Freedom to E-File Act
PL 106-222 (S.777), enacted 06/21/2000

PUBLIC LAW 106-222—JUNE 20, 2000 
114 STAT. 353 
Public Law 106-222 
106th Congress 
An Act 
To require the Secretary of Agricultiore to establish an electronic filing and retrieval 
system to enable farmers and other persons to file paperwork electronically with 
Jime 20, 2000 
selected agencies of the Department of Agriculture and to access public information 
[s~777i 
regarding the programs administered by these agencies. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 
of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
Freedom to 
E-File Act. 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
7 USC 6901 note. 
This Act may be cited as the "Freedom to E-File Act". 
SEC. 2. ELECTRONIC FILING AND RETRIEVAL. 
7 USC 7031. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days sifter the date of Deadline, 
enactment of this Act, in accordance with subsection (c), the Sec-
retary of Agriculture (referred to in this Act as the "Secretary") 
shall, to the maximum extent practicable, establish an Internet-
based system that enables agricultural producers to access all forms 
of the agencies of the Department of Agriculture (referred to in 
this Act as the "Department") specified in subsection (b). 
(b) APPLICABILITY.—The agencies referred to in subsection (a) 
are the following: 
(1) The Farm Service Agency. 
(2) The Natural Resources Conservation Service. 
(3) The rural development components of the Department 
included in the Secretary's service center initiative regarding 
State and field office collocation implemented pursuant to sec-
tion 215 of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act 
of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6915). 
(4) The agricultural producer programs component of the 
Commodity Credit Corporation administered by the Farm 
Service Agency and the Natural Resources Conservation 
Service. 
(c) IMPLEMENTATION.—In canying out subsection (a), the Sec-
retary shall— 
(1) provide a method by which agricultural producers may— 
(A) download fi-om the Internet the forms of the agen-
cies specified in subsection (b); and 
(B) submit completed forms via electronic facsimile, 
mail, or similar means; 
(2) redesign the forms by incorporating into the forms 
user-fidendly formats and self-help guidance materials; and 
(3) ensure that the agencies specified in subsection (b)— 
(A) use computer hardware and software that is 
compatible among the agencies and will operate in a 
common computing environment; and 
114 STAT. 354 
PUBLIC LAW 106-222^JUNE 20, 2000 
(B) develop common Internet user-interface locations 
and applications to consolidate the agencies' news, informa-
tion, and program materials. 
Deadline. 
(d) PROGRESS REPORTS.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shedl submit to Congress 
a report that describes the progress made toward implementing 
the Internet-based system required under this section. 
7 use 7032. 
SEC. 3. ACCESSING INFORMATION AND FILING OVER THE INTERNET. 
Deadline. 
(a) I N GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after the date of 
enactment of this Act, in accordance with subsection (b), the Sec-
retairy shall expand implementation of the Internet-based system 
established under section 2 by enabling agricultural producers to 
access and file all forms and, at the option of the Secretary, selected 
records and information of the agencies of the Department specified 
in section 2(b). 
(b) IMPLEMENTATION.—In canying out subsection (a), the Sec-
retary shall ensure that an agricultural producer is able— 
(1) to file electronically or in paper form, at the option 
of the agricultural producer, all forms required by agencies 
of the Department specified in section 2(b); 
(2) to file electronically or in paper form, at the option 
of the agricultural producer, all documentation required by 
agencies of the Depsirtment specified in section 2(b) and deter-
mined appropriate by the Secretary; and 
(3) to access information of the Department concerning 
farm programs, quarterly trade, economic, and production 
reports, and other similsir production agriculture information 
that is readily available to the public in paper form. 
7 use 7033. 
SEC. 4. AVAILABILITY OF AGENCY INFORMATION 
TECHNOLOGY 
FUNDS. 
(a) RESERVATION O F FUNDS.—From funds made available for 
agencies of the Department specified in section 2(b) for information 
technology or information resource management, the Secretary shall 
reserve from those agencies' applicable accounts a total amount 
equgJ to not more than the following: 
(1) For fiscal year 2001, $3,000,000. 
(2) For each subsequent fiscal year, $2,000,000. 
Notification. 
(b) TiME FOR RESERVATION.—The Secretary shall notify Con-
gress of the amount to be reserved under subsection (a) for a 
fiscal year not later than December 1 of that fiscal year. 
(c) U S E OF F U N D S . — 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—Funds reserved under subsection (a) 
shall be used to establish the Internet-based system required 
under section 2 and to expand the system as required by 
section 3. 
(2) MAINTENANCE.—Once the system is established and 
operational, reserved amounts shall be used for maintenance 
and improvement of the system. 
(d) RETURN OF B\JNDS.—Funds reserved under subsection (a) 
and unobligated at the end of the fiscal yeair shall be returned 
to the agency from which the funds were reserved, to remain 
available until expended. 
PUBLIC LAW 106-222-^JUNE 20, 2000 
114 STAT. 355 
SEC. 5. FEDERAL 
CROP 
INSURANCE 
CORPORATION 
AND 
RISK 
7 USC 7034. 
MANAGEMENT AGENCY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than December 1, 2000, the Federal Deadline. 
Crop Insurance Corporation and the Risk Management Agency 
shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, £ind 
Forestry of the Senate a plan, that is consistent with this Act, 
to allow agricultural producers to— 
(1) obtain, over the Internet, from approved insurance pro-
viders all forms and other information concerning the program 
under the jurisdiction of the Corporation and Agency in which 
the agricultural producer is a participant; and 
(2) file electronic£dly all paperwork required for participa-
tion in the program. 
(b) ADMINISTRATION.—The plan shall— 
(1) conform to sections 2(c) and 3(b); and 
(2) prescribe— 
(A) the location and type of data to be made available 
to agricultural producers; 
(B) the location where agricultural producers can elec-
tronically file their paperwork; and 
(C) the responsibilities of the applicable parties, 
including agricultural producers, the Risk Management 
Agency, the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, approved 
insurance providers, crop insurance agents, and brokers. 
(c) IMPLEMENTATION.—Not later than December 1, 2001, the Deadline. 
Federal Crop Insurance Corporation and the Risk Management 
Agency shall complete implementation of the plan submitted under 
subsection (a). 
SEC. 6. CONFIDENTIALITY. 
7 USC 7035. 
In carrying out this Act, the Secretary— 
(1) may not make available any information over the Inter-
net that would otherwise not be available for release luider 
section 552 or 552a of title 5, United States Code; and 
(2) shall ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that 
the confidentiality of persons is maintained. 
Approved June 20, 2000. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 777 (H.R. 852): 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 106-565 accompanying H.R. 852 (Comm. on Agriculture). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: 
Vol. 145 (1999): Nov. 4, considered and passed Senate. 
Vol. 146 (2000): Apr. 10, considered and passed House, amended. 
May 18, Senate concurred in House amendments with an 
amendment. 
June 6, House concurred in Senate amendment.