Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980
PL 96-511 (H.R.6410), enacted 12/11/1980

94 STAT. 2812 
PUBLIC LAW 96-511—DEC. 11, 1980 
Public Law 96-511 
96th Congress 
An Act 
— 
'^' 
' 
^ 
To reduce paperwork and enhance the economy and efficiency of the Government 
[H.R. 6410] 
and the private sector by improving Federal information policymaking, and for 
other purposes. 
I 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
Paperwork 
United States of America in Congress assembled. That this Act may be 
Reduction Act of cited as the "Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980". 
SEC. 2. (a) Chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code, is amended to 
read as follows: 
1980 
44 u s e 101 note 
"CHAPTER 35—COORDINATION OF FEDERAL 
INFORMATION POLICY 
"Sec. 
"3501. Purpose. 
"3502. Definitions. 
"8503. Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. 
"3504. Authority and functions of Director. 
"3505. Assignment of tasks and deadlines. 
"3506. Federal agency responsibilities. 
"3507. Public information collection activities—submission to Director; approval and 
delegation. 
"3508. Determination of necessity for information; hearing. 
"3509. Designation of central collection agency. 
"3510. Cooperation of agencies in making information available. 
"3511. Establishment and operation of Federal Information Locator System. 
"3512. Public protection. 
"3513. Director review of agency activities; reporting; agency response. 
"3514. Responsiveness to Congress. 
"3515. Administrative powers. 
"3516. Rules and regulations. 
"3517. Consultation with other agencies and the public. 
"3518. Effect on existing laws and regulations. 
"35>9. Access to information. 
"3520. Authorization of appropriations. 
44 use 3501 
"§3501. Purpose 
"The purpose of this chapter is— 
"(1) to minimize the Federal paperwork burden for individuals, 
small businesses, State and local governments, and other per-
sons; 
"(2) to minimize the cost to the Federal Government of collect-
ing, maintaining, using, and disseminating information; 
"(3) to maximize the usefulness of information collected by the 
Federal Government; 
"(4) to coordinate, integrate and, to the extent practicable and 
appropriate, make uniform Federal information policies and 
practices; 
"(5) to ensure that automatic data processing and telecommu-
nications technologies are acquired and used by the Federal 
Government in a manner which improves service delivery and 
program management, increases productivity, reduces waste and 
fraud, and, wherever practicable and appropriate, reduces the 
PUBLIC LAW 96-511—DEC. 11, 1980 
94 STAT. 2813 
information processing burden for the F'ederal Government and 
for persons who provide information to the Federal Government; 
and 
"(6) to ensure that the collection, maintenance, use and dis-
semination of information by the Federal Government is consist-
ent with applicable laws relating to confidentiality, including 
section 552a of title 5, United States Code, known as the Privacy 
Act. 
"§3502. Definitions 
44USC3502. 
"As used in this chapter— 
"(1) the term 'agency' means any executive department, mili-
tary department, Government corporation, Government con-
trolled corporation, or other establishment in the executive 
branch of the Government (including the Executive Office of the 
President), or any independent regulatory agency, but does not 
include the General Accounting Office, Federal Election Com-
mission, the governments of the District of Columbia and of the 
territories and possessions of the United States, and their various 
subdivisions, or Government-owned contractor-operated facili-
ties including laboratories engaged in national defense research 
and production activities; 
"(2) the terms 'automatic data processing,' 'automatic data 
processing equipment,' and 'telecommunications' do not include 
any data processing or telecommunications system or equip-
ment, the function, operation or use of which— 
"(A) involves intelligence activities; 
"(B) involves cryptologic activities related to national 
security; 
"(C) involves the direct command and control of military 
forces; 
"(D) involves equipment which is an integral part of a 
weapon or weapons system; or 
"(E) is critical to the direct fulfillment of military or 
intelligence missions, provided that this exclusion shall not 
include automatic data processing or telecommunications 
equipment used for routine administrative and business 
applications such as payroll, finance, logistics, and personnel 
management; 
"(3) the term 'burden' means the time, effort, or financial 
resources expended by persons to provide information to a 
Federal agency; 
"(4) the term 'collection of information' means the obtaining or 
soliciting of facts or opinions by an agency through the use of 
written report forms, application forms, schedules, question-
naires, reporting or recordkeeping requirements, or other simi-
lar methods calling for either— 
"(A) answers to identical questions posed to, or identical 
reporting or recordkeeping requirements imposed on, ten or 
more persons, other than agencies, instrumentalities, or 
employees of the United States; or 
"(B) answers to questions posed to agencies, instrumental-
ities, or employees of the United States which are to be used 
for general statistical purposes; 
"(5) the term 'data element' means a distinct piece of informa-
tion such as a name, term, number, abbreviation, or symbol; 
94 STAT. 2814 
PUBLIC LAW 96-511—DEC. 11, 1980 
"(6) the term 'data element dictionary' means a system con-
tamirlg standard and uniform definitions and cross references for 
commonly used data elements; 
"(7) the term 'data profile' means a synopsis of the questions 
contained in an information collection request and the official 
name of the request, the location of information obtained or to be 
obtained through the request, a description of any compilations, 
analyses, or reports derived or to be derived from such informa-
tion, any record retention requirements associated with the 
