A bill to transfer from the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to the Administrator of General Services the responsibility for publication of the catalog of Federal domestic assistance programs, and for other purposes.
PL 98-169 (H.R.2592), enacted 11/29/1983

PUBLIC LAW 98-169—NOV. 29, 1983 
97 STAT. 1113 
Public Law 98-169 
98th Congress 
An Act 
To transfer from the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to the 
Administrator of General Services the responsibility for publication of the catalog 
of Federal domestic assistance programs, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That chapter 61 of 
title 31, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by adding at the end of section 6101 the following new 
paragraphs: 
"(5) 'Director' means the Director of the Office of Manage-
ment and Budget. 
"(6) 'Administrator' means the Administrator of General 
Services."; and 
(2) by striking out the phrase "Director of the Office of 
Management and Budget" each time that it appears and insert-
ing in lieu thereof "Director". 
SEC. 2. Section 6102 of title 31, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by striking out "prepare and maintain information on 
domestic assistance programs" in subsection (a) and inserting in 
lieu thereof "collect and review information on domestic assist-
ance programs and shall provide such information to the 
Administrator"; and 
(2) by striking out the second sentence of subsection (b) and 
inserting in lieu thereof "The Director shall be responsible for 
ensuring that the Administrator incorporates all relevant infor-
mation received on a regular basis."; 
(3) by striking out "Director" in subsection (c) and inserting in 
lieu thereof "Administrator"; 
(4) by striking out "and" at the end of subsection (c)(1), by 
striking out the period at the end of subsection (cX2) and 
inserting in lieu thereof "; and", and by adding thereafter the 
following new paragraph: 
"(3) shall ensure that the information in the computerized 
system is made current on a regular basis and that the printed 
catalog and supplements thereto contain the most current data 
available at the time of printing.". 
SEC. 3. (a) Section 6101 of title 31, United States Code (as amended 
by the first section of this Act), is further amended by adding at the 
end thereof the following new paragraph: 
"(7) 'formula' means any prescribed method employing objec-
tive data or statistical estimates for making individual determi-
nations among recipients of Federal funds, either in terms of 
eligibility or actual funding allocations, that can be written in 
the form of either— 
"(A) a closed mathematical statement; or 
"(B) an iterative procedure or algorithm which can be 
written as a computer program; 
and from which the results can be objectively replicated, within 
reasonable limits due to rounding error, through independent 
Nov. 29, 1983 
[H.R. 2592] 
Catalog of 
Federal domestic 
assistance 
programs. 
Transfer of 
publication 
responsibility. 
31 u s e 6101. 
31 use 
6102-6104. 
"Formula." 
97 STAT. 1114 
PUBLIC LAW 98-169—NOV. 29, 1983 
application of such statement, procedures, or algorithm, by 
different qualified individuals.". 
31 use 6102. 
(b) Section 6102(a) of such title (as amended by section 2(1) of this 
Act) is further amended— 
(1) by striking out subparagraph (E) of paragraph (2) and 
redesignating subparagraphs (F), (G), and (H) as subparagraphs 
(E), (F), and (G), respectively; 
(2) by redesignating paragraphs (3), (4), and (5) as paragraphs 
(5), (6), and (7), respectively; and 
(3) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following new 
paragraphs: 
"(3) a specification of each formula governing eligibility for 
assistance or the distribution of assistance under the program, 
which shall be described through the use of— 
"(A) the language used to specify each such formula in 
the law authorizing the program; 
"(B) the language used to specify each such formula in 
any Federal rule promulgated pursuant to the law author-
izing the program; or 
"(C) a mathematical statement which is derived from the 
language referred to in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of this 
paragraph; 
"(4) a description of all data and statistical estimates used to 
carry out each formula specified pursuant to paragraph (3), and 
an identification of the sources of such data and estimates;". 
(c) Section 6102(c) of such title (as amended by section 2(4) of this 
Act) is further amended— 
(1) by striking out "and" at the end of paragraph (2); 
(2) by striking out the period at the end of paragraph (3) and 
inserting in lieu thereof "; and"; and 
(3) by inserting after 
paragraph 
(3) the following 
new 
paragraph: 
Transmittal to 
"(4) shall transmit annually the information compiled under 
committees 
paragraphs (3) and (4) of subsection (a) to the Committee on 
Government Operations of the House of Representatives and 
the Committee on Governmental Affairs of the Senate.". 
Ck)mputerized in- 
(d) Section 6103(a) of such title is amended to read as follows: 
^^^tem^""^ 
"(a) The Administrator shall maintain a computerized informa-
*^^ ™' 
tion system providing access to— 
"(1) the information described in paragraphs (1), (2), (5), (6), 
and (7) of section 6102(a) of this title; and 
"(2) such portions or summaries, as the Administrator consid-
ers appropriate, of the information described in paragraphs (3) 
and (4) of such section.", 
(e) Section 6104(b)(1) of such title is amended to read as follows: 
"(IXA) all substantive information on domestic assistance 
programs that, at the time the catalog is prepared, is in the 
system under paragraphs (1), (2), (5), (6), and (7) of section 
6102(a) ofthis title; and 
"(B) such portions or summaries, as the Administrator consid-
ers appropriate, of the information on domestic assistance pro-
grams that, at the time the catalog is prepared, is in the system 
under paragraphs (3) and (4) of section 6102(a) of this title;". 
SEC. 4. Section 6103 of title 31, United States Code (as amended by 
section 3(d) ofthis Act), and section 6104 of such title (as amended by 
section 3(e) of this Act) are amended by striking out "Director" each 
PUBLIC LAW 98-169—NOV. 29, 1983 
97 STAT. 1115 
place it appears in such sections and inserting in lieu thereof 
"Administrator''. 
SEC. 5. Title 31, United States Code, is amended by striking out 
section 6105 and inserting in lieu thereof the following: 
"§ 6105. Oversight responsibility of Director 
31 use 6105. 
"The Director shall have oversight responsibility for the exercise 
of all authorities and responsibilities in this chapter not specifically 
assigned to the Director. 
"§ 6106. Authorization of appropriations 
3i use 6106. 
"After October 1,1983, there may be appropriated to the Adminis-
trator such sums as may be necessary to carry out the responsibil-
ities of this chapter.". 
SEC. 6. The analysis of chapter 61 of title 31, United States Code, is 
amended by striking out the item relating to section 6105 and 
inserting in lieu thereof the following: 
"6105. Oversight responsibility of Director. 
"6106. Authorization of appropriations.". 
SEC. 7. The Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall 31 use eioi 
transfer to the Administrator of General Services such personnel, ^°^-
property, records, and unexpended balances of appropriations avail-
able in connection with any authorities and responsibilities so trans-
ferred, as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 
determines are necessary to carry out the responsibilities trans-
ferred pursuant to this Act. 
Approved November 29, 1983. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 2592 (S. 1267): 
HOUSE REPORT No. 98-112 (eomm. on Government Operations). 
SENATE REPORT No. 98-216 accompanying S. 1267 (Oomm. on Governmental 
Affairs). 
eONGRESSIONAL REGORD, Vol. 129 (1983): 
June 1, considered and passed House. 
Oct. 27, S. 1267 considered and passed Senate. 
Oct. 28, passage of S. 1267 vitiated in Senate, and H.R. 2592, amended, passed in 
lieu. 
Nov. 17, House concurred in Senate amendment.