgets for the Legislative and 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

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Judicial Branches, respectively, for inclusion in the President's Budget in order to provide greater 

visibility for and emphasis on the public information resources programs of each branch. 

20.d. Information Dissemination Plans

The Administrator of the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) will establish policies, 

procedures, and guidelines, in collaboration with the Director of OMB and the Administrators of 

CIRO and JIRO to guide federal establishments in the preparation of an establishment level 

Information Dissemination Plan. 

Establishment information dissemination plans will be prepared taking into account the following 

general policies and principles: 

1. Ensuring that agency dissemination strategies and plans are proactive and do not simply provide 

passive availability of information by posting public information resources on agency websites, 

with no attempt to reach out to the public, especially to disabled and disadvantaged citizens; in this 

regard the expanded and extended use of electronic current awareness programs should be 

explored. 

2. Periodically examining the agency’s internal information resources to identify products and 

services that could and should be reclassified as public information resources. Conversely, there 

may be instances where a public information resource may need to be redesignated as an internal 

agency resource. 

3. Ensuring that end-users of agency public information, both internal government and external 

public users, are appropriately consulted in the process of preparing agency dissemination plans, 

programs, and products. 

4. Ensuring that the Guide to Electronic Publishing, prepared by the Interagency Council on Printing 

and Publications Services (ICPPS) and the Federal Publishers Committee (FPC), or its successor, 

is consulted. 

Establishment information dissemination plans will be submitted to the Administrator of Public 

Information Resources Administration (PIRA), and to OMB, CIRO and JIRO for the Executive, 

Legislative and Judicial Branches, respectively, for review and for consultation during the evaluation 

of establishment IDBs. The plans will also be available to the public through the establishment website 

or through PIRA. 

20.e. Ensure That Inherently Governmental Functions Involving Public Information Resources 

Are Financed Directly Through Appropriated Funds

In preparing its Information Dissemination Budget (IDB) and Information Dissemination Plan (IDP) 

each government establishment shall clearly identify the inherently governmental functions related to 

public information resources for which it is responsible, whether undertaken by the government 

establishment, or at its expense, so that these public information resources are bibliographically 

verified (author, title, identifying numbers, etc.), complete, correct, authentic, timely, cataloged, 

indexed, abstracted, and maintained for current and future public access. Such activities, which may be 

done by the government establishment that originates the information or by a central information 

services establishment acting on behalf of the originating agency, include: 

• the creation, collection or acquisition of information resources; 

• the indexing, abstracting and cataloging of these resources; 
U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

2-52 

• the further processing of these resources by scanning, microfilming or converting to an alternative 

electronic format for retention and use; 

• the creation and maintenance of a database which provides searching and locating information for 

this information collection including the maintenance of a system to maintain accessibility to 

information on agency web sites; 

• the mounting and maintaining of a searchable bibliographic database on a web site for free public 

access; 

• the mounting of the full text of the reports on servers for free public access; and 

• the maintenance of archive files to insure permanent public access to material not otherwise 

available. 

The IDB should identify the funding necessary to ensure performance of these inherently government 

functions and the proposed sources of that funding, including appropriations and, where appropriate, 

government establishment Gift Accounts and Trust Funds. Costs for these inherently governmental 

functions are not to be recovered public information resources sales revenue, users fees or other selffinancing mechanisms. 

SECTION 21. STRENGTHEN PUBLIC SECTOR/PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERSHIPS FOR 

DISSEMINATION OF PUBLIC INFORMATION RESOURCES 

The purpose of this Section is to strengthen public sector/private sector partnerships for dissemination 

and permanent public availability of public information resources.26

The federal government has the primary responsibility for managing the entire life cycle of 

government information, including the dissemination and permanent public availability of and access 

to government information to and by the American public, without copyright-like restrictions. 

Nevertheless, there is a significant role for the private sector, both for-profit and not-for profit, in the 

dissemination of public information resources. 

Even though the Internet Age has brought with it dramatic shifts and realignments in traditional ways 

the public and private sectors have sorted out their respective roles for disseminating government 

information resources to the public, there are still some general policies and principles that have stood 

the test of time and should remain in place. These are: 

a. The federal government has the primary responsibility for managing the entire life cycle of 

government information, including the dissemination and permanent public availability of such 

information to the American people. 

b. The federal government has an affirmative obligation to encourage and facilitate a diversity and 

multiplicity of both public sector and private sector sources and channels for dissemination of 

federal government information resources to serve the full range of citizen information needs. 

c. The federal government should not emphasize public sector sources and channels for 

dissemination of federal government information resources to the substantial exclusion or 

detriment of a partnership role with the private sector. Moreover, the federal government should 

recognize that, in some instances, the private sector may be better positioned to independently 

develop value-added public information dissemination products, rather than working in a 

partnership mode with the public sector. 

 

26 Section 2 lists the major purposes of the Public Information Resources Reform Act of 2001. This Section of the legislative 

proposal addresses Purpose 18, which is repeated here in italics for ease of reference. 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

2-53 

d. The federal government has the overall authority and responsibility for creating conditions for a 

constructive and harmonious collaborative environment that harnesses and mobilizes the 

competitive forces of the private sector so that the market mechanisms can be effective in 

allocating resources in the provisioning and use of public information, and in directing innovation 

into market determined areas. 

e. The federal government should establish and enforce policies, procedures and incentives that 

encourage, not discourage, investment by the private sector in the development and use of 

products and services utilizing public information resources. 

f. Government establishments in all three branches of the government should provide timely and 

equitable access to their public information resources and underlying data (in whole or in part), 

without any constraints on subsequent use. 

g. The federal government should set pricing policies for sale of public information resources that 

reflect the true cost of access and/or reproduction, with specific pricing formulas to be subject to 

review by an independent authority.27

h. The federal government should not provide public information resources in commerce except 

where there are compelling reasons to do so, and then only when it takes into account the private 

sector’s opportunity to assume the function(s) commercially. This principle does not prohibit the 

sale of public information resources on a cost recovery basis as authorized under Section 6.c of 

this Act or limit the ability of government establishments to use state-of-the-art publishing and 

information technology to produce and disseminate public information resources inherent in their 

missions. 

i. The federal government, when it uses, reproduces, or distributes information from the private 

sector as part of a government information resource, product, or service, must assure that the 

property rights of private sector sources and individuals are adequately protected. The mere fact 

that the information is published as part of a government information product or service, such as 

the Congressional Record or Federal Register, does not automatically place that information in 

the public domain, so its further use or reuse may be restricted by the copyright owner. 

The Administrator of PIRA shall establish an office with the express mission of developing 

appropriate additional policies, programs, procedures, rules, and regulations that clarify, expand upon, 

and implement the foregoing general principles and policies. 

SECTION 22. FEDERAL COORDINATION OF PUBLIC INFORMATION RESOURCES 

POLICIES, PROGRAMS, AND PRACTICES WITH STATE, LOCAL, AND TRIBAL 

GOVERNMENTS 

The purpose of this Section is to coordinate federal public information resources programs with the 

corresponding programs of state, local and tribal governments.28

An important purpose of this law is to strengthen the coordination of the federal public information 

resources program with the corresponding programs of state, local or tribal governments. There are a 

number of general policies and principles that should be followed in this regard: 

a. The Administrator of PIRA should ensure that state, local, and tribal governments are 

appropriately represented wherever and whenever suitable, in the various forums and processes 

 

27 This independent authority is described in Section 6.c. 

28 Section 2 lists the major purposes of the Public Information Resources Reform Act of 2001. This Section of the legislative 

proposal addresses Purpose 19, which is repeated here in italics for ease of reference. 
U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

2-54 

established by PIRA pursuant to this law; such representation may be direct, through the Office of 

Intergovernmental Affairs (OIA) in the Executive Office of the President or by other means. 

b. State, local and tribal governments are (1) providers of public information resources in their own 

right, (2) distributors of federal information resources, and (3) users of federal information 

resources. The distinctions among these three roles must be taken into account in determining 

how state, local and tribal governments should participate in PIRA councils and committees. 

c. To the maximum extent all federal, state, local, and tribal governments should seek to create and 

put in place multi-level, multi-purpose public information resources, and minimize the 

proliferation of single-purpose, single-level resources, including public information resources 

portals, websites, networks, systems, information products, information services, and other 

resources. 

d. Information interchange standards and guidelines should be developed collaboratively by federal, 

state, local and tribal governments to minimize the proliferation of incompatible and inconsistent 

information standards and guidelines and to eliminate inconsistencies and barriers to 

interoperability. The overall goal is to maximize the development of uniform, or at least 

compatible, intergovernmental information interchange standards and guidelines, while 

acknowledging the rights of each level of government to manage its own government information 

resources for the benefit of its citizens. 

e. The "best practices" of federal, state, local and tribal governments should be shared and to this 

end the Administrator of PIRA should establish a program for the development of an 

intergovernmental best practices portfolio that continuously monitors and assimilates state-of-theart public information resources policies, programs, and practices to diffuse the experiences and 

knowledge as widely as possible within the federal government and to state, local and tribal 

governments. 

f. From time to time the Administrator of PIRA, in consultation with the CIO Council, should 

bring together senior public information resources officials from state, local and tribal 

governments for sharing experiences, promoting greater harmony among the respective programs 

and policies of the different types of government, and fostering greater consistency and 

compatibility among the different types of government. It is recognized that the different types of 

government must tailor their public information resources to a certain extent to the unique 

requirements of their respective constituencies, which means that a certain latitude and flexibility 

will be required in this respect. 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

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PUBLIC INFORMATION RESOURCES REFORM ACT OF 2001, APPENDIX A. 

