I 
112TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6682 
To establish consistent requirements for the electronic content and format 
of data used in the administration of certain human services programs 
under the Social Security Act. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 18, 2012 
Mr. REED (for himself and Mr. DOGGETT) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to 
the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently 
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provi-
sions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish consistent requirements for the electronic con-
tent and format of data used in the administration of 
certain human services programs under the Social Secu-
rity Act. 
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 ‘‘Standard Data and 
Technology Advancement Act of 2012’’ or the ‘‘Standard 
DATA Act of 2012’’. 
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SEC. 2. DATA STANDARDIZATION FOR IMPROVED DATA 
MATCHING. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Part A of title XI of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1301–1320b-5) is amended by in-
serting after section 1121 the following: 
‘‘SEC. 1121A. DATA EXCHANGE STANDARDIZATION FOR IM-
PROVED INTEROPERABILITY. 
‘‘(a) DATA EXCHANGE STANDARDS.— 
‘‘(1) DESIGNATION.—The head of the depart-
ment or agency responsible for administering a pro-
vision of title III, IV, IX, XII, XVI, or subtitle A 
of title XX, or section 511, shall, in consultation 
with an interagency work group established by the 
Office of Management and Budget and considering 
State perspectives, by rule, designate data exchange 
standards for any category of information required 
to be reported under the provision of law. 
‘‘(2) DATA
EXCHANGE
STANDARDS
MUST
BE 
NONPROPRIETARY AND INTEROPERABLE.—The data 
exchange standards designated under paragraph (1) 
shall, to the extent practicable, be nonproprietary 
and interoperable. 
‘‘(3) OTHER
REQUIREMENTS.—In designating 
data exchange standards under this subsection, the 
Secretary shall, to the extent practicable, incor-
porate— 
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‘‘(A) interoperable standards developed 
and maintained by an international voluntary 
consensus standards body, as defined by the Of-
fice of Management and Budget, such as the 
International Organization for Standardization; 
‘‘(B) interoperable standards developed 
and maintained by intergovernmental partner-
ships, such as the National Information Ex-
change Model; and 
‘‘(C) interoperable standards developed 
and maintained by Federal entities with author-
ity over contracting and financial assistance, 
such as the Federal Acquisition Regulatory 
Council. 
‘‘(b) DATA EXCHANGE REPORTING STANDARDS.— 
‘‘(1) DESIGNATION.—The head of the depart-
ment or agency responsible for administering a pro-
vision of law referred to in subsection (a)(1) shall, 
in consultation with an interagency work group es-
tablished by the Office of Management and Budget, 
and considering State government perspectives, by 
rule, designate data exchange reporting standards to 
govern the reporting required under the provision of 
law. 
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‘‘(2) REQUIREMENTS.—The data exchange re-
porting standards required by paragraph (1) shall, 
to the extent practicable— 
‘‘(A) incorporate a widely accepted, non- 
proprietary, searchable, computer-readable for-
mat; 
‘‘(B) be consistent with and implement ap-
plicable accounting principles; and 
‘‘(C) be capable of being continually up-
graded as necessary. 
‘‘(3) INCORPORATION
OF
NONPROPRIETARY 
STANDARDS.—In designating data exchange report-
ing standards under this subsection, the Secretary 
shall, to the extent practicable, incorporate existing 
nonproprietary standards, such as the eXtensible 
Markup Language.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATES.— 
(1) DATA EXCHANGE STANDARDS.—The head 
of each department or agency responsible for admin-
istering a proposed rule under section 1121A(a) of 
the Social Security Act shall issue a final rule under 
such section, after public comment, within 24 
months after the date of the enactment of this sec-
tion. 
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(2) DATA
EXCHANGE
REPORTING
STAND-
ARDS.—The data exchange reporting standards re-
quired under section 1121A(b) of such Act shall be-
come effective with respect to reports required in the 
first reporting period, after the effective date of the 
final rule referred to in paragraph (1) of this sub-
section, for which the authority for data collection 
and reporting is established or renewed under the 
Paperwork Reduction Act. 
(c) CONFORMING REPEALS AND AMENDMENT.— 
(1) CONFORMING
REPEALS.—Section 105 of 
the Child and Family Services Improvement and In-
novation Act (Public Law 112–34), sections 2104 
and 4003 of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job 
Creation Act of 2012 (Public Law 112–96), and 
subpart 3 of part B of title IV, and section 911, of 
the Social Security Act are each repealed. 
(2) CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Section 411 
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 611) is amend-
ed by striking subsection (d). 
Æ 
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