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(A) 
produced 
additional 
usable 
functionality of the system described under sec-
tions 2 and 3 of this Act; 
(B) held live, publicly accessible dem-
onstrations of software in development; and 
(C) allowed the Comptroller General or a 
designee to attend all sprint reviews held during 
such 6 month or quarterly period. 
SEC. 5. REVIEW AND PUBLICATION OF USER FEES. 
(a) PERIODIC REVIEW.—The Judicial Conference of 
the United States shall review any schedule of fees pre-
scribed under this Act 3 years after such schedule becomes 
effective and every 3 years thereafter to ensure that the 
schedule meets the requirement of this Act. If a fee sched-
ule does not meet such requirements, the Judicial Con-
ference shall prescribe a new schedule of fees pursuant 
to this section and submit the new schedule of fees to Con-
gress pursuant to this section. 
(b) FEE PROPOSAL AND COMMENT PERIODS.— 
(1) PUBLIC
COMMENT.—The Judicial Con-
ference of the United States shall publish any sched-
ule of new fees or fee adjustments, as authorized 
under this Act, in the Federal Register and on the 
website of the United States Courts. The Judicial 
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Conference shall accept public comment on the pro-
posed fees for a period of not less than 60 days. 
(2) PUBLICATION OF FINAL SCHEDULE OF NEW 
FEES
OR
FEE
ADJUSTMENTS.—After the period 
specified in paragraph (2), the final schedule of new 
fees or fee adjustments shall be published in the 
Federal Register and on the website of the United 
States Courts along with an explanation of any 
changes from the proposed schedule of new fees or 
fee adjustments. 
(3) 
CONGRESSIONAL
REVIEW
PERIOD.—A 
schedule of fees set or adjusted under paragraph (3) 
may not become effective— 
(A) before the end of the 90-day period be-
ginning on the day after the date on which the 
Judicial Conference publishes the schedule of 
new fees or fee adjustments under paragraph 
(3); or 
(B) if a law is enacted disapproving such 
fee. 
(c) STUDY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Judicial Conference of 
the United States shall periodically study the system 
described in sections 2 and 3 of this Act in accord-
ance with this section. The study shall examine— 
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(A) the relative extent to which specific 
functions and usage of the system are sup-
ported, directly or indirectly, by fees, appropria-
tions, and other sources of revenue; and 
(B) whether, and to what extent, there are 
additional fees of any kind that could be more 
appropriately imposed to support the operations 
and maintenance of the system and whether or 
not any such fees should or must be imposed by 
statute or by judiciary regulation; 
(C) whether, and to what extent, there are 
additional appropriations that should be pur-
sued that should be provided to support the sys-
tem in lieu of fees; and 
(D) whether, and to what extent, there are 
other sources of revenue that should be pro-
vided to support the system. 
(2) CONSIDERATIONS.—In determining the ap-
propriateness of any fees, the Judicial Conference of 
the United States shall consider the extent to which 
any such fees would— 
(A) negatively or positively affect the ad-
ministration of justice; 
(B) impose inappropriate burdens on ac-
cess to justice by litigants; 
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(C) relate to the relative impact of activi-
ties on system costs; 
(D) improve fairness to users; 
(E) otherwise be fair or unfair to the pub-
lic; 
(F) be feasible to implement effectively; 
and 
(G) generate meaningful revenue. 
(3) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Judicial Con-
ference of the United States shall submit to the 
Committees on the Judiciary of the House of Rep-
resentative and the Senate a report on the conclu-
sions of the study described under this section. 
(4) FEE
AUTHORITY.—If the Judicial Con-
ference of the United States determines, pursuant to 
subsection (a), that additional fees are reasonable 
and necessary to fund the system described in sec-
tions 2 and 3, it may promulgate such fees pursuant 
to section 2(f)(3)(A). 
(5) ADDITIONAL REPORT.—Not less frequently 
than every 3 years, the Judicial Conference shall re-
view the matters described in this subsection and re-
port any new findings to Congress as described in 
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this subsection. Any fees may be adjusted pursuant 
to section 2(f)(3)(A). 