FACT SHEET ON STRENGTHENING THE FEDERAL DEPOSITORY LIBRARY 

PROGRAM 

FACT SHEET 

Recommendation for Strengthening the Federal Depository Library Program 

Under the Public Information Resources Reform Act of 2001 

To Be Recommended By the 

U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS) 

As of November 16, 2000 

As part of its Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination, the U.S. National 

Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS) recommends strengthening of the Federal 

Depository Library Program (FDLP). This Fact Sheet summarizes the changes under consideration by 

the Commission. You have two remaining opportunities to make comments. Initial comments should 

be provided to the Commission NOT LATER THAN noon on Wednesday, November 22, so they can 

be evaluated and incorporated in the draft final report (including the proposed legislation) to be posted 

for public comment the following week. The Commission deadline for submission of its final report to 

the Congress and the Administration is December 15, 2000,29 so final comments must be received 

NOT LATER THAN 9 a.m. Monday, December 11, 2000. Additional information on the Assessment 

is available on the Commission website at http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.html. Comments 

should be sent to Woody Horton by e-mail at whorton@nclis.gov or by fax at 202-606-9203. 

The Commission study findings underscore the need to preserve and strengthen the missions and 

functions of the Superintendent of Documents and NTIS. The missions of both organizations have 

been adversely impacted and placed at risk by the rapidly changing information technologies for 

public information creation and dissemination, financial losses and reduced appropriations, and 

statutes that are out of date. Furthermore, these programs, individually and collectively, do not provide 

comprehensive identification, acquisition, organization, and cataloging/indexing of public information 

resources or ensure timely delivery of public information resources and permanent public availability 

of those resources. 

Therefore, the Commission recommend the creation of a new independent agency whose primary 

mission is to serve as the federal government’s focal point for providing timely dissemination and 

permanent public availability for its public information resources. This agency, provisionally called 

the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA), will be in the Executive Branch, and will 

bring together under one management the programs currently under the Superintendent of Documents 

at GPO, including the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP), and the National Technical 

Information Service (NTIS), as well as other information sales and dissemination programs. 

 

29 The submission date was later moved to January 11, 2001, and the date for public comments was extended until January 4, 

2001. The actual publication date for Volumes 1 and 3 of the final report is January 26, 2001. 
U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

2-56 

In the Commission's recommendation, the Superintendent of Documents is renamed the 

Superintendent of Public Information Resources (SuPIR), reporting directly to the head of the PIRA. 

The FDLP is renamed the Public Information Resources Access Program (PIRAP) and the Federal 

Depository Libraries are renamed Public Information Resources Access Libraries (PIRA Libraries). 

The basic structure of the FDLP is not changed by this recommendation. Congressional designation 

and other criteria for becoming a Federal Depository Library are not changed. However, the breadth of 

public information resources available to the public through the PIRA Libraries is vastly expanded. 

The proposed definition of "Government Publication" is broadened to mean any Government 

information product or service that is created, compiled, produced, or maintained by or for the Federal 

government, at Government expense, or as required by law, regardless of form, format or medium; the 

term includes both "Internal Information Resources" and external "Public Information Resources". 

"Internal Information Resources" are limited to government information products or services that are 

excluded from public use because (a) they have been determined by the issuing components to be 

required for official use only or (b) they have been determined by the issuing components to be for 

strictly administrative or operational purposes and have no public interest or educational value, or (c) 

they are classified for reasons of national security or constrained by another statute such as the Privacy 

Act. There is an appeal process through PIRA for items determined by agencies to be strictly internal 

or operational. "Public Information Resources" are therefore expanded to cover all "Government 

Publications" that are not excluded from public use under the provisions above, and all public 

information resources are available to the public without charge through the PIRA Libraries. 

Under the Commission recommendations: 

• The Superintendent of Public Information Resources shall use whatever measures are necessary to 

ensure the timely identification, acquisition, organization, cataloging (including the abstracting 

and indexing of scientific and technical information) of public information resources; to ensure 

timely delivery of public information resources, utilizing a variety of formats, mediums, channels 

and methods, for access, dissemination and distribution, appropriate to the content and its intended 

uses; and to expand and improve the permanent public availability of the Federal government’s 

public information resources. 

• Regardless of any other provision of law, public information resources created, compiled, 

produced or maintained by the Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branches shall be made 

available to the public at no charge through the Public Information Resources Access Program 

(PIRAP). 

• The exemption for "so-called cooperative publications which must be sold to be self-sustaining" is 

removed because the only self-sustaining programs for the sale of public information resources are 

within, or under the authority of, PIRA and the proposed law requires that any public information 

resources available for sale also be available without charge through PIRA Libraries. 

• The expansion of the definition of public information resources to cover all "form, format or 

medium" brings audio-visual materials and future, as yet unknown, formats and media within the 

scope of the PIRAP. In addition, this brings into the program time-sensitive information, like press 

releases, fact sheets and other announcements, that often contain substantive information of value 

both for current awareness and historical research. 

• Consolidation of NTIS with the Superintendent of Documents Programs under PIRA places all 

information resources covered under the American Technology Pre-eminence Act in the PIRAP. 

• PIRA is given responsibility for "Permanent Public Availability" which is defined as making the 

maximum amount of "Public Information Resources" available to, and accessible by, the public on 

an indefinite, continuing basis, free of charge; this public availability is distinguished from the 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

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deposit of an official copy for "Permanent Records Retention" by the National Archives and 

Records Administration and refers to information resources that may not come under the Federal 

Records Act definitions of a federal record, but are nevertheless acquired, organized and preserved 

solely for convenience of public reference; furthermore public availability is meant to convey 

immediate access through the World Wide Web (or its successor technology) or availability 

through a widely distributed national network of "Public Information Resources Access Libraries" 

(PIRA Libraries). 

• PIRA is given enforcement provisions with real consequence, including penalties for noncompliance with the American Technology Pre-eminence Act (ATPA) and the PIRAP. 

The proposed legislation should be read and evaluated in the context of the findings, conclusions and 

recommendations in the draft report posted at www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/execsum.pdf.30 The purpose 

of the proposed legislation is to bring together in a systematic fashion all of the key elements 

necessary for comprehensive public information resources management and to elevate the importance 

of Federal government public information resources to the status of a strategic national asset. It also 

includes the creation of a government-wide information dissemination budget line item in the 

President's budget and in each agency budget. The Commission believes that this legislative proposal 

is the best means for implementation of its recommendations because it will draw attention to the 

issues and create a debate about appropriate solutions. However, many of the Commission's 

recommendations can and should be implemented, whether or not Congress acts on the proposed 

legislation. 

Excerpted key sections of the draft legislation, primarily purpose, functions and definitions, are 

available at www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/legisum.pdf.31 However, the excerpts do not include all of the 

details summarized above, nor do they address financing, staffing and other administrative matters. 

The complete legislative proposal will be posted with the draft final report during the week of 

November 27th. 

 

30 The final executive summary is available at http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.execsum.pdf. 31 This draft legislation was replaced by Appendix 11, available at http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.appen11.pdf. 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

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PUBLIC INFORMATION RESOURCES REFORM ACT OF 2001, APPENDIX B. 

FACT SHEET ON ESTABLISHMENT OF PUBLIC INFORMATION RESOURCES 

AGENCIES IN EACH BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT 

FACT SHEET 

Public Information Resources Reform Act of 2001 

To Be Recommended By the 

U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS) 

As of November 16, 2000 

As part of its Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination, the U.S. National 

Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS) recommends establishment of new public 

information resources agencies in each branch of government. This Fact Sheet summarizes the duties 

and responsibilities of each agency and explains how inter-branch coordination is to be accomplished. 

You have two remaining opportunities to make written comments. Initial comments should be 

provided to the Commission NOT LATER THAN noon on Wednesday, November 22, so they can be 

evaluated and incorporated in the draft final report to be posted for public comment the following 

week. The Commission deadline for submission of its final report to the Congress and the 

Administration is December 15, 2000,32 so final comments must be received NOT LATER THAN 9 

a.m. Monday, December 11, 2000. 

