I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 6351 

To establish the Commission on National Agricultural Statistics Service Modernization to modernize the data collection and reporting processes of 

the National Agricultural Statistics Service, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 9, 2023 

Mr. MOORE of Alabama (for himself and Mr. LANGWORTHY) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture 

A BILL 

To establish the Commission on National Agricultural Statistics Service Modernization to modernize the data collection and reporting processes of the National Agricultural 

Statistics Service, and for other purposes. 

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

3 SECTION 1. COMMISSION ON NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL 

4 STATISTICS SERVICE MODERNIZATION. 

5 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established a com6 mission to be known as the Commission on National Agri7 cultural Statistics Service Modernization (referred to in 

8 this section as the ‘‘Commission’’). 


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1 (b) STUDY.—The Commission shall conduct a study 

2 of the National Agricultural Statistics Service and provide 

3 recommendations on— 

4 (1) how data collection can be modernized and 

5 streamlined to— 

6 (A) improve the quality of statistics re7 ported; 

8 (B) account for differences of national, re9 gional, and local production; 

10 (C) accelerate adoption of new and innova11 tive technologies to reduce the number of sur12 veys needed; 

13 (D) improve producer response rates in 

14 statistical surveys and identifying ways to re15 duce survey fatigue; 

16 (E) increase transparency and confidence 

17 in statistical reports through improved collabo18 ration with agricultural stakeholders; and 

19 (F) use more real-time statistical and envi20 ronmental data to complement existing survey21 based data and reporting; and 

22 (2) how the modernization and streamlining de23 termined under paragraph (1) can be implemented 

24 and the estimated costs of such implementation. 

25 (c) MEMBERSHIP.— 


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1 (1) COMPOSITION.—The Commission shall con2 sist of the following 11 members: 

3 (A) The Administrator of the National Ag4 ricultural Statistics Service of the Department 

5 of Agriculture. 

6 (B) The Administrator of the Economic 

7 Research Service of the Department of Agri8 culture. 

9 (C) The Chief Economist of the Depart10 ment of Agriculture. 

11 (D) The Chair of the World Agricultural 

12 Outlook Board of the Department of Agri13 culture. 

14 (E) A representative from the Bureau of 

15 Labor Statistics. 

16 (F) 3 members appointed by the Com17 mittee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry 

18 of the Senate, of which— 

19 (i) 1 shall be appointed by the Chair20 man of the Committee; 

21 (ii) 1 shall be appointed by the Rank22 ing Member of the Committee; and 

23 (iii) 1 shall be appointed jointly by the 

24 Chairman and Ranking Member of the 

25 Committee. 


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1 (G) 3 members appointed by the Com2 mittee on Agriculture of the House of Rep3 resentatives, of which— 

4 (i) 1 shall be appointed by the Chair5 man of the Committee; 

6 (ii) 1 shall be appointed by the Rank7 ing Member of the Committee; and 

8 (iii) 1 shall be appointed jointly by the 

9 Chairman and Ranking Member of the 

10 Committee. 

11 (2) DATE OF APPOINTMENTS.—The appoint12 ment of all members of the Commission shall be 

13 made not later than 60 days after the date of enact14 ment of this Act. 

15 (3) TERM; VACANCIES.— 

16 (A) TERM.—A member shall be appointed 

17 for the duration of the Commission. 

18 (B) VACANCIES.—A vacancy on the Com19 mission— 

20 (i) shall not affect the powers of the 

21 Commission; and 

22 (ii) shall be filled in the same manner 

23 as the original appointment was made. 

24 (4) INITIAL MEETING.—Not later than 60 days 

25 after the date on which all members of the CommisVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:59 Nov 21, 2023 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6351.IH H6351

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1 sion have been first appointed, the Commission shall 

2 hold the initial meeting of the Commission. 

3 (d) QUORUM.—A majority of the members of the 

4 Commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction 

5 of business, but a lesser number of members may hold 

6 hearings. 

7 (e) CHAIRPERSON.—The Chairperson of the Commis8 sion shall be selected by a majority of the Members of 

9 the Commission. 

10 (f) REPORT.—Not later than 3 years after the date 

11 of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to 

12 the President, the Committee on Agriculture of the House 

13 of Representatives, and the Committee on Agriculture, 

14 Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report containing 

15 the results of the study required by subsection (b), includ16 ing— 

17 (1) an inventory of surveys conducted by the 

18 National Agricultural Statistics Service and the fre19 quency with which they are conducted; and 

20 (2) such recommendations for administrative, 

21 regulatory, and legislative changes as the Commis22 sion considers appropriate. 

23 (g) HEARINGS.—The Commission shall hold such 

24 hearings, meet and act at such times and places, take such 


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1 testimony, and receive such evidence as the Commission 

2 considers appropriate to carry out this section. 

3 (h) STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT.—The Commission 

4 shall establish a process to collect feedback from agricul5 tural stakeholders to inform the results of the study re6 quired under subsection (b) and the report required under 

7 subsection (f). 

8 (i) INFORMATION FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.— 

9 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission may secure 

10 directly from a Federal agency such information as 

11 the Commission considers necessary to carry out this 

12 section. 

13 (2) AUTHORITY TO REQUEST INFORMATION.— 

14 At the request of the Chairperson of the Commission 

15 for information described in paragraph (1), the head 

16 of a Federal agency shall provide such information 

17 to the Commission. 

18 (j) POSTAL SERVICES.—The Commission may use 

19 the United States mail in the same manner and under the 

20 same conditions as other agencies of the Federal Govern21 ment. 

22 (k) ASSISTANCE FROM THE SECRETARY.—The Sec23 retary of Agriculture shall provide to the Commission ap24 propriate office space and such reasonable administrative 

25 and support services as the Commission may request. 


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1 (l) COMPENSATION OF MEMBERS.— 

2 (1) NON-FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.—A member of 

3 the Commission who is not an officer or employee of 

4 the Federal Government shall be compensated at a 

5 rate equal to the daily equivalent of the annual rate 

6 of basic pay prescribed for level IV of the Executive 

7 Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United 

8 States Code, for each day (including travel time) 

9 during which the member is engaged in the perform10 ance of the duties of the Commission. 

11 (2) FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.—A member of the 

12 Commission who is an officer or employee of the 

13 Federal Government shall serve without compensa14 tion in addition to the compensation received for the 

15 services of the member as an officer or employee of 

16 the Federal Government. 

17 (3) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—A member of the 

18 Commission shall be allowed travel expenses, includ19 ing per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates author20 ized for an employee of an agency under subchapter 

21 I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while 

22 away from the home or regular place of business of 

23 the member in the performance of the duties of the 

24 Commission. 


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1 (m) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT.—Sec2 tions 1008 and 1013 of title 5, United States Code, shall 

3 not apply to the Commission or any proceeding of the 

4 Commission. 

5 (n) TERMINATION.—The Commission shall terminate 

6 on September 30, 2028. 

7 (o) FUNDING.—There is authorized to be appro8 priated to carry out this section $1,000,000 for fiscal year 

9 2024, to remain available until expended. 

Æ 


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