I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1502
To minimize the disruption of Government and private sector operations
caused by the Year 2000 computer problem.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
APRIL 21, 1999
Mr. BARCIA (for himself, Mr. BROWN of California, Mrs. MORELLA, Ms. RIV-
ERS, Mr. CAPUANO, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr.
COSTELLO, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mr. WEINER, Mr. UDALL of
Colorado, Mr. GORDON, Mr. WU, and Mr. DOYLE) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science
A BILL
To minimize the disruption of Government and private sector
operations caused by the Year 2000 computer problem.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Year 2000 Act’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Electronic data exchanges are used exten-
sively to transfer information between computer sys-
tems. Federal agencies now depend on electronic
data exchanges to execute programs and facilitate
commerce. Consequently, as computer systems are
converted to process Year 2000 dates, the associated
data exchanges must also be made Year 2000 com-
pliant.
(2) The testing and implementation of new data
exchanges must be closely coordinated with exchange
partners to be completed effectively. If Year 2000
data exchanges do not function properly, data will
not be exchanged between systems, or invalid data
could cause receiving computer systems to malfunc-
tion or produce inaccurate computations.
(3) The United States 381,000 small manufac-
turers contribute more than half of the country’s
total value in manufacturing. However, as of 1998,
75 percent of all companies with fewer than 2,000
employees had not yet started Year 2000 remedi-
ation projects.
(4) As small manufacturers are an integral part
of the business supply chain, it is imperative that
their computer systems are Year 2000 compliant to
prevent disruption to the country’s manufacturing
base.
(5) The economic well being of the United
States is interdependent with the economic well
being of other nations of the world. There is very lit-
tle information on the level of Year 2000 prepared-
ness by other countries and the potential impact on
the United States economy. Therefore, to prevent
economic disruption in the United States, the Year
2000 computer problem must be addressed on a
global scale.
(6) Currently, there is little information to
guide consumers in the purchase of Year 2000 com-
pliant consumer goods or to ensure that their exist-
ing goods are Year 2000 complaint.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Act—
(1) the term ‘‘data exchange testing’’ means
testing data exchange software with respect to—
(A) the initiation of the exchange by send-
ing computers;
(B) transmission through intermediate
communications software and hardware; and
(C) receipt and acceptance by receiving
computers;
(2) the term ‘‘small and medium-sized busi-
nesses’’ means businesses with less than 500 em-
ployees;
(3) the term ‘‘Year 2000 compliant’’ means,
with respect to information technology, that the in-
formation technology accurately processes (including
calculating, comparing, and sequencing) date and
time data from, into, and between the 20th and 21st
centuries and the years 1999 and 2000, and leap
year calculations, to the extent that other informa-
tion technology properly exchanges date and time
data with it; and
(4) the term ‘‘Year 2000 computer problem’’
means the potential problems that might be encoun-
tered in any level of computer hardware and soft-
ware from microcode to application programs, files,
and databases that need to correctly interpret year
date data represented in 2-digit-year format.
SEC. 4. FEDERAL AGENCY ACTIONS.
To ensure that all computer operations and proc-
essing can be provided without interruption by Federal
agencies after December 31, 1999, the head of each Fed-
eral agency shall—
(1) take actions necessary to ensure that all
systems and hardware administered by the agency
are Year 2000 compliant, to the extent necessary to
ensure that no significant disruption of the oper-
ations of the agency or of the agency’s data ex-
change partners occurs, including—
(A) establishing, before June 1, 1999,
schedules for testing and implementing new
data exchange formats for completing all data
exchange corrections, which may include na-
tional test days for data exchange testing of
critical processes and associated data exchanges
affecting Federal, State, and local governments;
(B) notifying data exchange partners of
the implications to the agency and the exchange
partners if they do not make appropriate date
conversion corrections in time to meet the Fed-
eral schedule for implementing and testing Year
2000 compliant data exchange processes;
(C) giving priority to installing filters nec-
essary to prevent the corruption of mission-crit-
ical systems from data exchanges with non-
compliant systems; and
(D) developing and implementing, as part
of the agency’s continuity and contingency plan-
ning efforts, specific provisions for data ex-
changes that may fail, including strategies to
mitigate operational disruptions if data ex-
change partners do not make timely date con-
version corrections;
(2) beginning not later than 30 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act, convene meetings
at least quarterly with representatives of the agen-
cy’s data exchange partners to assess implementa-
tion progress; and
(3) after each meeting convened pursuant to
paragraph (2), transmit to the Congress a report
summarizing—
(A) the results of that meeting; and
(B) the status of the agency’s completion
of key data exchange corrections, including the
extent of data exchange inventoried, an assess-
ment of data exchange formats agreed to with
data exchange partners, testing and implemen-
tation schedules, and testing and implementa-
tion completed.