The Commission is also planning a public meeting in Washington, DC, on Monday, December 4th, to 

receive public comments on the draft final report and proposed legislation. Details about the time and 

place will be posted as soon as the arrangements are completed. Additional information on the 

Assessment is available on the Commission website at http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.html. 

Comments should be sent to Woody Horton by e-mail at whorton@nclis.gov or by fax at 202-606-

9203. 

The Commission study findings underscore the need of the federal government for the most effective, 

efficient, and economical means of producing, maintaining, preserving, disseminating, providing for 

the permanent availability of, and managing the entire life cycle of all of its public information 

resources, and this should not be placed at undue risk because of jurisdictional considerations between 

the three branches of the federal government. The study findings also underscore the need to preserve 

and strengthen the missions and functions of the Superintendent of Documents and NTIS. The 

missions of both organizations have been adversely impacted and placed at risk by the rapidly 

changing information technologies for public information creation and dissemination, financial losses 

and reduced appropriations, and statutes that are out of date. Furthermore, these programs, 

individually and collectively, do not provide comprehensive identification, acquisition, organization, 

and cataloging/indexing of public information resources or ensure timely delivery of public 

information resources and permanent public availability of those resources. 

 

32 The submission date was later moved to January 11, 2001, and the date for public comments was extended until January 4, 

2001. The actual publication date for Volumes 1 and 3 of the final report is January 26, 2001. 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

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Therefore, the Commission plans to recommend the establishment of a new independent agency 

whose primary mission is to serve as the federal government’s focal point for providing timely 

dissemination and permanent public availability for its public information resources. This agency, 

provisionally called the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA), will be in the Executive 

Branch, and will bring together under one management the programs currently under the 

Superintendent of Documents at GPO, including the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP), and 

the National Technical Information Service (NTIS), as well as other information sales and 

dissemination programs from all three branches of government. 

The Commission also recommends: 

• the establishment of a new Judicial Information Resources Information Office (JIRO) in the 

Judicial Branch, under the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AO); to transfer to the JIRO 

some assets of the Government Printing Office (GPO) and to the Administrator of the JIRO some 

duties and responsibilities of Public Printer; and to apply the provisions of 44 U.S.C. 3506(d) to 

the Judicial Branch. 

• the establishment of a new Congressional Information Resources Information Office (CIRO) in 

the Legislative Branch; to have the Public Printer report to the Administrator of the Congressional 

Information Resources Office; to transfer to the CIRO some assets of the Government Printing 

Office and to the Administrator of the CIRO some duties and responsibilities of Public Printer; 

and to apply the provisions of 44 U.S.C. 3506(d) to the Legislative Branch. 

• the creation of an inter-branch, interagency Council on Public Information Resources (CPIR), 

chaired by the Administrator of the Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA), and 

having as its permanent members the Superintendent of Public Information Resources (SuPIR), 

the Superintendent of Public Information and Communication Technologies (SuPICT), the heads 

of the Congressional Information Resources Office (CIRO) and the Judicial Information 

Resources Office (JIRO), the Clerk of the House of Representatives, the Secretary of the Senate, 

the Clerk of the Supreme Court, the Archivist of the United States, the Librarian of Congress and 

the directors of the other National Libraries, the executive directors of the National Commission 

on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS) and, for intergovernmental coordination and 

communication, the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs (OIA) in the Executive Office of the 

President, the administrators of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) at the 

Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the General Services Administration (GSA) and the 

National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA),33 the directors of the 

National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institute for Standards and Technology 

(NIST), the Chairperson of the CIO Council, as well as a minimum of four other individuals 

representing Executive Departments with significant public information dissemination missions, 

and at least one other individual representing an independent agency with a significant public 

information dissemination mission, two of which should be from agencies with intensive scientific 

and technical information (STI) programs, to serve as an advisory board to the PIRA and to ensure 

that regulations, rules, standards and guidelines, promulgated by the PIRA are coordinated within 

the Executive Branch and with the Legislative and Judicial Branches to ensure a consistent 

application of such regulations, rules, standards, guidelines, and procedures. 

• the creation of a Public Information Resources Users Council (PIRUC) chaired by the 

Superintendent of Public Information Resources (SuPIR) and consisting of at least 15 other 

members, each serving a three year term; terms shall be staggered so that one-third of the terms 

expire each year; at least 6 of the members shall represent Public Information Resources Access 

Libraries (PIRA Libraries, formerly Federal Depository Libraries) and their terms shall be spread 

 

33 The Chief Statistician of the United States was later added to the Council membership. 
U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

2-60 

equally among the staggered terms, so that two will complete their terms each year; the remaining 

nine members shall be drawn from state, local and tribal government, other public interest groups, 

user groups, trade associations and professional organizations,34 and individuals with a substantial 

knowledge of the need for and uses of public information resources; the Council will provide 

advice to the SuPIR and the CPIR, and as appropriate to the CIRO and the JIRO, on the impact of 

federal regulations, rules, standards, guidelines, and procedures on the ability of the public to 

identify and use public information resources effectively, as well as recommending ways to 

improve the organization, cataloging and indexing, announcing, access and dissemination, and 

permanent public availability of public information resources. 

• the creation of formal relationship between the Public Information Resources Administration 

(PIRA) and the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) to ensure that standards 

and guidelines are established within one year of enactment of this Act, so that an agency 

transferring its public information resources to PIRA for permanent public availability can by that 

same transfer be ensured that its obligations for permanent records retention under the Federal 

Records Act will be met; to accomplish this PIRA and NARA will establish and promulgate 

mutually agreed upon standards and guidelines for the authentication and transfer of agency public 

information resources to PIRA; the PIRA will ensure the permanent public availability of these 

public information resources, and through cooperative agreements and partnership arrangements 

with NARA and the originating agency, PIRA will either maintain the public information 

resources that NARA schedules for permanent records retention, or transfer the official record 

copy of those public information resources to NARA at the appropriate time and in the appropriate 

format; public information resources not scheduled for permanent records retention will 

nevertheless be maintained by PIRA for permanent public availability. 

As part of this reorganization, printing procurement is redistributed to each branch in the following 

manner: 

• The Judicial Information Resources Office (JIRO) has the authority to procure all printing and 

related production services for the Judicial Branch. 

• The Public Information Resources Administration (PIRA) has the authority to procure all printing 

and related production services for the executive branch. 

• The Congressional Information Resources Office (CIRO) has the authority to print and to procure 

all printing and related production services for the Legislative Branch. 

• Both the JIRO and PIRA are required to allow CIRO to bid on any printing and related production 

services they procure that CIRO is capable of producing and to accept the CIRO bid if it is less 

than or equal to that of any other bidder. 

The proposed legislation should be read and evaluated in the context of the findings, conclusions and 

recommendations in the draft report posted at www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/execsum.pdf.35 The purpose 

of the proposed legislation is to bring together in a systematic fashion all of the key elements 

necessary for comprehensive public information resources management and to elevate the importance 

of Federal government public information resources to the status of a strategic national asset. It also 

includes the creation of a government-wide information dissemination budget line item in the 

President's budget and in each agency budget. The Commission believes that this legislative proposal 

is the best means for implementation of its recommendations because it will draw attention to the 

issues and create a debate about appropriate solutions. However, many of the Commission's 

 

34 Academia was later added as a class of users from which Council members should be selected. 

35 The final executive summary is available at http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.execsum.pdf. 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

2-61 

recommendations can and should be implemented, whether or not the Congress acts on the proposed 

legislation. 

Excerpted key sections of the draft legislation, primarily purpose, functions and definitions, are 

available at www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/legisum.pdf.36 However, the excerpts do not include all of the 

details summarized above, nor do they address financing, staffing and other administrative matters. 

The complete legislative proposal will be posted with the draft final report during the week of 

November 27th. 