request, the agency responsible for the request, the statute 
authorizing the request, and any other information necessary to 
identify, obtain, or use the data contained in such information; 
"(8) the term 'Director' means the Director of the Office of 
Management and Budget; 
"(9) the term 'directory of information resources' means a 
catalog of information collection requests, containing a data 
profile for each request; 
"(10) the term 'independent regulatory agency' means the 
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Civil 
Aeronautics Board, the Commodity Futures Trading Commis-
sion, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Federal 
Communications Commission, the Federal Deposit Insurance 
Corporation, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the 
Federal Home Loan Bank Board, the Federal Maritime Commis-
sion, the Federal Trade Commission, the Interstate Commerce 
Commission, the Mine Enforcement Safety and Health Review 
Commission, the National Labor Relations Board, the Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission, the Occupational Safety and Health 
Review Commission, the Postal Rate Commission, the Securities 
and Exchange Commission, and any other similar agency desig-
nated by statute as a Federal independent regulatory agency or 
commission; 
"(11) the term 'information collection request' means a written 
report form, application form, schedule, questionnaire, reporting 
or recordkeeping requirement, or other similar method calling 
for the collection of information; 
"(12) the term 'information referral service' means the func-
tion that assists officials and persons in obtaining access to the 
Federal Information Locator System; 
"(13) the term 'information systems' means management infor-
mation systems; 
"(14) the term 'person' means an individual, partnership, 
association, corporation, business trust, or legal representative, 
an organized group of individuals, a State, territorial, or local 
government or branch thereof, or a political subdivision of a 
State, territory, or local government or a branch of a political 
subdivision; 
"(15) the term 'practical utility' means the ability of an agency 
to use information it collects, particularly the capability to 
process such information in a timely and useful fashion; and 
"(16) the term 'recordkeeping requirement' means a require-
ment imposed by an agency on persons to maintain specified 
records. 
44 use 3503 
"§ 3503. Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs 
Establishment. 
"(a) There is established in the Office of Management and Budget 
an office to be known as the Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs. 
PUBLIC LAW 96-511—DEC. 11, 1980 
94 STAT. 2815 
"(b) There shall be at the head of the Office an Administrator who 
shall be appointed by, and who shall report directly to, the Director. 
The Director shall delegate to the Administrator the authority to 
administer all functions under this chapter, except that any such 
delegation shall not relieve the Director of responsibility for the 
administration of such functions. The Administrator shall serve as 
principal adviser to the Director on Federal information policy. 
"§ 3504. Authority and functions of Director 
"(a) The Director shall develop and implement Federal information 
policies, principles, standards, and guidelines and shall provide 
direction and oversee the review and approval of information collec-
tion requests, the reduction of the paperwork burden, Federal statis-
tical activities, records management activities, privacy of records, 
interagency sharing of information, and acquisition and use of 
automatic data processing telecommunications, and other technology 
for managing information resources. The authority under this section 
shall be exercised consistent with applicable law. 
"(b) The general information policy functions of the Director shall 
include— 
"(1) developing and implementing uniform and consistent 
information resources management policies and overseeing the 
development of information management principles, standards, 
and guidelines and promoting their use; 
"(2) initiating and reviewing proposals for changes in legisla-
tion, regulations, and agency procedures to improve information 
practices, and informing the President and the Congress on the 
progress made therein; 
"(3) coordinating, through the review of budget proposals and 
as otherwise provided in this section, agency information prac-
tices; 
"(4) promoting, through the use of the Federal Information 
Locator System, the review of budget proposals and other meth-
ods, greater sharing of information by agencies; 
"(5) evaluating agency information management practices to 
determine their adequacy and efficiency, and to determine com-
pliance of such practices with the policies, principles, standards, 
and guidelines promulgated by the Director; and 
"(6) overseeing planning for, and conduct of research with 
respect to. Federal collection, processing, storage, transmission, 
and use of information. 
"(c) The information collection request clearance and other paper-
work control functions of the Director shall include— 
"(1) reviewing and approving information collection requests 
proposed by agencies; 
"(2) determining whether the collection of information by an 
agency is necessary for the proper performance of the functions 
of the agency, including whether the information will have 
practical utility for the agency; 
"(3) ensuring that all information collection requests— 
"(A) are inventoried, display a control number and, when 
appropriate, an expiration date; 
*(B) indicate the request is in accordance with the clear-
ance requirements of section 3507; and 
"(C) contain a statement to inform the person receiving 
the request why the information is being collected, how it is 
to be used, and whether responses to the request are volun-
tary, required to obtain a benefit, or mandatory; 
Administrator, 
appointment. 
44 u s e 3504. 
Paperwork 
control 
functions. 
Post, p. 2819. 
