Teacher:In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.
Teacher: Now, understand the problem? Solve this instance: SECTION 1. TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ''Federal Financial Assistance
Management Improvement Act of 1998''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds that--
(1) there are over 600 different Federal financial
assistance programs to implement domestic policy;
(2) while the assistance described in paragraph (1) has
been directed at critical problems, some Federal administrative
requirements may be duplicative, burdensome or conflicting,
thus impeding cost-effective delivery of services at the local
level;
(3) State, local, and tribal governments and private,
nonprofit organizations are dealing with increasingly complex
problems that require the delivery and coordination of many
kinds of services; and
(4) streamlining and simplification of Federal financial
assistance administrative procedures and reporting requirements
will improve the delivery of services to the public.

SEC. 3. PURPOSES.

The purposes of this Act are to--
(1) improve the effectiveness and performance of Federal
financial assistance programs;
(2) simplify Federal financial assistance application and
reporting requirements;
(3) improve the delivery of services to the public; and
(4) facilitate greater coordination among those responsible
for delivering such services.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) Common rule.--The term ''common rule'' means a
government-wide uniform rule for any generally applicable
requirement established to achieve national policy objectives
that applies to multiple Federal financial assistance programs
across Federal agencies.
(2) Director.--The term ''Director'' means the Director of
the Office of Management and Budget.
(3) Federal agency.--The term ''Federal agency'' means any
agency as defined under section 551(1) of title 5, United
States Code.
(4) Federal financial assistance program.--The term
''Federal financial assistance program'' means a domestic
assistance program (as defined under section 6101(4) of title
31, United States Code) under which financial assistance is
available, directly or indirectly, to a State, local, or tribal
government or a qualified organization to carry out activities
consistent with national policy goals.
(5) Local government.--The term ''local government''
means--
(A) a political subdivision of a State that is a
unit of general local government (as defined under
section 6501(10) of title 31, United States Code);
(B) any combination of political subdivisions
described in subparagraph (A); or
(C) a local educational agency as defined under
section 14101(18) of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 8801(18)).
(6) Qualified organization.--The term ''qualified
organization'' means a private, nonprofit organization
described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986 that is exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
(7) State.--The term ''State'' means each of the 50 States,
the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam,
and the Virgin Islands.
(8) Tribal government.--The term ''tribal government''
means the governing entity of an Indian tribe, as that term is
defined in the Indian Self Determination and Education
Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b).

SEC. 5. DUTIES OF THE DIRECTOR.

(a) In General.--The Director, in consultation with agency heads,
shall direct, coordinate, and assist Federal agencies in establishing--
(1) a uniform application, or set of uniform applications,
to be used by an applicant to apply for assistance from
multiple Federal financial assistance programs that serve
similar purposes and are administered by different Federal
agencies;
(2) ways to streamline and simplify Federal financial
assistance administrative procedures and reporting requirements
for grantees;
(3) a uniform system wherein an applicant may apply for,
manage, and report on the use of, funding from multiple Federal
financial assistance programs across different Federal
agencies;
(4) a process for applicants to electronically apply for,
and report on the use of, funds from Federal financial
assistance programs;
(5) use of common rules for multiple Federal financial
assistance programs across different Federal agencies;
(6) improved interagency and intergovernmental coordination
of information collection and sharing of data pertaining to
Federal financial assistance programs, including the
development of a release form to be used by grantees to
facilitate the sharing of information across multiple Federal
financial assistance programs;
(7) a process to strengthen the information resources
management capacity of State, local, and tribal governments and
qualified organizations pertaining to the administration of
Federal financial assistance programs; and
(8) specific annual goals and objectives to further the
purposes of this Act.
(b) Actions Consistent With Statutory Requirements.--The actions
taken by the Director under subsection (a) shall be consistent with
statutory requirements relating to any applicable Federal financial
assistance program.
(c) Lead Agency and Working Groups.--The Director may designate a
lead agency to assist the Director in carrying out the responsibilities
under this section. The Director may use interagency working groups to
assist in carrying out such responsibilities.
(d) Review of Plans and Reports.--
(1) In general.--The Director shall--
(A) review agency plans and reports developed under
section 6 for adequacy;
(B) monitor the annual performance of each agency
toward achieving the goals and objectives stated in the
agency plan; and
(C) ensure that each agency plan does not diminish
standards to measure performance and accountability of
financial assistance programs.
(2) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Director shall report to Congress on
implementation of this section. Such a report may be included
as part of any of the general management reports required under
law.
(e) Exemptions.--
(1) In general.--The Director may exempt any Federal agency
from the requirements of this Act if the Director determines
that the agency does not have a significant number of Federal
financial assistance programs.
(2) Agencies exempted.--Not later than November 1 of each
fiscal year, the Director shall submit to the Committee on
Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on
Government Reform and Oversight of the House of
Representatives--
(A) a list of each agency exempted under this
subsection in the preceding fiscal year; and
(B) an explanation for each such exemption.
(f) Guidance.--Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Director shall issue guidance to Federal agencies on
implementation of the requirements of this Act. Such guidance shall
include a statement on the common rules that the Director intends to
review and standardize under this Act.