 

36 This draft legislation was replaced by Appendix 11, available at http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.appen11.pdf. 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Info

2-62 

OTHER INFORM ATION LAWS

-----

FOIA, E-FOIA, Governm ent in the Sunshine, FDLP, Privacy

PRA, GPEA, GPRA, APA, Printing

Congressional Inform ation Resources Office (CIRO)

-----

Legislative Public Information Policy Leadership & Oversight

Apply Key Provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA)

Public Inform ation Resources Users Council (PIRUC) Council on Public Inform ation Resources (CPIR)

Public Inform ation Functions

-----

Inter- & Intragovernmental Information Sharing, Information Infrastructure

Special Populations, Public/Private Sector, W ebsite Interoperability

Eliminate Barriers to Government Information Access by

Disabled, Disadvantaged & Other Special Populations

Update Business M odels for

All Public Information Sales Programs,

Including NTIS & SuDocs

Develop a Single, Central, Comprehensive &

Authoritative Inventory & Database

of Public Information Resources

Improve Gov

M a

Harmonize & M ake Consistent Information Identifiers

Across All Levels of Goverment

Identify Unmet Public Needs for

Public Information Resources

Evaluate & Prioritize Digital Conversion of

Non-Digital Government Information Resources

Define 

Sch

Ensure Permanent Public Availability of Government

Information Thru Partnerships In & Outside Government

Train Librarians & Other Information Professionals

to Assist Users of Public Information Resources

Promote Lifelong Learning & Information Literacy

in the Use of Public Information Resources

Implement 

Services fo

Establish the Use of XM L for Reporting

GPRA Data Elements

Ensure Information & Computer Literacy

of the Federal W orkforce

Indentify Information Technology & Software Needed

to M anage Public Information Resources

Adapt & Extend th

as a Strategic 

State, L

PROJECTS & ACTIVITIES

The Public Inform ation Resources Budget

-----

The President's Information Dissemination Budget (IDB)

Agency IDBs, PIRA, CIRO & JIRO IDBs

Public Inform ation R

--

Portals, Federal M etadata Sta

PIRA Sales, Customer Service, Printing 

FUNCTIONS, PROGRAM S & RESOURCES

Public Inform ation Resources Adm inistration (PIRA)

-----

"Public Information as a Strategic National Resource"

Judicial Inform ation R

--

Judicial Public Information P

Apply Key Provisions of Pap

ORGANIZATIONS

PUBLIC INFORM ATION RESOURCES REFORM ACT OF 2001

-----

"Public Inform ation as a Strategic National Resource"

AGENCY ENABLI

--

Standard Public Inform at

Broad, Expli

LAWS

PUBLIC INFORMATION RESOURCES REFORM ACT OF 2001, APPENDIX C. SCHEMATIC SHOWCOMPONENTS OF THE PUBLIC INFORMATION RESOURCES REFORM ACT OF 2001 

Components of the Public Information Resources Reform Act of 2001 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

2-63 

APPENDIX 12. SUGGESTED REVISIONS TO THE PAPERWORK 

REDUCTION ACT (44 U.S.C. CHAPTER 35) AND OMB CIRCULAR A-130 

SUGGESTED REVISIONS PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT (44 U.S.C. CHAPTER 35), 

OMB CIRCULAR A-130 AND OTHER KEY PUBLIC INFORMATION LAWS37

The centerpiece of the Commission's Comprehensive Assessment of Public 

Information Dissemination38 is its recommendation that public information resources 

must be recognized as a strategic national asset, needed by all sectors and segments of 

the U.S. economy and society. All of its other recommendations are based on the 

expectation that this primary recommendation will be accepted and implemented. 

As part of its report, the Commission concluded that the existing federal public 

information infrastructure is seriously flawed and outdated, and it needs significant 

reform, not simply adjustments. In the view of the Commission, attempting to deal 

with the myriad and complex problems documented in the study merely by amending 

a variety of existing laws, authorities, policies, and programs would be completely 

unresponsive and inappropriate. 

Nevertheless, the Commission was asked to recommend changes to the Paperwork 

Reduction Act, and does so in this Appendix. The Commission has not attempted to 

restructure the PRA, or OMB Circular A-130, to accommodate all of the 

recommendations in the Comprehensive Assessment, but does identify those changes 

that would make a significant improvement, pending enactment of its legislative 

proposal, The Public Information Resources Reform Act of 2001 (PIRRA).39

The Commission's report and the legislative and regulatory proposals in this volume 

reflect only the views of the Commission. Although a wide variety of stakeholders 

were encouraged to review and comment on drafts of the report and the legislative 

proposal in Appendix 12, and their comments were extremely useful to the 

Commission, this appendix does not necessarily represent a consensus of 

stakeholders. In addition, the report and the legislative and regulatory proposals in this 

volume do not necessarily reflect the views of the current, or former, Administration 

or any other agency. 

INTRODUCTION 

In his July 17, 2000 letter to NCLIS Chairperson Martha Gould, Senator Joseph Lieberman asked 

"that the Commission include in that review any relevant sections of the Paperwork Reduction 

 

37 Available at http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.appen12.pdf. 38 The Assessment web page is http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.html. The Commission's findings, conclusions 

and recommendations are available in Volume 1 of the report and at http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.vol1.pdf. 39 The Commission's proposal for The Public Information Resources reform Act of 2001 is available as Appendix 11 

and at http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.appen11.pdf.
U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

2-64 

Act (PRA)40 that may need revision, because the Committee will be considering the law’s 

reauthorization next Congress."41 As this document is prepared in early 2001, the First Session of 

the 107th Congress has begun and the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs is planning 

reauthorization of the PRA in either the first or second session. 

While the Commission gives first priority here to recommending suggested changes for the 

Committee to consider as a part of the PRA reauthorization process, several additional statutes 

and information policies were identified during the course of the Commission's Comprehensive 

Assessment of Public Information for which suggested revisions were also made in the final 

report42 and those are addressed here as well. For the sake of comprehensiveness, suggested 

revisions to other existing public information laws and policies are included in this appendix, not 

just revisions pertaining to the reauthorization of the Paperwork Reduction Act and OMB 

Circular A-130, Management of Federal Information Resources.43

In the case of the PRA, because of Senator Lieberman's request, suggested revisions are 

formatted in quite specific and concrete terms by tying them to an exact title and paragraph of the 

organic legislation. However, in the instance of other laws such as the Government Paperwork 

Elimination Act (GPEA)44 and the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA),45 the 

recommendations are couched in general terms because the Commission believes a thorough 

consideration by the Congress of the necessity for, and the precise impact of suggested changes 

on, these other laws should precede the articulation of precise revisions. Moreover, 

recommendations related to these statutes are restricted to two suggested revisions that could be 

accomplished through what are sometimes referred to as "technical amendments." 

One of the Commission's strategic recommendations, Recommendation 5, proposes new 

legislation, The Public Information Resources Reform Act of 2001 (PIRRA).46 It should be noted 

that if this proposal is accepted by the Congress and enacted, then additional legislative changes 

(including some new statutory or policy provisions) may be required, ultimately, to bring the 

provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act and other public information laws and policies even 

more closely in line with the PIRRA. 

The Commission believes that, while it is theoretically possible, it would be ill advised for the 

Congress to amend the Paperwork Reduction Act to achieve the aims of the proposed Public 

Information Resources Reform Act (PIRRA). The reason is that the PRA is oriented primarily to 

reducing the paperwork burden on the American public, whereas the PIRRA is oriented primarily 

to enhancing the government information flow to the American public. The two laws (one extant, 

 

40 The Paperwork Reduction Act is codified in 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35. 

41 Senator Lieberman's letter is available as Appendix 3 in Volume 1 of this report and at 

http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.appen11.pdf. 42 The Commission's recommendations are available in Section F in Volume 1 of this report and at 

http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.vol1.pdf.

43 U.S. Office of Management and Budget, "Management of Federal Information Resources," OMB Circular A-130, 

Washington, DC: Office of Management and Budget, November 30, 2000; 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/a130/a130trans4.html. 44 The Government Paperwork Elimination Act (GPEA) is in Public Law 105-277, October 21, 1998. It sets deadlines 

for agencies to transfer their paper-based transaction systems to electronic-based systems, including most transactions 

that take place between the government and the public, such as filing tax returns and applying for benefits and other 

entitlements, and sets 2003 as target date for completion of medium transference for most transactions 

45 Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) is Public Law 103-62, August 3, 1993. It holds agencies more 

directly accountable for achieving positive results by using observable and measurable performance indicators and 

other means to verify and validate agency performance by comparing actual results achieved with expected and 

projected results. 

46 The legislative proposal is available as Appendix 12 and at http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.appen11.pdf. 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

2-65 

the other proposed) address opposite ends of the government information life cycle—the PRA to 

information collection and creation (the front end), the PIRRA to dissemination (the back end). 

It is also important to note that the suggested revisions made here for consideration as a part of 

the PRA reauthorization are not conditioned on the passage of the new legislation proposed by 

NCLIS, but, rather, are suggestions to strengthen the Paperwork law in general, and are 

applicable and appropriate whether the Commission's proposed new legislation is enacted or not. 

In short, the suggested PRA revisions do not duplicate or overlap with the Commission's 

proposed PIRRA legislation, but, rather, make it consistent with and complementary to the 

PIRRA legislation if the Congress should choose to enact that proposed law. 

For convenience, both the Paperwork Reduction Act and OMB Circular A-130 are closely 

juxtaposed and addressed in detail here because they are complementary instruments—the one 

statutory, the other policy. However, in some cases a recommendation is made pertaining to 

Circular A-130 without a corresponding recommendation to change to the PRA for "technical 

reasons" (i.e. the Circular gets into a greater level of technical detail than does the statute). It is 

fully realized that the Circular is under the authority and control of the President and OMB, and 

therefore A-130 revisions would be made by the Executive Branch, whereas the PRA is under the 

authority and control of the Congress and therefore changes would be made by the Legislative 

Branch. 