94 STAT. 2816 
PUBLIC LAW 96-511—DEC. 11, 1980 
"(4) designating as appropriate, in accordance with section 
Post, p. 2820. 
3509, a collection agency to obtain information for two or more 
agencies; 
"(5) setting goals for reduction of the burdens of Federal 
information collection requests; 
"(6) overseeing action on the recommendations of the Commis-
sion on Federal Paperwork; and 
"(7) designing and operating, in accordance with section 3511, 
Post, p. 2822. 
the Federal Information Locator System. 
"(d) The statistical policy and coordmation functions of the Direc-
tor shall include— 
"(1) developing long range plans for the improved performance 
of Federal statistical activities and programs; 
"(2) coordinating, through the review of budget proposals and 
as otherwise provided in this section, the functions of the Federal 
Government with respect to gathering, interpreting, and dis-
seminating statistics and statistical information; 
"(3) developing and implementing Government-wide policies, 
principles, standards, and guidelines concerning statistical col-
lection procedures and methods, statistical data classifications, 
and statistical information presentation and dissemination; and 
"(4) evaluating statistical program performance and agency 
compliance with Government-wide policies, principles, stand-
ards, and guidelines. 
"(e) The records management functions of the Director shall 
include— 
"(1) providing advice and assistance to the Administrator of 
General Services in order to promote coordination in the admin-
44 use 2901 et 
istration of chapters 29, 31, and 33 of this title with the informa-
3301 ^1^^ ^
^ *^^' 
*^°^ policies, principles, standards, and guidelines established 
^ *^^ 
under this chapter; 
"(2) reviewing compliance by agencies with the requirements 
of chapters 29, 31, and 33 of this title and with regulations 
promulgated by the Administrator of General Services thereun-
der; and 
"(3) coordinating records management policies and programs 
with related information programs such as information collec-
tion, statistics, automatic data processing and telecommunica-
tions, and similar activities. 
"(f) The privacy functions of the Director shall include— 
"(1) developing and implementing policies, principles, stand-
ards, and guidelines on information disclosure and confidential-
ity, and on safeguarding the security of information collected or 
maintained by or on behalf of agencies; 
"(2) providing agencies with advice and guidance about infor-
mation security, restriction, exchange, and disclosure; and 
"(3) monitoring compliance with section 552a of title 5, United 
States Code, and related information management laws. 
"(g) The Federal automatic data processing and telecommunica-
tions functions of the Director shall include— 
"(1) developing and implementing policies, principles, stand-
ards, and guidelines for automatic data processing and telecom-
munications functions and activities of the Federal Government, 
and overseeing the establishment of standards under section 
111(f) of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 
40 use 759. 
1949; 
"(2) monitoring the effectiveness of, and compliance with, 
directives issued pursuant to sections 110 and 111 of such Act of 
PUBLIC LAW 96-511—DEC. 11, 1980 
94 STAT. 2817 
1949 and reviewing proposed determinations under section 111(g) ^^ use 757, 759. 
of such Act; 
"(3) providing advice and guidance on the acquisition and use 
of automatic data processing and telecommunications equip-
ment, and coordinating, through the review of budget proposals 
and other methods, agency proposals for acquisition and use of 
such equipment; 
"(4) promoting the use of automatic data processing and 
telecommunications equipment by the Federal Government to 
improve the effectiveness of the use and dissemination of data in 
the operation of Federal programs; and 
"(5) initiating and reviewing proposals for changes in legisla-
tion, regulations, and agency procedures to improve automatic 
data processing and telecommunications practices, and inform-
ing the President and the Congress of the progress made therein. 
"(hXl) As soon as practicable, but no later than publication of a 
notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal Register, each agency 
shall forward to the Director a copy of any proposed rule which 
contains a collection of information requirement and upon request, 
information necessary to make the determination required pursuant 
to this section. 
"(2) Within sixty days after the notice of proposed rulemaking is 
published in the Federal Register, the Director may file public 
comments pursuant to the standards set forth in section 3508 on the Post, p. 2821. 
collection of information requirement contained in the proposed rule. 
"(3) When a final rule is published in the Federal Register, the 
agency shall explain how any collection of information requirement 
contained in the final rule responds to the comments, if any, filed by 
the Director or the public, or explain why it rejected those comments. 
"(4) The Director has no authority to disapprove any collection of 
information requirement specifically contained in an agency rule, if 
he has received notice and failed to comment on the rule within sixty 
days of the notice of proposed rulemaking, 
"(5) Nothing in this section prevents the Director, in his discre-
tion— 
"(A) from disapproving any information collection request 
which was not specifically required by an agency rule; 
"(B) from disapproving any collection of information require-
ment contained in an agency rule, if the agency failed to comply 
with the requirements of paragraph (1) of this subsection; or 
"(C) from disapproving any collection of information require-
ment contained in a final agency rule, if the Director finds within 
sixty days of the publication of the final rule that the agency's 
response to his comments filed pursuant to paragraph (2) of this 
subsection was unreasonable. 