SEC. 6. DUTIES OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.

(a) In General.--Not later than 18 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, each Federal agency shall develop and implement
a plan that--
(1) streamlines and simplifies the application,
administrative, and reporting procedures for each financial
assistance program administered by the agency;
(2) demonstrates active participation in the interagency
process required the applicable provisions of section 5(a);
(3) demonstrates agency use, or plans for use, of the
uniform application (or set of applications) and system
developed under section 5(a) (1) and (3);
(4) designates a lead agency official for carrying out the
responsibilities of the agency under this Act;
(5) allows applicants to electronically apply for, and
report on the use of, funds from the Federal financial
assistance program administered by the agency;
(6) strengthens the information resources management
capacity of State, local and tribal governments and qualified
organizations pertaining to the administration of the financial
assistance program administered by the agency; and
(7) in cooperation with State, local, and tribal
governments and qualified organizations, establishes specific
annual goals and objectives to further the purposes of this Act
and measure annual performance in achieving those goals and
objectives.
(b) Plan Consistent With Statutory Requirements.--Each plan
developed and implemented under this section shall be consistent with
statutory requirements relating to any applicable Federal financial
assistance program.
(c) Comment and Consultation on Agency Plans.--
(1) Comment.--Each Federal agency shall publish the plan
developed under subsection (a) in the Federal Register and
shall receive public comment on the plan through the Federal
Register and other means (including electronic means). To the
maximum extent practicable, each Federal agency shall hold
public hearings or related public forums on the plan.
(2) Consultation.--The lead official designated under
subsection (a)(4) shall consult regularly with representatives
of State, local and tribal governments and qualified
organizations during development of the plan. Consultation with
representatives of State, local, and tribal governments shall
be in accordance with section 204 of the Unfunded Mandates
Reform Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1534).
(d) Submission of Plan.--Each Federal agency shall submit the plan
developed under subsection (a) to the Director and Congress and report
annually thereafter on the implementation of the plan and performance
of the agency in meeting the goals and objectives specified under
subsection (a)(7). Such a report may be included as part of any of the
general management reports required under law.

SEC. 7. EVALUATION.

(a) In General.--The Director (or the lead agency designated under
section 5(c)) shall contract with the National Academy of Public
Administration to evaluate the effectiveness of this Act. Not later
than 4 years after the date of enactment of this Act the evaluation
shall be submitted to the lead agency, the Director, and Congress.
(b) Contents.--The evaluation under subsection (a) shall--
(1) assess the effectiveness of this Act in meeting the
purposes of this Act and make specific recommendations to
further the implementation of this Act;
(2) evaluate actual performance of each agency in achieving
the goals and objectives stated in agency plans; and
(3) assess the level of coordination and cooperation among
the Director, Federal agencies, State, local, and tribal
governments, and qualified organizations in implementing this
Act.

SEC. 8. EFFECTIVE DATE AND SUNSET.

This Act shall take effect on the date of enactment of this Act and
shall cease to be effective on and after 5 years after such date of
enactment.
Student:
Federal Financial Assistance Management Improvement Act of 1998 - Directs the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, in consultation with Federal agency heads, to coordinate and assist Federal agencies in establishing: (1) a uniform Federal financial assistance application or set of such uniform applications; (2) ways to streamline Federal financial assistance administrative procedures and reporting requirements for grantees; (3) a uniform Federal financial assistance system; (4) an electronic application and reporting process; (5) use of common rules; (6) improved interagency and intergovernmental coordination of information collection and sharing of data, including the development of a release form to be used by grantees; (7) a process to strengthen the information resources management capacity of State and local governments and qualified organizations; and (8) specific annual goals and objectives to further the purposes of this Act. Permits the Director to designate a lead agency to assist him or her and use interagency working groups to assist in carrying out such responsibilities.
Requires the Director to: (1) review agency plans and reports developed under this Act for adequacy; (2) monitor each agency's annual performance toward achieving the goals and objectives stated in the agency's plan; (3) ensure that each agency plan does not diminish standards to measure performance and accountability of financial assistance programs; and (4) report to the Congress on implementation of this Act.
Exempts any Federal agency from the requirements of this Act if the Director determines that the agency does not have a significant number of Federal financial assistance programs. Requires the Director, not later than November 1 of each fiscal year, to submit to the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs and the House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: (1) a list of each agency exempted in the preceding fiscal year; and (2) an explanation for each such exemption.
Directs the Director to issue guidance on implementation of the requirements of this Act, including a statement on the common rules that he or she intends to review and standardize under this Act.
Sets specifications for the development and implementation of plans by Federal agencies, including for each agency to designate a lead agency official for carrying out the agency's responsibilities under this Act. Requires the lead official to consult regularly with representatives of State and local governments and qualified organizations during development of the plan. Requires each Federal agency to submit the plan to the Director and the Congress and report annually thereafter on the implementation of the plan and the agency's performance in meeting the goals and objectives specified under this Act.
Directs the Director or the lead agency to contract with the National Academy of Public Administration to evaluate the effectiveness of this Act. Requires the evaluation to be submitted to the lead agency, the Director, and the Congress. Terminates this Act five years after enactment.