Finally some of the recommendations the Commission makes require amendments to existing 

legislation and new provisions pertaining to the public information resources management 

operations and responsibilities of the Legislative and Judicial Branch establishments. 

SECTION 1. SUGGESTED REVISIONS TO THE PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT 

The fundamental statutory basis for enabling public access to government information is found in 

Titles 5, 17, and 44 of the U.S. Code. A provision of the Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. 105, 

specifically prohibits copyright of federal information.47 In so doing, it places government 

information in the public domain and reinforces the principle that public information resources 

belong to the people. Other major public information laws, such as the Freedom of Information 

Act (FOIA), the Electronic Freedom of Information Act (E-FOIA), the Administrative Procedure 

Act (APA), the Government in the Sunshine Act, and the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) are 

codified as sections in one of those three titles, and they are closely coordinated by crossreferencing. 

Hundreds of other federal laws have one or more quite specific and detailed provisions for 

disseminating government information to the public, or providing public access to government 

information resources.48 However, only the major, general ones that "interface" with the 

Commission's proposed new legislation are addressed here. Additional analysis of the remainder 

of the laws will be undertaken later, pursuant to Recommendation 19 in the Commission's 

Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination.49

 

47 The prohibition of copyright for federal government information is contained in Title 17 U.S.C. 105: "Copyright 

protection under this title is not available for any work of the United States Government, but the United States 

Government is not precluded from receiving and holding copyrights transferred to it by assignment, bequest, or 

otherwise." 

48 Examples of these provisions are provided in Appendix 35 in Volume 4 of this report, A Compilation of Recent 

Federal Statutes Pertaining to Public Information Dissemination, and at 

http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.appen35.pdf. 49 Recommendation 19 is available as Section F in Volume 1 of this report and at 
U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

2-66 

A. Recommendations With Respect 44 U.S.C. 3501, Purposes 

Modify 44 U.S.C. 3501, Purposes, by replacing existing subparts. (2) and (7) with new purpose 

statements as follows: 

(2) ensure the greatest possible public benefit from information created, 

collected, maintained, used, shared and disseminated by or for the federal 

government; government information is regarded as a strategic national asset, 

that is owned by the people, held in trust by the government, and should be 

permanently available to the people except where restricted by law,50 not simply 

a routine resource or a by-product of government operations; the proactive 

diffusion of public knowledge (government data, documents, and literature) for 

the benefit of all Americans is a matter of the highest national priority; providing 

access tools, such as portals, indexes, or other locator aids, to enable users to find 

available government information is a necessary, but insufficient, condition to 

meeting the full intention and requirements of this legislation; 

(7) provide for the dissemination of public information on a timely basis, on 

equitable terms, and in a manner that promotes the utility of the information to 

the public and makes effective use of information technology; to this end, 

agencies should identify their aggregate public information dissemination 

resource requirements as a distinct line item in their respective budgets, and in 

their accounting systems, and not budget and account for such requirements in 

overhead or indirect accounts; a government-wide Information Dissemination 

Budget (IDB) should be prepared by the Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) for inclusion in the President’s annual budget to the Congress that 

aggregates individual agency information dissemination budgets into an overall, 

government-wide total;51

B. Recommendations With Respect to 44 U.S.C. 3502, Definitions

Modify 44 U.S.C. 3502, Definitions, by adding the following new definitions: 

• "Authentication" means the process by which an information product or service is 

attested to, and certified by an agency or agency official as an authorized, official 

government information resource and not a derivative, unauthorized or unofficial 

copy or representation of an official information resource. 

• "Federal Depository Library" means a library that has been designated under 44 

U.S.C. Chapter 19 to assist the public, without charge, in finding and using 

government information; such libraries are participants in the Federal Depository 

Library Program; 

 http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.vol1.pdf. It states: "The Congress should request that the National Commission 

on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS) undertake a comprehensive assessment of public laws which contain 

provisions for establishing and maintaining public information resources in order to identify (1) specific legislative 

changes necessary to implement the treatment of public information as a strategic national asset, (2) gaps where 

existing laws do not meet known public needs for government information and (3) inconsistencies and unnecessary 

overlap and duplication in public information dissemination provisions. The assessment could also be extended to 

include current statutory, grant, procurement, and other government rules, regulations, and guidelines that permit 

government-funded research to avoid dissemination through the NTIS and FDLP." 

50 Recognition of government information as a strategic national asset is Recommendation 1 in Volume 1 of this report. 

Volume 1 is available at http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.vol1.pdf. 51 Creation of an Information Dissemination Budget (IDB) line item is Recommendation 4 in Volume 1 of this report. 

Volume 1 is available at http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.vol1.pdf.
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

2-67 

• "Federal Depository Library Program" refers to the program established under 44 

U.S.C. Chapter 19 and managed by the Superintendent of Documents at the 

Government Printing Office to assist the public, without charge, in finding and using 

government information through designated "Federal Depository Libraries." 

• "Inherently Governmental Functions" (with respect to government information 

resources) means those activities that should be undertaken by the government, or at 

government expense, so that public information resources are bibliographically 

verified (author, title, identifying numbers, etc.), complete, correct, authentic, timely, 

cataloged, indexed, abstracted, and maintained for current and future public access. 

Such activities, which may be performed by the agency that originates the 

information or by a central information services agency acting on behalf of the 

originating agency, include (a) creation, collection or acquisition of information 

resources; (b) the indexing, abstracting and cataloging of these resources; (c) the 

further processing of these resources by scanning, microfiching or converting to an 

alternative electronic format for retention and use; (d) the creation and maintenance 

of a database which provides searching and locating information for this information 

collection including the maintenance of a system to maintain accessibility to 

information on agency Web sites; (e) the mounting and maintaining of a searchable 

bibliographic database on a Web site for free public access; (f) the mounting of the 

full text of the reports on servers for free public access; and (g) the maintenance of 

archive files to insure permanent public access to material not otherwise available. 

• "Internal Information Resources" means any "Government Information Resources" 

that are both (1) created primarily for internal official use and (2) excluded from 

public use because they either (a) have been determined by the issuing components to 

be required for official use only or (b) have been determined by the issuing 

components to be for strictly administrative or operational purposes and have no 

public interest or educational value, (c) are classified for reasons of national security, 

or (d) are constrained from disclosure by another statute. 

• "Medium or Media" means the type of physical substrate utilized to record and 

communicate information regardless of format, such as magnetic tape, paper, 

microfiche, CD-ROM, cable, broadcast, or the Internet and the World Wide Web. 

• "Permanent Public Availability" means making "Public Information Resources"

available to, and accessible by, the public on an indefinite, continuing basis. This 

public availability is distinguished from the deposit of an official copy for 

"Permanent Records Retention" by the National Archives and Records 

Administration and includes information resources that may not come under the 

Federal Records Act definitions of a federal record because they are acquired, 

organized and preserved solely for convenience of public reference; furthermore, 

public availability is meant to convey immediate access through the World Wide 

Web (or its successor technology) or availability through collections, both digital and 

non-digital, held by a widely distributed national network of libraries such as 

"Federal Depository Libraries". 

• "Permanent Records Retention" means the scheduling, preservation, and indefinite 

retention of an agency record, regardless of its physical form or characteristics, 

pursuant to the Federal Records Act of 1950 and related legislation at the direction 

and under the guidance of the National Archives and Records Administration; this 

permanent retention is distinguished from "Permanent Public Availability" and refers 

to information resources that are within the definition of a federal record under the 

Federal Records Act and are scheduled for permanent retention by the National 

Archives and Records Administration; it does not include copies of record scheduled 
U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

2-68 

for permanent retention that are acquired, organized and preserved solely for 

convenience of public reference and made available for immediate access through the 

World Wide Web (or its successor technology) or a widely distributed national 

network of libraries such as "Federal Depository Libraries". 

• "Preservation" means taking steps to safeguard physical and intellectual accessibility 

of information resources, i.e., the format and mediums employed to store government 

information, so that it neither disintegrates physically, nor becomes inaccessible or 

unreadable because of the obsolescence of the technologies originally used to create, 

organize, access, or store the information; it also includes the need to preserve the 

original provenance and origins context necessary to fully understand why the 

information was created in the first place, by whom, how, when, where, and other 

relevant information. 

• "Private Sector" means private enterprise, for-profit and not-for-profit, as well as 

organizations such as professional societies and trade associations, hybrids that are 

joint government/private enterprise, and organizations such as libraries and academic 

institutions (even though they may be financed by state or local government funds or 

subsidized by federal funds). 

Replace the existing definition of "Government Publication" in 44 U.S.C. 3502 with the 

definition of "Government Information Resources" as follows and substitute the new term 

wherever "Government Publication" currently occurs in the statute: 

• "Government Information Resources" means all information products or services that 

are created, compiled, produced, or maintained by or for the federal government, at 

government expense, or as required by law, regardless of form, format or medium; 

the term includes both "Internal Information Resources" and "Public Information 

Resources." Government Information Resources are a strategic national asset, owned 

by the people and held in trust by the government, and should be permanently 

available to the people except where restricted by law. 