"(D) from disapproving any collection of information require-
ment where the Director determines that the agency has sub-
stantially modified in the final rule the collection of information 
requirement contained in the proposed rule where the agency 
has not given the Director the information required in paragraph 
(1), with respect to the modified collection of information require-
ment, at least sixty days before the issuance of the final rule. 
"(6) The Director shall make publicly available any decision to 
disapprove a collection of information requirement contained in an 
agency rule, together with the reasons for such decision. 
"(7) The authority of the Director under this subsection is subject to 
the provisions of section 3507(c). 
Post, 2819. 
94 STAT. 2818 
PUBLIC LAW 96-511—DEC. 11, 1980 
"(8) This subsection shall apply only when an agency publishes a 
notice of proposed rulemaking and requests public comments. 
"(9) There shall be no judicial review of any kind of the Director's 
decision to approve or not to act upon a collection of information 
requirement contained in an agency rule. 
44 use 3505. 
"§ 3505. Assignment of tasks and deadlines 
"In carrying out the functions under this chapter, the Director 
shall— 
"(1) upon enactment of this Act— 
"(A) set a goal to reduce the then existing burden of 
Federal collections of information by 15 per centum by 
October 1,1982; and 
"(B) for the year following, set a goal to reduce the burden 
which existed upon enactment by an additional 10 per 
centum; 
"(2) within one year after the effective date of this Act— 
"(A) establish standards and requirements for agency 
audits of all major information systems and assign responsi-
bility for conducting Government-wide or multiagency 
audits, except the Director shall not assign such responsi-
bility for the audit of major information systems used for the 
conduct of criminal investigations or intelligence activities 
as defined in section 4-206 of Executive Order 12036, issued 
50 use 401 note. 
January 24, 1978, or successor orders, or for cryptologic 
activities that are communications security activities; 
"(B) establish the Federal Information Locator System; 
"(C) identify areas of duplication in information collection 
requests and develop a schedule and methods for eliminating 
duplication; 
"(D) develop a proposal to augment the Federal Informa-
tion Locator System to include data profiles of major infor-
mation holdings of agencies (used in the conduct of their 
operations) which are not otherwise required by this chapter 
to be included in the System; and 
"(E) identify initiatives which may achieve a 10 per 
centum reduction in the burden of Federal collections of 
information associated with the administration of Federal 
grant programs; and 
"(3) within two years after the effective date of this Act— 
"(A) establish a schedule and a management control 
system to ensure that practices and programs of information 
handling disciplines, including records management, are 
appropriately integrated with the information policies man-
dated by this chapter; 
"(B) identify initiatives to improve productivity in Federal 
operations using information processing technology; 
"(C) develop a program to (i) enforce Federal information 
processing standards, particularly software language stand-
ards, at all Federal installations; and (ii) revitalize the 
standards development program established pursuant to 
section 759(f)(2) of title 40, United States Code, separating it 
from peripheral technical assistance functions and directing 
it to the most productive areas; 
"(D) complete action on recommendations of the Commis-
sion on Federal Paperwork by implementing, implementing 
with modification 
or rejecting such 
recommendations 
PUBLIC LAW 96-511—DEC. 11, 1980 
94 STAT. 2819 
including, where necessary, development of legislation to 
implement such recommendations; 
(E) develop, in consultation with the Administrator of Five-year plan. 
General Services, a five-year plan for meeting the automatic 
data processing and telecommunications needs of the Fed-
eral Government in accordance with the requirements of 
section 111 of the Federal Property and Administrative 
Services Act of 1949 (40 U.S.C. 759) and the purposes of this 
chapter; and 
"(F) submit to the President and the Congress legislative 
proposals to remove inconsistencies in laws and practices 
involving 
privacy, 
confidentiality, 
and 
disclosure 
of 
information. 
"§ 3506. Federal agency responsibilities 
44 use 3506. 
"(a) Each agency shall be responsible for carrying out its informa-
tion management activities in an efficient, effective, and economical 
manner, and for complying with the information policies, principles, 
standards, and guidelines prescribed bv the Director. 
"(b) The head of each agency shall designate, within three months 
after the effective date of this Act, a senior official or, in the case of 
military departments, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense, 
officials who report directly to such agency head to carry out the 
responsibilities of the agency under this chapter. If more than one 
official is appointed for the military departments the respective 
duties of the officials shall be clearly delineated. 
"(c) Each agency shall— 
"(1) systematically inventory its major information systems 
and periodically review its information management activities, 
including planning, budgeting, organizing, directing, training, 
promoting, controlling, and other managerial activities involving 
the collection, use, and dissemination of information; 
"(2) ensure its information systems do not overlap each other 
or duplicate the systems of other agencies; 
"(3) develop procedures for assessing the paperwork and 
reporting burden of proposed legislation affecting such agency; 
(4) assign to the official designated under subsection (b) the 
responsibility for the conduct of and accountability for any 
acquisitions made pursuant to a delegation of authority under 
section 111 of the Federal Property and Administrative Services 
Act of 1949 (40 U.S.C. 759); and 
"(5) ensure that information collection requests required by 
law or to obtain a benefit, and submitted to nine or fewer 
persons, contain a statement to inform the person receiving the 
request that the request is not subject to the requirements of 
section 3507 of this chapter. 
l^fra. 