SEC. 5. ASSISTANCE FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED BUSI-
NESSES.
To ensure that the Nation’s small and medium-
sized businesses are prepared to meet the Year 2000
computer problem challenge, the National Institute
of Standards and Technology, in conjunction with
the Small Business Administration, shall develop a
Year 2000 compliance outreach program to assist
small and medium-sized businesses. Such program
shall include—
(1) the development of a Year 2000 self-assess-
ment checklist;
(2) an explanation of the Year 2000 computer
problem and an identification of best practices for
resolving the problem;
(3) a list of Federal Government Year 2000 in-
formation resources; and
(4) a list of Year 2000 compliant products pro-
vided by the General Services Administration.
SEC. 6. INTERNATIONAL ASSESSMENT.
Within 3 months after the date of the enactment of
this Act, the Under Secretary of Commerce for Tech-
nology, in conjunction with other relevant Federal agen-
cies, shall transmit to the Congress a report assessing the
international implications of the Year 2000 computer
problem. Such report shall include—
(1) an assessment of Year 2000 compliance by
the United States major trading partners;
(2) a description of efforts by the United States
to share best practices with other countries;
(3) the economic implications on world trade
and the United States economy of the Year 2000
computer problem, including an identification of im-
pacted United States industrial sectors and Federal
agencies; and
(4) a summary of participation by Federal
agencies in international for addressing the Year
2000 computer problem.
SEC. 7. CONSUMER AWARENESS.
To ensure that the Nation’s consumers are aware of
and prepared to meet the Year 2000 computer problem
challenge, the Under Secretary of Commerce for Tech-
nology shall develop a Year 2000 consumer awareness pro-
gram to assist the public in becoming aware of the impli-
cations of the Year 2000 computer problem. Such pro-
gram shall include—
(1) the development of a Year 2000 self-assess-
ment checklist;
(2) a list of Federal Government Year 2000
computer problem information resources;
(3) a list of Year 2000 compliant products pro-
vided by the General Services Administration;
(4) a series of public awareness announcements
or seminars on the impact of the Year 2000 com-
puter problem on consumer products and services;
and
(5) a series of public awareness announcements
or seminars on the potential effect that the Year
2000 computer problem could have on the provision
of services by the Federal Government to the public,
and the progress made in resolving the problem by
the Federal agencies providing those services.
SEC. 8. ASSISTANCE TO HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS.
To ensure that the Nation’s health care providers are
prepared to meet the Year 2000 computer problem chal-
lenge, the Food and Drug Administration, in consultation
and cooperation with the Veterans’ Administration, shall
develop a Year 2000 compliance outreach program to as-
sist health care providers. Such program shall include—
(1) the development of a Year 2000 self-assess-
ment checklist;
(2) an explanation of the Year 2000 computer
problem and identification of best practices for re-
solving the problem;
(3) a list of Federal Government Year 2000
computer problem information resources;
(4) a list of Year 2000 compliant biomedical de-
vices and other equipment used by health care pro-
viders that could lead to life-threatening situations
due to a failure related to Year 2000 computer prob-
lems, including an indication of whether the Year
2000 compliance of such devices or equipment has
been independently verified; and
(5) aggressive dissemination of the list de-
scribed in paragraph (4).
SEC. 9. ASSISTANCE FOR THE WATER UTILITY SECTOR.
To ensure that the Nation’s drinking water suppliers
and wastewater treatment processors are prepared to meet
the Year 2000 computer problem challenge, the Environ-
mental Protection Agency shall develop a Year 2000 com-
pliance outreach program to assist drinking water sup-
pliers and wastewater treatment processors. Such program
shall include—
(1) the development of a Year 2000 self-assess-
ment checklist specifically designed for the needs of
the water utility sector;
(2) an explanation of the Year 2000 computer
problem and identification of best practices for re-
solving the problem;
(3) a list of Federal Government Year 2000
computer problem information resources; and
(4) a list of Year 2000 compliant products and
equipment used in key elements of the water utility
sector, including an indication of whether the Year
2000 compliance of such products or equipment has
been independently verified.
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