Replace the existing definition of "Public Information" in 44 U.S.C. 3502 with the definition of 

"Public Information Resources" as follows and substitute the new term wherever "Public 

Information" currently occurs in the statute: 

• "Public Information Resources" means "Government Information Resources" that are 

either (1) created primarily for public use or (2) created primarily for internal use, but 

not excluded from public use because they (a) have been determined by the issuing 

components to be required for official use only or (b) have been determined by the 

issuing components to be for strictly administrative or operational purposes and have 

no public interest or educational value, (c) are classified for reasons of national 

security, or (d) are constrained from disclosure by another statute such as the Privacy 

Act. 

C. Recommendations With Respect to 44 U.S.C. 3504, Authority and Functions of Director

44 U.S.C. 3504(a)(1) should be amended to acknowledge that public information resources are a 

strategic national asset and to require the Director of OMB to ensure proactive dissemination and 

permanent availability of public information resources. It should be amended as follows: 

(1) The Director shall oversee the use of public information resources as a 

strategic national asset, owned by the people and held in trust by the government, 

which should be permanently available to the people except where restricted by 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

2-69 

law.52 This oversight shall both improve the efficiency and effectiveness of 

governmental operations to serve agency missions, including service delivery to 

the public, and ensure the proactive dissemination of public information 

resources so that all Americans may benefit from them. 

In addition, 44 U.S.C. 3504(d) should be amended to add a new paragraph 3504(d)(3) providing 

for an appeal to the Director of OMB of agency determinations that a government information 

resource is an internal information resource under the definitions recommended in Section 1.B 

above. It should read as follows: 

Any determination by a government establishment that one of its government 

information resource is an internal information resource under 44 U.S.C. 3502 

can be appealed to the Director by any interested party; the Director will consult 

with the issuing agency before making a determination, and will use a public 

interest standard, which provides that a government information resource can be 

withheld as an internal information resource only where the public interest in 

maintaining the exception outweighs the public interest in disclosure; if the 

matter is not resolved through consultation with the issuing agency, the Director 

will make a recommendation to the President. 

D. Recommendations With Respect to 44 U.S.C. 3506, Federal Agency Responsibilities

44 U.S.C. 3506(d)(1) should be amended to reflect the new definitions recommended above. It 

should be amended to read: "... ensure that the public has timely and equitable access to the 

agency's public information resources, including ensuring such access through ..." A similar 

change should be made in 3506(d)(1)(A), 3506(d)(1)(B), and 3506(d)(1)(C) by replacing the 

words "public information" with "public information resources." 

44 U.S.C. 3506(d)(1)(C) should be amended to reinforce the requirement for agency participation 

in the Federal Depository Library Program. It should be amended to read: "... agency 

dissemination of public information resources in an efficient, effective, and economical manner, 

including availability of public information resources through the Federal Depository Library 

Program or its successors." 

44 U.S.C. 3506(d)(2) should be amended to acknowledge agency responsibility to determine 

public information needs.53 It should be amended to read: "... regularly solicit and consider public 

input on the need for the agency's public information resources and on the agency's public 

information dissemination activities." 

44 U.S.C. 3506(d)(3) should be amended to require that notice be provided through publication in 

the Federal Register and other appropriate means. The current legislation does not stipulate a 

specific and consistent means for giving notice. Furthermore, the current language uses the 

undefined term "significant" to characterize the information dissemination products for which 

notice is required. It should be amended to read: "... provide adequate notice through publication 

in the Federal Register and other appropriate means when initiating, substantially modifying, or 

terminating public information resources." 

 

52 Recognition of government information as a strategic national asset is Recommendation 1 in Volume 1 of this report. 

Volume 1 is available at http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.vol1.pdf. 53 Identification of the public's most critical unmet needs for public information resources is Recommendation 30 in 

Volume 1 of this report. Volume 1 is available at http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.vol1.pdf.
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44 U.S.C. 3506(d)(4) should be amended to reflect the new definitions recommended above. It 

should be amended to replace the words "public information" with "public information resources" 

in sections 3506(d)(4)(A), 3506(d)(4)(B), 3506(d)(4)(C) and 3506(d)(4)(D). 

SECTION 2. SUGGESTED REVISIONS TO OMB CIRCULAR A-130, MANAGEMENT 

OF FEDERAL INFORMATION RESOURCES 

Section 8(a)5 of OMB Circular A-130 is entitled "How must an agency provide information to 

the public?" It directly coincides with the principal subject matter of the Commission's 

Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination. Although some of the 

Commission's recommendations could be addressed by revisions to Circular A-130, particularly 

Section 8(a)5, an OMB Circular is not the most appropriate vehicle to accomplish the substantial 

reforms that are needed. For that reason, specific revisions to Section 8(a) are not recommended 

here. However, the Commission does identify those changes to Section 9(h) on the 

responsibilities of the Director of OMB that would make a significant improvement, pending 

enactment of legislation to reform and revision of the circular to reflect the new legislation. 

A. Recommendations for Development and Testing of Government Information Life Cycle 

Management Software

Section 9(h) should be amended to include a new subparagraph 13 that reads as follows: 

h. Office of Management and Budget. The Director of the Office of Management 

and Budget will: 

13. Coordinate the design, development, testing, and implementation of a 

prototype government information life cycle management software module that 

would satisfy multiple information policy requirements in a single, 

comprehensive, systematic, and orderly manner.54 The software module must: 

• Manage both agency internal and agency external (public) information resources 

because they are inseparably inter-related. Decisions made in one domain 

inevitably affect the other domain, at each stage of the information life cycle. 

• Manage all kinds of official agency information and communication instruments, 

regardless of form, format, or medium. 

• Include a nested hierarchy of decision option choices based on the most common 

and important types of communications an agency official initiates; these 

"profiles" will be developed taking into account all three levels of requirements 

(government-wide, agency, and office, program or individual), and designed so 

that a series of "defaults" can be pre-determined, and pre-programmed (but later 

changed if necessary) for each decision option. 

• Satisfy as many information policy requirements as feasible, including 

scheduling the information as an official agency record, re-disseminating the 

information to various recipients, including the agency libraries and information 

 

54 This issue is discussed in depth in the White Paper on Government Information Life Cycle Management available as 

Appendix 16 in Volume 3 of this report and at www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.appen16.pdf. Improving Government 

Information Life Cycle Management is Recommendation 21 in Volume 1 of this report. The use of XML to report data 

elements under the Government Paperwork Elimination Act is Recommendation 33. Volume 1 is available at 

http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.vol1.pdf.
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centers, agency central files and records centers, agency webmasters, the 

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), Federal Depository 

Libraries, as well as providing for the information’s authentication, addressing 

how the information will be preserved, determining whether non-disclosure 

statutes apply, creating a government information locator record, and so forth. 

B. Recommendations for Development and Testing of a Current Awareness System for 

Public Information Resources

Section 9(h) should be amended to include a new subparagraph 14 that reads as follows: 

h. Office of Management and Budget. The Director of the Office of Management 

and Budget will: 

14. Coordinate the design, development, and pilot testing of a comprehensive 

public information current awareness system to enable affirmative and proactive 

agency dissemination of public information.55

C. Recommendations for Development and Testing of a Federal Identifier Classification 

Scheme

Section 9(h) should be amended to include a new subparagraph 15 that reads as follows: 

h. Office of Management and Budget. The Director of the Office of Management 

and Budget will: 

15. Coordinate the design, development, and pilot testing of a standard and 

consistent federal identifier classification scheme that can be used to assist 

agencies and the public to obtain information residing in different agencies.56

D. Recommendations for Harmonizing Federal, State, Local and Tribal Identifiers

Section 9(h) should be amended to include a new subparagraph 16 that reads as follows: 

h. Office of Management and Budget. The Director of the Office of Management 

and Budget will: 

16. Conduct a comprehensive analysis and make recommendations addressing 

the most efficient ways to crosswalk, coordinate, and harmonize the many 

federal, state, local, and tribal government level uniquely assigned identifiers.57

 

55 Modernizing current awareness systems for public information resources is Recommendation 22 in Volume 1 of this 

report, which is available at http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.vol1.pdf. 56 Making federal identifiers consistent across all agencies is Recommendation 23 in Volume 1 of this report. 

Recommendations 20 on strengthening interagency and intergovernmental information sharing, Recommendation 24 

on harmonizing federal, state and local identifiers, and Recommendation 26 on developing guidelines for availability of 

public information resources from federal, state and local governments are also applicable. Volume 1 is available at 

http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.vol1.pdf. 