"(d) The head of each agency shall establish such procedures as Procedures, 
necessary to ensure the compliance of the agency with the require- establishment. 
ments of the Federal Information Locator System, including neces-
sary screening and compliance activities. 
"§ 3507. Public information collection activities—submission to ^^ ^SC 3507. 
Director; approval and delegation 
"(a) An agency shall not conduct or sponsor the collection of 
information unless, in advance of the adoption or revision of the 
request for collection of such information— 
"(1) the agency has taken actions, including consultation with 
the Director, to— 
94 STAT. 2820 
PUBLIC LAW 96-511—DEC. 11, 1980 
"(A) eliminate, through the use of the Federal Information 
Locator System and other means, information collections 
which seek to obtain information available from another 
source within the Federal Government; 
"(B) reduce to the extent practicable and appropriate the 
burden on persons who will provide information to the 
agency; and 
"(C) formulate plans for tabulating the information in a 
manner which will enhance its usefulness to other agencies 
and to the public; 
"(2) the agency (A) has submitted to the Director the proposed 
information collection request, copies of pertinent regulations 
and other related materials as the Director may specify, and an 
explanation of actions taken to carry out paragraph (1) of this 
subsection, and (B) has prepared a notice to be published in the 
Federal Register stating that the agency has made such submis-
sion; and 
"(3) the Director has approved the proposed information collec-
tion request, or the period for review of information collection 
requests by the Director provided under subsection (b) has 
elapsed. 
"(b) The Director shall, within sixty days of receipt of a proposed 
information collection request, notify the agency involved of the 
decision to approve or disapprove the request and shall make such 
decisions publicly available. If the Director determines that a request 
submitted for review cannot be reviewed within sixty days, the 
Director may, after notice to the agency involved, extend the review 
period for an additional thirty days. If the Director does not notify the 
agency of an extension, denial, or approval within sixty days (or, if 
the Director has extended the review period for an additional thirty 
days and does not notify the agency of a denial or approval within the 
time of the extension), a control number shall be assigned without 
further delay, the approval may be inferred, and the agency may 
collect the information for not more than one year. 
"(c) Any disapproval by the Director, in whole or in part, of a 
proposed information collection request of an independent regulatory 
Ante, p. 2815; 
agency, or an exercise of authority under section 3504(h) or 3509 
post, p. 2821. 
concerning such an agency, may be voided, if the agency by a 
majority vote of its members overrides the Director's disapproval or 
exercise of authority. The agency shall certify each override to the 
Director, shall explain the reasons for exercising the override author-
ity. Where the override concerns an information collection request, 
the Director shall without further delay assign a control number to 
such request, and such override shall be valid for a period of three 
years. 
"(d) The Director may not approve an information collection 
request for a period in excess of three years. 
(e) If the Director finds that a senior official of an agency 
Ante, p. 2819. 
designated pursuant to section 3506(b) is sufficiently independent of 
program responsibility to evaluate fairly whether proposed informa-
tion collection requests should be approved and has sufficient 
resources to carry out this responsibility effectively, the Director 
may, by rule in accordance with the notice and comment provisions of 
5 use 500 et seq. chapter 5 of title 5, United States Code, delegate to such official the 
authority to approve proposed requests in specific program areas, for 
specific purposes, or for all agency purposes. A delegation by the 
Director under this section shall not preclude the Director from 
reviewing individual information collection requests if the Director 
PUBLIC LAW 96-511—DEC. 11, 1980 
94 STAT. 2821 
determines that circumstances warrant such a review. The Director 
shall retain authority to revoke such delegations, both in general and 
with regard to any specific matter. In acting for the Director, any 
official to whom approval authority has been delegated under this 
section shall comply fully with the rules and regulations promulgated 
by the Director. 
"(f) An agency shall not engage in a collection of information 
without obtaining from the Director a control number to be displayed 
upon the information collection request. 
"(g) If an agency head determines a collection of information (1) is 
needed prior to the expiration of the sixty-day period for the review of 
information collection requests established pursuant to subsection 
(b), (2) is essential to the mission of the agency, and (3) the agency 
cannot reasonably comply with the provisions of this chapter within 
such sixty-day period because (A) public harm will result if normal 
clearance procedures are followed, or (B) an unanticipated event has 
occurred and the use of normal clearance procedures will prevent or 
disrupt the collection of information related to the event or will cause 
a statutory deadline to be missed, the agency head may request the 
Director to authorize such collection of information prior to expira-
tion of such sixty-day period. The Director shall approve or disap-
prove any such authorization request within the time requested by 
the agency head and, if approved, shall assign the information 
collection request a control number. Any collection of information 
conducted pursuant to this subsection may be conducted without 
compliance with the provisions of this chapter for a maximum of 
ninety days after the date on which the Director received the request 
to authorize such collection. 
