IB

104TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 2715

[Report No. 104–520, Part I]

To amend chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code, popularly known

as the Paperwork Reduction Act, to minimize the burden of Federal

paperwork demands upon small businesses, educational and nonprofit

institutions, Federal contractors, State and local governments, and other

persons through the sponsorship and use of alternative information technologies.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

DECEMBER 5, 1995

Mr. TORKILDSEN (for himself, Mrs. MEYERS of Kansas, Mr. TALENT, Mr.

MANZULLO, Mrs. SMITH of Washington, Mr. ZELIFF, Mr. EWING, Mr.

JONES, Mr. LOBIONDO, Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland, Mr. MEEHAN, Mr.

CHRYSLER, Mr. METCALF, and Mr. RAMSTAD) introduced the following

bill; which was referred to the Committee on Government Reform and

Oversight, and in addition to the Committee on Small Business, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

APRIL 16, 1996

Reported from the Committee on Small Business with an amendment

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic]

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on December 5, 1995]

A BILL

To amend chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code, popularly known as the Paperwork Reduction Act, to minimize the burden of Federal paperwork demands upon

small businesses, educational and nonprofit institutions,
2

•HR 2715 RH

Federal contractors, State and local governments, and

other persons through the sponsorship and use of alternative information technologies.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Paperwork Elimination

5 Act of 1996’’.

6 SEC. 2. PURPOSES.

7 The purpose of this Act is to—

8 (1) minimize the burden of Federal paperwork

9 demands upon small businesses, educational and non10 profit institutions, Federal contractors, State and

11 local governments, and other persons through the

12 sponsorship and use of alternative information tech13 nologies, including the use of electronic maintenance,

14 submission, or disclosure of information to substitute

15 for paper; and

16 (2) more effectively enable Federal agencies to

17 achieve the purposes of chapter 35 of title 44, United

18 States Code, popularly known as the ‘‘Paperwork Re19 duction Act’’.
3

•HR 2715 RH

1 SEC. 3. AUTHORITY AND FUNCTIONS OF THE DIRECTOR OF

2 THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET.

3 (a) DIRECTION AND OVERSIGHT OF INFORMATION

4 TECHNOLOGY.—Section 3504(a)(1)(B)(vi) of title 44, Unit5 ed States Code, is amended to read as follows:

6 ‘‘(vi) the acquisition and use of information

7 technology, including the use of alternative infor8 mation technologies, such as the use of electronic

9 submission, maintenance, or disclosure of infor10 mation to substitute for paper.’’.

11 (b) PROMOTION OF USE OF ELECTRONIC INFORMATION

12 TECHNOLOGY.—Section 3504(h) of title 44, United States

13 Code, is amended by striking ‘‘and’’ after the semicolon at

14 the end of paragraph (4), by striking the period at the end

15 of paragraph (5) and inserting ‘‘; and’’, and by adding at

16 the end the following:

17 ‘‘(6) specifically promote the optional use of elec18 tronic maintenance, submission, or disclosure of in19 formation where appropriate, as an alternative infor20 mation technology to substitute for paper.’’.

21 SEC. 4. ASSIGNMENT OF TASKS AND DEADLINES.

22 Section 3505(a)(3) of title 44, United States Code, is

23 amended by striking ‘‘and’’ after the semicolon at the end

24 of subparagraph (B), by striking the period at the end of

25 subparagraph (C) and inserting ‘‘; and’’, and by adding

26 at the end the following:
4

•HR 2715 RH

1 ‘‘(D) a description of progress in providing

2 for the use of electronic submission, maintenance,

3 or disclosure of information to substitute for

4 paper, including the extent to which such

5 progress accomplishes reduction of burden on

6 small businesses or other persons.’’.

7 SEC. 5. FEDERAL AGENCY RESPONSIBILITIES.

8 (a) PROVIDING FOR USE OF ELECTRONIC INFORMA9 TION MANAGEMENT.—Section 3506(c)(1)(B) of title 44,

10 United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘and’’ after the

11 semicolon at the end of clause (ii) and by adding at the

12 end the following:

13 ‘‘(iv) provides for the optional use,

14 where appropriate, of electronic mainte15 nance, submission, or disclosure of informa16 tion; and’’.

17 (b) PROMOTION OF ELECTRONIC INFORMATION MAN18 AGEMENT.—Section 3506(c)(3)(C) of title 44, United States

19 Code, is amended by striking ‘‘or’’ after the semicolon at

20 the end of clause (ii), by adding ‘‘or’’ after the semicolon

21 at the end of clause (iii), and by adding at the end the

22 following:

23 ‘‘(iv) the promotion and optional use,

24 where appropriate, of electronic mainte-
5

•HR 2715 RH

1 nance, submission, or disclosure of informa2 tion.’’.

3 (c) USE OF ALTERNATIVE INFORMATION TECH4 NOLOGIES.—Section 3506(c)(3)(J) of title 44, United States

5 Code, is amended to read as follows:

6 ‘‘(J) to the maximum extent practicable,

7 uses alternative information technologies, includ8 ing the use of electronic maintenance, submis9 sion, or disclosure of information, to reduce bur10 den and improve data quality, agency efficiency

11 and responsiveness to the public.’’.

12 SEC. 6. PUBLIC INFORMATION COLLECTION ACTIVITIES;

13 SUBMISSION TO DIRECTOR; APPROVAL AND

14 DELEGATION.

15 Section 3507(a)(1)(D)(ii) of title 44, United States

16 Code, is amended by striking ‘‘and’’ after the semicolon at

17 the end of subclause (V), by adding ‘‘and’’ after the semi18 colon at the end of subclause (VI), and by adding at the

19 end the following:

20 ‘‘(VII) a description of how re21 spondents may, if appropriate, elec22 tronically maintain, submit, or dis23 close information under the collection

24 of information.’’.
6

•HR 2715 RH

1 SEC. 7. RESPONSIVENESS TO CONGRESS.

2 Section 3514(a)(2) of title 44, United States Code, is

3 amended by striking ‘‘and’’ after the semicolon at the end

4 of subparagraph (C), by striking the period at the end of

5 subparagraph (D) and inserting ‘‘; and’’, and by adding

6 at the end the following:

7 ‘‘(E) reduced the collection of information bur8 den on small businesses and other persons through the

9 use of electronic maintenance, submission, or disclo10 sure of information to substitute for paper mainte11 nance, submission, or disclosure of information, in12 cluding—

13 ‘‘(i) a description of instances where such

14 substitution has added to burden; and

15 ‘‘(ii) specific identification of such instances

16 relating to the Internal Revenue Service.’’.

17 SEC. 8. EFFECTIVE DATE.

18 This Act shall take effect October 1, 1997.

Æ