57 Evaluating non-digital government information resources for conversion is Recommendation 25 in Volume 1 of this 

report. Recommendations 20 on strengthening interagency and intergovernmental information sharing, 

Recommendation 23 on making federal identifiers consistent across all agencies, and Recommendation 26 on 

developing guidelines for availability of public information resources from federal, state and local governments are also 

applicable. Volume 1 is available at http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.vol1.pdf.
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E. Recommendations for an Analysis of Non-Digital Information That Should Be Converted 

to Digital Information

Section 9(h) should be amended to include a new subparagraph 17 that reads as follows: 

h. Office of Management and Budget. The Director of the Office of Management 

and Budget will: 

17. In close coordination with the Legislative and Judicial Branches, conduct a 

comprehensive analysis regarding which currently non-digital government public 

information holdings and transactions should be converted to digital mediums, 

and the benefits as well as costs to do so. This effort should address the role of 

digital libraries with respect to public information resources.58

F. Recommendations for Development of Guidelines for Identification of Public 

Information Resources

Section 9(h) should be amended to include a new subparagraph 18 that reads as follows: 

h. Office of Management and Budget. The Director of the Office of Management 

and Budget will: 

18. In close coordination with the Legislative and Judicial Branches, and with 

state, local and tribal governments, develop guidelines regarding the 

identification and availability of public information resources holdings by each 

branch of the federal government and by state, local and tribal governments. 

Such public information resources should be differentiated with respect to the 

branch of the government originating the information, as well as whether the 

information is federal only, state only, local only, tribal only, or some 

permutation of these categories.59

G. Recommendations for Design of Comprehensive and Authoritative Inventory and 

Database of Public Information Resources 

Section 9(h) should be amended to include a new subparagraph 19 that reads as follows: 

h. Office of Management and Budget. The Director of the Office of Management 

and Budget will: 

19. Coordinate the preliminary design work for the development of a single, 

central, comprehensive and authoritative online inventory and database of public 

information resources by reviewing the developments to-date, both positive and 

negative, to establish major portals and search engines for public information 

databases, including NTIS FedWorld, GPO Access, Library of Congress 

Thomas, StatUSA, and FirstGov.60

 

58 Developing guidelines for availability of public information resources from federal, state and local governments is 

Recommendation 26 in Volume 1 of this report, which is available at http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.vol1.pdf. 59 Harmonizing information identifiers at all levels of government is Recommendation 24 in Volume 1 of this report, 

which is available at http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.vol1.pdf. 60 Establishing a comprehensive, authoritative inventory and database of public information resources is 

Recommendation 27 in Volume 1 of this report, which is available at http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.vol1.pdf.
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SECTION 3. SUGGESTED REVISIONS TO OTHER EXISTING PUBLIC 

INFORMATION LAWS 

A. Recommendations Pertaining to Amendments to the Administrative Procedure Act

5 U.S.C. 522, Public Information, Agency Rules, Opinions, Orders, Records, and Proceedings, 

should be amended as follows: 

Paragraph (a) is renumbered as paragraph (c), paragraph (b) is renumbered as paragraph (d), and 

so forth, and new paragraphs (a) and (b) are added as follows: 

(a) The United States government affirms that government information resources 

as defined in 44 U.S.C. 350261 are a strategic national resource, owned by the 

people and held in trust by the government, and should be permanently available 

to the people except where restricted by law; therefore, agencies shall takes steps 

to proactively make such public information resources available to, accessible by, 

and preserved indefinitely for the public to the maximum extent permitted by 

law. 

(b) Dissemination of public information resources is a primary agency 

responsibility, integral to its mission. Agencies should diffuse among the people 

of the United States useful information on subjects directly connected with their 

respective missions and programs. 

B. Recommendations Pertaining to Amendments to the Freedom of Information Act and 

the Privacy Act

5 USC 552 is popularly known as the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and was amended in 

1996 by the Electronic Freedom of Information Act Amendments (E-FOIA). 5 U.S.C. 552a is the 

Privacy Act. The suggested addition to Section 522, discussed in Section 3.A above, would affect 

agency implementation of the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act by incorporating 

the responsibility for treating government information resources as a strategic national resource. 

In addition, Paragraph 552(a)(3) should be amended to include a statement emphasizing that the 

public interest in disclosure of information is paramount and that exemptions should be weighed 

using a test that favors disclosure unless the public interest in maintaining the exemption 

outweighs the public interest in disclosure. 

Paragraph 552a(3)(B) is renumbered as paragraph 552a(3)(C), paragraph 552(3)(C) is 

renumbered as paragraph 552(3)(D), and so forth, and a new paragraphs 552(3)(B) is added as 

follows: 

(B) In making determinations about disclosure of any record available to a person 

under this Section, an agency shall favor disclosure of a record over withholding 

it and shall exercise the privilege of exemption in subsection (b) pursuant to 

which a denial is made only when the public interest in maintaining the 

exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosure. 

 

61 This recommendation presumes that recommendations for amendments to the Paperwork Reduction Act in Section 1 

above are accepted and implemented. 
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C. Recommendations Pertaining to Amendments to the Federal Records Act

44 U.S.C. 3101, Definition of Records, is sufficient to support the treatment of government 

information resources as a strategic national resource, owned by the people and held in trust by 

the government, that should be permanently available to the people except where restricted by 

law. Amendment of the Administrative Procedure Act, as recommended in Section 3.A above, 

and of the Paperwork Reduction Act, as recommended in Section 1 above, will require that 

agencies, and NARA, place greater emphasis on the phrase "appropriate for preservation ... 

because of the informational value of data" in scheduling records for permanent retention. 

In addition, 44 U.S.C. 3303, Lists and Schedules of Records to be Submitted to the Archivist by 

Head of Each Government Agency, should be amended to ensure that the head of each agency 

documents public information resources that must be maintained for permanent public 

availability, whether or not NARA schedules those records for permanent retention. 

Section 3303(1) is amended to include a new paragraph (4) as follows: 

(4) lists any public information resources in the custody of the agency that should 

be maintained for permanent public availability because of the informational 

value of the data and identifies the means that the agency will employ to ensure 

permanent public availability. 

D. Recommendations Pertaining to Amendments to the Information Technology 

Management Reform Act (The Clinger-Cohen Act)

The modifications to the Paperwork Reduction Act, discussed in Section 1.A above, would 

simultaneously serve to amend the Clinger-Cohen Act by incorporating the responsibility for 

treating government information resources as a strategic national resource, since 40 U.S.C. 

1425(b)(1) states that each agency Chief Information Officer is "to ensure that ... information 

resources are managed for the executive agency in a manner ... consistent with chapter 35 of title 

44." 

In addition, 40 U.S.C. 1425 should be amended to assign to each agency Chief Information 

Officer (CIO) explicit responsibility for management of government information as a strategic 

national asset. Paragraph 1425(b) should be amended by renumbering paragraph 1425(b)(2) as 

paragraph 1425(b)(3) and renumbering paragraph 1425(b)(3) as paragraph 1425(b)(4) and 

inserting a new paragraph 1425(b)(2) as follows: 

(2) providing advice and other assistance to the head of the executive agency and 

other senior management personnel of the executive agency to ensure that the 

public information resources of the agency are permanently available to the 

people except where restricted by law; 

Paragraph 1425(b)(4) should be amended as follows: 

(4) promoting the effective and efficient design and operation of all major 

information resources management processes for the executive agency, including 

improvements to work processes of the executive agency and facilitation of the 

availability, accessibility, and proactive dissemination of agency public 

information resources to the maximum extent permitted by law. 
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E. Recommendations Pertaining to Amendments to the Government Performance and 

Results Act (GPRA)

The Government Performance and Results Act should be amended to ensure that information 

services are considered an indispensable component of government service to the public. 

31 U.S.C. 1115(a) should be amended to add a new paragraph (7) as follows: 

(7) ensure that performance goals include responsibility for managing 

government information resources as a strategic national asset and performance 

indicators are established to measure the effectiveness of the delivery of public 

information resources to the public. 

F. Recommendations Pertaining to Amendments to the Printing Act and the Depository 

Library Act

Amendments to these two laws are explicitly addressed in the provisions of the proposed new 

legislation, the Public Information Resources Reform Act of 2001 (PIRRA). However, even if the 

PIRRA is not enacted, 44 U.S.C. 1901, Definition of Government publication, should be 

amended so that the definitions of government information resources and public information 

resources are consistent with those in Section 3502 of the PRA, and so that it is clear that public 

information resources from all government establishments, regardless of form or format, are to be 

included in the Federal Depository Library Program. Section 1901 should be amended to read: 

1901. Definitions. 

"Government Information Resources" means all information products or services that are created, 

compiled, produced, or maintained by or for the federal government, at government expense, or 

as required by law, regardless of form, format or medium; the term includes both "Internal 

Information Resources" and "Public Information Resources." Government Information Resources 

are a strategic national asset, owned by the people and held in trust by the government, and 

should be permanently available to the people except where restricted by law. 