"§ 3508. Determination of necessity for information; hearing 
44 USG 3508. 
"Before approving a proposed information collection request, the 
Director shall determine whether the collection of information by an 
agency is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the 
agency, including whether the information will have practical utility. 
Before making a determination the Director may give the agency and 
other interested persons an opportunity to be heard or to submit 
statements in writing. To the extent, if any, that the Director 
determines that the collection of information by an agency is unnec-
essary, for any reason, the agency may not engage in the collection of 
the information. 
*'§ 3509. Designation of central collection agency 
44 use 3509. 
"The Director may designate a central collection agency to obtain 
information for two or more agencies if the Director determines that 
the needs of such agencies for information will be adequately served 
by a single collection agency, and such sharing of data is not 
inconsistent with any applicable law. In such cases the Director shall 
prescribe (with reference to the collection of information) the duties 
and functions of the collection agency so designated and of the 
agencies for which it is to act as agent (including reimbursement for 
costs). While the designation is in effect, an agency covered by it may 
not obtain for itself information which it is the duty of the collection 
agency to obtain. The Director may modify the designation from time 
to time as circumstances require. The authority herein is subject to 
the provisions of section 3507(c) of this chapter. 
^"^^' P- 2819. 
79-194 
O - 8 1 - p t , 3 
12 : QL3 
94 STAT. 2822 
PUBLIC LAW 96-511—DEC. 11, 1980 
44 use 3510. 
"§3510. Cooperation of agencies in making information available 
"(a) The Director may direct an agency to make available to 
another agency, or an agency may make available to another agency, 
information obtained pursuant to an information collection request if 
the disclosure is not inconsistent with any applicable law. 
"(b) If information obtained by an agency is released by that agency 
to another agency, all the provisions of law (including penalties 
which relate to the unlawful disclosure of information) apply to the 
officers and employees of the agency to which information is released 
to the same extent and in the same manner as the provisions apply to 
the officers and employees of the agency which originally obtained 
the information. The officers and employees of the agency to which 
the information is released, in addition, shall be subject to the same 
provisions of law, including penalties, relating to the unlawful 
disclosure of information as if the information had been collected 
directly by that agency. 
44 use 3511. 
"§3511. Establishment and operation of Federal Information 
Locator System 
"(a) There is established in the Office of Information and Regula-
tory Affairs a Federal Information Locator System (hereafter in this 
section referred to as the 'System') which shall be composed of a 
directory of information resources, a data element dictionary, and an 
information referral service. The System shall serve as the authorita-
tive register of all information collection requests. 
Functions. 
"(b) In designing and operating the System, the Director shall— 
"(1) design and operate an indexing system for the System; 
"(2) require the head of each agency to prepare in a form 
specified by the Director, and to submit to the Director for 
inclusion in the System, a data profile for each information 
collection request of such agency; 
"(3) compare data profiles for proposed information collection 
requests against existing profiles in the System, and make 
available the results of such comparison to— 
"(A) agency officials who are planning new information 
collection activities; and 
"(B) on request, members of the general public; and 
"(4) ensure that no actual data, except descriptive data profiles 
necessary to identify duplicative data or to locate information, 
are contained within the System. 
44 use 3512. 
"§ 3512. Public protection 
"Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person shall be 
subject to any penalty for failing to maintain or provide information 
to any agency if the information collection request involved was made 
after December 31, 1981, and does not display a current control 
number assigned by the Director, or fails to state that such request is 
not subject to this chapter. 
44 use 3513. 
"§3513. Director review of agency activities; reporting; agency 
response 
"(a) The Director shall, with the advice and assistance of the 
Administrator of General Services, selectively review, at least once 
every three years, the information management activities of each 
agency to ascertain their adequacy and efficiency. In evaluating the 
adequacy and efficiency of such activities, the Director shall pay 
PUBLIC LAW 96-511—DEC. 11, 1980 
94 STAT. 2828 
particular attention to whether the agency has complied with section 
3506. 
"(b) The Director shall report the results of the reviews to the 
appropriate agency head, the House Committee on Government 
Operations, the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, the 
House and Senate Committees on Appropriations, and the commit-
tees of the Congress having jurisdiction over legislation relating to 
the operations of the agency involved. 
"(c) Each agency which receives a report pursuant to subsection (b) 
shall, within sixty days after receipt of such report, prepare and 
transmit to the Director, the House Committee on Government 
Operations, the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, the 
House and Senate Committees on Appropriations, and the commit-
tees of the Congress having jurisdiction over legislation relating to 
the operations of the agency, a written statement responding to the 
Director's report, including a description of any measures taken to 
alleviate or remove any problems or deficiencies identified in such 
report. 