SEC. 6. REPORTING AND CERTIFICATION TO CONGRESS ON 
FINANCES. 
(a) ANNUAL REPORT
AND CONSULTATION CON-
CERNING
FUNDING
FOR
THE
FOLLOWING
FISCAL 
YEAR.—At the beginning of each fiscal year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Administra-
tive Office of the United States Courts shall submit to 
the Committees on the Judiciary of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Senate a report on— 
(1) the status of funding the system described 
under sections 2 and 3; and 
(2) plans for any new fee proposals or adjust-
ments and whether there is a foreseeable need to use 
the certification authority provided under subsection 
(b)(2) in the following fiscal year. 
(b) 
CERTIFICATION
REGARDING
ANTICIPATED 
FUNDING IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the Admin-
istrative Office of the United States Courts may 
treat any and all receipts, funds, expenditures and 
costs associated with the system established under 
sections 2 and 3 as constituting a separate item in 
its budget distinct from the remainder of its budget. 
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(2) CERTIFICATION.—At the beginning of a fis-
cal year, starting in fiscal year 2023, and only when 
necessary, the Director of the Administrative Office 
of the United States Courts may submit a certifi-
cation, including supporting documentation and 
analysis, to the Committees on the Judiciary of the 
House of Representatives and the Senate, which— 
(A) identifies any expected deficit in funds 
for that fiscal year; and 
(B) specifies the Director’s response for 
such deficit for the remainder of that fiscal 
year, including— 
(i) modifying the scope and scale of 
the system described in sections 2 and 3; 
(ii) increasing fees or other receipts 
within the Judicial Conference’s authority; 
and 
(iii) temporarily delaying the delivery 
of the system. 
(3) CONSULTATION.—Not later than 30 days 
after receipt of the certification described in para-
graph (2), the Director of the Administrative Office 
of the United States Courts and the Chairs and 
Ranking Members of the Committees on the Judici-
ary of the House of Representatives and the Senate 
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shall meet in person concerning the certification, 
supporting documentation, and analysis. 
(4) IMPLEMENTATION.—The Director of the 
Administrative Office of the United States Courts 
may implement its response described in paragraph 
(2) any time after the 30-day period following the 
consultation described in paragraph (3). 
(5) GAO REVIEW.—In any fiscal year during 
which such certification is issued and implemented, 
the Comptroller General of the United States shall 
conduct a comprehensive review of the certification 
not later than 120 days after its submission, includ-
ing— 
(A) the accuracy of the expectations of the 
Director of the Administrative Office of the 
United States Courts with respect to any deficit 
in funds; 
(B) the efficacy of the Director’s rec-
ommended response, and 
(C) 
the 
Comptroller 
General’s 
rec-
ommendations for alternative or additional re-
sponses submitted as a report to the Director 
and Committees on the Judiciary of the House 
of Representatives and the Senate. 
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(6) DIRECTOR
RESPONSE
TO
REVIEW.—Not 
later than 60 days after the Comptroller General of 
the United States conducts a review under para-
graph (5), the Director of the Administrative Office 
of the United States Courts shall prepare and sub-
mit to the Committees on the Judiciary of the 
House of Representatives and the Senate a response 
to such review. 
SEC. 7. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION. 
Nothing in this Act, or the amendments made by this 
Act, shall be construed to— 
(1) affect the filing fees or other filing proce-
dures for prisoners; or 
(2) abrogate, limit, or modify the requirements 
described in section 1915 of title 28, United States 
Code. 
SEC. 8. DIGITAL ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS. 
The system described under sections 2 and 3 of this 
Act shall comply with relevant digital accessibility stand-
ards established pursuant to section 508 of the Rehabilita-
tion Act of 1973. 
SEC. 9. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS. 
The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 
complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, 
shall be determined by reference to the latest statement 
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titled ‘‘Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation’’ for this 
Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional Record 
by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, pro-
vided that such statement has been submitted prior to the 
vote on passage. 
Passed the House of Representatives December 8, 
2020. 
Attest: 
CHERYL L. JOHNSON, 
Clerk. 
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