"Public Information Resources" means "Government Information Resources" that are either (1) 

created primarily for public use or (2) created primarily for internal use, but not excluded from 

public use because they (a) have been determined by the issuing components to be required for 

official use only or (b) have been determined by the issuing components to be for strictly 

administrative or operational purposes and have no public interest or educational value, (c) are 

classified for reasons of national security, or (d) are constrained from disclosure by another 

statute such as the Privacy Act. 

The balance of Chapter 19 must then be amended to incorporate the new definitions. For 

example, 44 U.S.C. 1902, Availability of Government publications through the Superintendent of 

Documents, should be amended to read: 

1902. Availability of Government information resources through the 

Superintendent of Documents; lists of public information resources not ordered 

from Government Printing Office 
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Public information resources shall be made available to depository libraries 

through the facilities of the Superintendent of Documents for public use. Each 

component of the Government shall furnish the Superintendent of Documents a 

list of such public information resources it issued during the previous month, that 

were obtained from sources other than the Government Printing Office. 

Furthermore, 44 U.S.C. 1711, Catalog of Government publications, should be amended 

to read: 

Sec. 1711. Catalog of Government information resources 

The Superintendent of Documents shall prepare and offer for free public access 

an online catalog of Government information resources which shall identify 

public information resources within one month of the time they become 

available, where obtainable, and if the information is for sale by the government, 

the price. All government establishments shall promptly notify the 

Superintendent of Documents of the availability of new government information 

resources in a manner to be prescribed by the Superintendent and shall either 

provide the Superintendent with access to, or copies of such public information 

resources for cataloging or provide cataloging information acceptable to the 

Superintendent. Notification, acceptable cataloging information, and/or access to 

or copies of public information resources must occur within 10 working days of 

the availability of public information resources. 

G. Recommendations Pertaining to Amendments of the Government Paperwork 

Elimination Act (GPEA) 

This law should be amended to ensure that each data element in the agency reporting 

requirements for the Government Paperwork Elimination Act (GPEA) should be reported in 

XML and stored in a comprehensive and authoritative registry. The registry should be accessible 

to the public through the World Wide Web or its successor technology. A survey of the impact of 

changing the submission format to successor technologies should be undertaken at least once 

every two years to maintain the utility of the registry. 

SECTION 4. SUGGESTED ADDITIONS TO LAWS GOVERNING LEGISLATIVE AND 

JUDICIAL BRANCH RESPONSIBILITIES FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION 

DISSEMINATION 

A. Recommendations Pertaining to the Legislative Branch

1. The Congressional Information Resources Office (CIRO) 

The Congress should establish and fund a new office, the Congressional Information Resources 

Office (CIRO), with appropriate authorities, functions, funding, and programs necessary to 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

2-77 

support the full range of Legislative Branch public information resources management 

responsibilities.62 

2. Standard clause provision relating to public information dissemination 

The inclusion of a standard clause in the mission statement in the enabling legislation and major 

programs, incorporating dissemination of public information resources as a primary 

responsibility, integral to its mission, should also apply to each operating establishment in the 

Legislative Branch. 

3. Extension of applicability of key provision of Paperwork Reduction Act 

The scope of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 currently applies only to the Executive 

Branch. However, selected provisions of Section 3506, particularly Section 3506(d), should be 

extended to the Legislative Branch as well. To accomplish this, a new Chapter 27 should be 

added to Title 2 of the U.S. Code. 

Chapter 27. Public Information Resources 

Section 1701. Legislative Branch establishment responsibilities 

(a) The head of each Legislative Branch establishment shall oversee the use of 

public information resources as a strategic national asset, owned by the people 

and held in trust by the government, which should be permanently available to 

the people except where restricted by law. This oversight shall both improve the 

efficiency and effectiveness of governmental operations to serve establishment 

missions, including service delivery to the public, and ensure the proactive 

dissemination of public information resources so that all Americans may benefit 

from it. 

(b) With respect to dissemination of public information resources, each 

establishmentshall - 

(1) ensure that the public has timely and equitable access to the 

establishment's public information resources, including ensuring such 

access through 

(A) encouraging a diversity of public and private sources for 

information based on government public information resources; 

(B) in cases in which the establishment provides public 

information resources maintained in electronic format, providing 

timely and equitable access to the underlying data (in whole or in 

part); and 

(C) establishment dissemination of public information resources 

in an efficient, effective, and economical manner, including 

availability of public information resources through the Federal 

Depository Library Program or its successors; 

 

62 This suggestion provides for a limited implementation of the more comprehensive and detailed recommendations in 

Section 7 of the proposed PIRRA and provides a minimal coordinating office for public information resources 

management. 
U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

2-78 

(2) regularly solicit and consider public input on the need for the 

establishment's public information resources and on the establishment's 

public information dissemination activities; 

(3) provide adequate notice through publication in the Federal Register

and other appropriate means when initiating, substantially modifying, or 

terminating public information resources; and 

(4) not, except where specifically authorized by statute - 

(A) establish an exclusive, restricted, or other distribution 

arrangement that interferes with timely and equitable availability 

of public information resources to the public; 

(B) restrict or regulate the use, resale, or redissemination of 

public information resources by the public; 

(C) charge fees or royalties for resale or redissemination of 

public information resources; or 

(D) establish user fees for public information resources that 

exceed the cost of dissemination. 

B. Recommendations Pertaining to the Judicial Branch

1. The Judicial Information Resources Office (JIRO) 

The Judicial Branch should establish, and Congress should fund, a new office, the Judicial 

Information Resources Office (JIRO), in the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, with 

comparable authorities, functions, funding, and programs necessary to support the full range of 

Judicial Branch public information resources management responsibilities.63

2. Standard clause provision relating to public information dissemination 

The inclusion of a standard clause provision in the enabling legislation incorporating public 

information dissemination as a primary agency responsibility integral to its mission should also 

apply to each operating establishment in the Judicial Branch.

3. Extension of applicability of key provision of Paperwork Reduction Act

The scope of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 currently applies only to the Executive 

Branch. However, selected provisions of Section 3506, particularly Section 3506(d), should be 

extended to the Judicial Branch as well. To accomplish this, a new Section 465 could be added to 

Title 28 of the U.S. Code. 

Section 465. Judicial Branch establishment responsibilities 

(a) The head of each Judicial Branch establishment shall oversee the use of 

public information resources as a strategic national asset, owned by the people 

and held in trust by the government, which should be permanently available to 

 

63 This suggestion provides for a limited implementation of the more comprehensive and detailed recommendations in 

Section 7 of the proposed PIRRA and provides a minimal coordinating office for public information resources 

management. 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination 

2-79 

the people except where restricted by law. This oversight shall both improve the 

efficiency and effectiveness of governmental operations to serve establishment 

missions, including service delivery to the public, and ensure the proactive 

dissemination of public information resources so that all Americans may benefit 

from it. 

(b) With respect to dissemination of public information resources, each 

establishmentshall - 

(1) ensure that the public has timely and equitable access to the 

establishment's public information resources, including ensuring such 

access through 

(A) encouraging a diversity of public and private sources for 

information based on government public information resources; 

(B) in cases in which the establishment provides public 

information resources maintained in electronic format, providing 

timely and equitable access to the underlying data (in whole or in 

part); and 

(C) establishment dissemination of public information resources 

in an efficient, effective, and economical manner, including 

availability of public information resources through the Federal 

Depository Library Program or its successors; 

(2) regularly solicit and consider public input on the need for the 

establishment's public information resources and on the establishment's 

public information dissemination activities; 

(3) provide adequate notice through publication in the Federal Register

and other appropriate means when initiating, substantially modifying, or 

terminating public information resources; and 

(4) not, except where specifically authorized by statute - 

(A) establish an exclusive, restricted, or other distribution 

arrangement that interferes with timely and equitable availability 

of public information resources to the public; 

(B) restrict or regulate the use, resale, or redissemination of 

public information resources by the public; 

(C) charge fees or royalties for resale or redissemination of 

public information resources; or 

(D) establish user fees for public information resources that 

exceed the cost of dissemination. 
U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

2-80 

 
A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination is published in 4 volumes. 

Volume 1 is available in electronic form at http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.vol1.pdf and 

in print. It contains the executive summary, the report and Appendices 1 through 10. 

Volume 2 is available in electronic form at http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.vol2.pdf and 

in print. It contains Appendices 11 and 12, the Legislative and Regulatory Proposals. 

Volume 3 is available only in electronic form at http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.vol3.pdf. 

It contains Appendices 13 through 34, the Supplementary Reference Materials. 

Volume 4 is available only in electronic form at http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.vol4.pdf. 

It contains Appendix 35, Compilation of Recent Statutes Relating to Public Information 

Dissemination. 

The Commission web page containing other documents related to A Comprehensive Assessment 

of Public Information Dissemination is at http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.html. 
U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science 

1110 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 820, Washington, DC 20005-3552 

Telephone: 202-606-9200, Fax: 202-606-9203; Web: www.nclis.gov