"§3514. Responsiveness to Congress 
"(a) The Director shall keep the Congress and its committees fully 
and currently informed of the major activities under this chapter, 
and shall submit a report thereon to the President of the Senate and 
the Speaker of the House of Representatives annually and at such 
other times as the Director determines necessary. The Director shall 
include in any such report— 
"(1) proposals for legislative action needed to improve Federal 
information management, including, with respect to information 
collection, recommendations to reduce the burden on individ-
uals, small businesses, State and local governments, and other 
persons; 
"(2) a compilation of legislative impediments to the collection 
of information which the Director concludes that an agency 
needs but does not have authority to collect; 
"(3) an analysis by agency, and by categories the Director finds 
useful and practicable, describing the estimated reporting hours 
required of persons by information collection requests, including 
to the extent practicable the direct budgetary costs of the 
agencies and identification of statutes and regulations which 
impose the greatest number of reporting hours; 
* (4) a summary of accomplishments and planned initiatives to 
reduce burdens of Federal information collection requests; 
"(5) a tabulation of areas of duplication in agency information 
collection requests identified during the preceding year and 
efforts made to preclude the collection of duplicate information, 
including designations of central collection agencies; 
"(6) a list of each instance in which an agency engaged in the 
collection of information under the authority of section 3507(g) 
and an identification of each agency involved; 
"(7) a list of all violations of provisions of this chapter and 
rules, regulations, guidelines, policies, and procedures issued 
pursuant to this chapter; and 
"(8) with respect to recommendations of the Commission on 
Federal Paperwork— 
"(A) a description of the specific actions taken on or 
planned for each recommendation; 
"(B) a target date for implementing each recommendation 
accepted but not implemented; and 
Ante, p. 2819. 
Report to 
congressional 
committees. 
Written 
statement, 
submittal to 
congressional 
committees. 
44 u s e 3514. 
Report to 
President of the 
Senate and 
Speaker of the 
House. 
Ante, p. 2819. 
94 STAT. 2824 
PUBLIC LAW 96-511—DEC. 11, 1980 
"(C) an explanation of the reasons for any delay in com-
pleting action on such recommendations. 
"(b) The preparation of any report required by this section shall not 
increase the collection of information burden on persons outside the 
Federal Government. 
44 use 3515 
«§ 3515. Administrative powers 
"Upon the request of the Director, each agency (other than an 
independent regulatory agency) shall, to the extent practicable, make 
its services, personnel, and facilities available to the Director for the 
performance of functions under this chapter. 
44 use 8516. 
"§3516. Rules and regulations 
"The Director shall promulgate rules, regulations, or procedures 
necessary to exercise the authority provided by this chapter. 
44 use 3517. 
"§3517. Consultation with other agencies and the public 
"In development of information policies, plans, rules, regulations, 
procedures, and guidelines and in reviewing information collection 
requests, the Director shall provide interested agencies and persons 
early and meaningful opportunity to comment. 
44 use 3518 
"§3518. Effect on existing laws and regulations 
"(a) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the authority of 
an agency under any other law to prescribe policies, rules, regula-
tions, and procedures for Federal information activities is subject to 
the authority conferred on the Director by this chapter. 
"(b) Nothing in this chapter shall be deemed to affect or reduce the 
authority of the Secretary of Commerce or the Director of the Office 
of Management and Budget pursuant to Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 
5 use app. 
1977 (as amended) and Executive order, relating to telecommunica-
tions and information policy, procurement and management of tele-
communications and information systems, spectrum use, and related 
matters. 
"(c)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), this chapter does not 
apply to the collection of information— 
"(A) during the conduct of a Federal criminal investigation or 
prosecution, or during the disposition of a particular criminal 
matter; 
"(B) during the conduct of (i) a civil action to which the United 
States or any official or agency thereof is a party or (ii) an 
administrative action or investigation involving an agency 
against specific individuals or entities; 
"(C) by compulsory process pursuant to the Antitrust Civil 
15 use 1311 
Process Act and section 13 of the Federal Trade Commission 
Tnte p 380 
Improvements Act of 1980; or 
' 
• 
'(D) during the conduct of intelligence activities as defined in 
50 use 401 note. 
section 4-206 of Executive Order 12036, issued January 24,1978, 
or successor orders, or during the conduct of cryptologic activities 
that are communications security activities. 
"(2) This chapter applies to the collection of information during the 
conduct of general investigations (other than information collected in 
an antitrust investigation to the extent provided in subparagraph (C) 
of paragraph (1)) undertaken with reference to a category of individ-
uals or entities such as a class of licensees or an entire industry. 
"(d) Nothing in this chapter shall be interpreted as increasing or 
40 use 759. 
decreasing the authority conferred by Public Law 89-306 on the 
Administrator of the General Services Administration, the Secretary 
PUBLIC LAW 96-511—DEC. 11, 1980 
94 STAT. 2825 
of Commerce, or the Director of the Office of Management and 
Budget. 
"(e) Nothing in this chapter shall be interpreted as increasing or 
decreasing the authority of the President, the Office of Management 
and Budget or the Director thereof, under the laws of the United 
States, with respect to the substantive policies and programs of 
departments, agencies and offices, including the substantive author-
ity of any Federal agency to enforce the civil rights laws. 
"§ 3519. Access to information 
^^ use 3519 
"Under the conditions and procedures prescribed in section 313 of 
the Budget and Accounting Act of 1921, as amended, the Director and ^"^^' P ^12. 
personnel in the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs shall 
furnish such information as the Comptroller General may require for 
the discharge of his responsibilities. For this purpose, the Comptrol-
ler General or representatives thereof shall have access to all books, 
documents, papers and records of the Office. 
"§ 3520. Authorization of appropriations 
44 use 3520. 
"There are hereby authorized to be appropriated to carry out the 
provisions of this chapter, and for no other purpose, sums— 
"(1) not to exceed $8,000,000 for the fiscal year ending Septem-
ber 30,1981; 
"(2) not to exceed $8,500,000 for the fiscal year ending Septem-
ber 30,1982; and 
"(3) not to exceed $9,000,000 for the fiscal year ending Septem-
ber 30,1983." 
(b) The item relating to chapter 35 in the table of chapters for such 
title is amended to read as follows: 
"35. Coordination of Federal Information Policy.". 
(c)(1) Section 2904(10) of such title is amended to read as follows: 44 use 2904. 
"(10) report to the appropriate oversight and appropriations 
committees of the Congress and to the Director of the Office of 
Management and Budget annually and at such other times as the 
Administrator deems desirable (A) on the results of activities 
conducted pursuant to paragraphs (1) through (9) of this section, 
(B) on evaluations of responses by Federal agencies to any 
recommendations resulting from inspections or studies con-
ducted under paragraphs (8) and (9) of this section, and (C) to the 
extent practicable, estimates of costs to the Federal Government 
resulting from the failure of agencies to implement such recom-
mendations." 
(2) Section 2905 of such title is amended by redesignating the text 44 use 2905. 
thereof as subsection (a) and by adding at the end of such section the 
following new subsection: 
"(b) The Administrator of General Services shall assist the Admin- Studies. 
istrator for the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in 
conducting studies and developing standards relating to record reten-
tion requirements imposed on the public and on State and local 
governments by Federal agencies.". 
SEC. 3. (a) The President and the Director of the Office of Manage- 44 use 3503 
ment and Budget shall delegate to the Administrator for the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs all functions, authority, and 
responsibility under section 103 of the Budget and Accounting 
Procedures Act of 1950 (31 U.S.C. 18b). 
(b) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall 
delegate to the Administrator for the Office of Information and 
note. 
94 STAT. 2826 
PUBLIC LAW 96-511—DEC. 11, 1980 
47 u s e 305 note, 
50 u s e app. 2251 
note and 2271 
note. 
20 u s e 1221-3. 
Ante, p. 2812. 
Ante, p. 2819. 
Repeal. 
Repeal. 
Effective date. 
44 u s e 3501 
note. 
Regulatory Affairs all functions, authority, and responsibility of the 
Director under section 552a of title 5, United States Code, under 
Executive Order 12046 and Reorganization Plan No. 1 for telecommu-
nications, and under section 111 of the Federal Property and Admin-
istrative Services Act of 1949 (40 U.S.C. 759). 
SEC. 4. (a) Section 400A of the General Education Provisions Act is 
amended by (1) striking out "and" after "institutions" in subsection 
(a)(lXA) and inserting in lieu thereof "or", and (2) by amending 
subsection (a)(3)(B) to read as follows: 
"(B) No collection of information or data acquisition activity 
subject to such procedures shall be subject to any other review, 
coordination, or approval procedure outside of the relevant Federal 
agency, except as required by this subsection and by the Director of 
the Office of Management and Budget under the rules and regula-
tions established pursuant to chapter 35 of title 44, United States 
Code. If a requirement for information is submitted pursuant to this 
Act for review, the timetable for the Director's approval established 
in section 3507 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 shall 
commence on the date the request is submitted, and no independent 
submission to the Director shall be required under such Act.". 
(b) Section 201(e) of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation 
Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 1211) is repealed. 
(c) Section 708(f) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 292h(f)) 
is repealed. 
(d) Section 5315 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end thereof the following: 
"Administrator, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Office of Management and Budget.". 
SEC. 5. This Act shall take effect on April 1,1981. 
Approved December 11, 1980. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: 
HOUSE REPORT No. 96-835 (Comm. on Government Operations). 
SENATE REPORT No. 96-930 accompanying S. 1411 (Oomm. on Governmental 
Affairs). 
eONGRESSIONAL REGORD, Vol. 126 (1980): 
Mar. 24, considered and passed House. 
Nov. 19, S. 1411 considered and passed Senate; passage vacated and H.R. 6410, 
amended, passed in lieu. 
Dec. 1, House concurred in Senate amendments. 
WEEKLY eOMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOOUMENTS, Vol. 16, No. 50: 
Dec. 11, Presidential statement.