[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3665 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3665

 To transfer to the Secretary of Agriculture the authority to conduct 
                       the census of agriculture.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 18, 1996

Mr. Roberts  (for himself, Mr. de la Garza, Mr. Emerson, Mr. Rose, Mr. 
 Combest, Mr. Stenholm, Mr. Boehner, Mr. Johnson of South Dakota, Mr. 
Baker of Louisiana, Mr. Hilliard, Mr. Calvert, Mr. Pomeroy, Mr. Cooley 
    of Oregon, Mr. Bishop, Mr. LaHood, Mr. Baldacci, and Mr. Wise) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
 Government Reform and Oversight, and in addition to the Committee on 
Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, 
 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the 
                jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To transfer to the Secretary of Agriculture the authority to conduct 
                       the census of agriculture.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Census of Agriculture Act of 1996''.

SEC. 2. TRANSFER TO THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE OF THE AUTHORITY TO 
              CONDUCT THE CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE.

    (a) In General.--Section 526 of the Revised Statutes (7 U.S.C. 
2204) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(c) Census of Agriculture.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall, in 1998 and in 
        every 5th year beginning after 1998, take a census of 
        agriculture. In connection with each such census, the Secretary 
        may conduct any survey or other data collection, and employ any 
        sampling or other statistical method, that the Secretary 
        determines is necessary and appropriate.
            ``(2) Data.--The data collected in each census taken under 
        this subsection shall relate to the year immediately preceding 
        the year in which the census is taken.
            ``(3) Refusal or neglect to answer questions; false 
        answers.--Any person who refuses or neglects to answer 
        questions submitted to such person in connection with a census 
        or survey under this subsection, or who answers any such 
        questions falsely, shall be subject to section 221 of title 13, 
        United States Code, to the same extent and in the same manner 
        as if--
                    ``(A) section 142 of title 13, United States Code, 
                had remained in effect; and
                    ``(B) the census or survey were a census or survey 
                under such section 142, rather than under this 
                subsection.
            ``(4) Geographic scope.--Each census under this subsection 
        shall include each State, and as may be determined by the 
        Secretary, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, Guam, 
        the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the 
        Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and any such other possessions and 
        areas over which the United States exercises jurisdiction, 
        control, or sovereignty. Inclusion of other areas over which 
        the United States exercises jurisdiction, control, or 
        sovereignty shall be subject to the concurrence of the 
        Secretary of State.
            ``(5) Access to data collected under title 13.--The 
        Secretary of Commerce may, upon written request of the 
        Secretary of Agriculture, furnish any information collected 
        under title 13, United States Code, which the Secretary of 
        Agriculture considers necessary for the taking of a census or 
        survey under this subsection. Any information so furnished may 
        not be used for any purpose other than the statistical purposes 
        for which it is supplied.
            ``(6) Access to data collected under this subsection.--The 
        Secretary of Agriculture shall, upon written request of the 
        Secretary of Commerce, furnish any information collected in a 
        census taken under this subsection, which the Secretary of 
        Commerce considers necessary for the taking of a census or 
        survey under title 13, United States Code. Any information so 
        furnished may not be used for any purpose other than the 
        statistical purposes for which it is supplied.
            ``(7) Rules and regulations.--Any rules or regulations 
        necessary to carry out this subsection may be prescribed by--
                    ``(A) the Secretary, to the extent that matters 
                within the jurisdiction of the Secretary are involved; 
                and
                    ``(B) the Secretary of Commerce, to the extent that 
                matters within the jurisdiction of the Secretary of 
                Commerce are involved.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--Effective October 1, 1998--
            (1) section 142 of title 13, United States Code, and the 
        item relating to section 142 in the table of sections for 
        chapter 5 of such title 13, are repealed; and
            (2) section 343(a)(11)(F) of the Consolidated Farm and 
        Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1991(a)(11)(F)) is amended by 
        inserting ``or section 526(c) of the Revised Statutes (7 U.S.C. 
        2204(c)), as the case may be,'' before ``except''.

SEC. 3. PROVISIONS RELATING TO CONFIDENTIALITY OF INFORMATION.

    (a) Information Furnished to the Department of Agriculture.--
            (1) Authority to furnish information.--Section 9(a) of 
        title 13, United States Code, is amended by striking ``chapter 
        10 of this title--'' and inserting ``chapter 10 of this title 
        or section 526(c)(5) of the Revised Statutes--''.
            (2) Continued confidentiality of information received.--
        Section 1770(d)(5) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (7 U.S.C. 
        2276(d)(5)) is amended to read as follows:
            ``(5) subsections (a) and (c)(5) of section 526 of the 
        Revised Statutes (7 U.S.C. 2204);''.
    (b) Information Furnished to the Department of Commerce.--
            (1) Authority to furnish information.--Section 1770 of the 
        Food Security Act of 1985 is amended by adding at the end the 
        following:
    ``(e) Nothing in this section shall be considered to prohibit any 
release of information under section 526(c)(6) of the Revised Statutes 
(7 U.S.C. 2204(c)(6)).''.
            (2) Continued confidentiality of information received.--
        Information furnished under section 526(c)(6) of the Revised 
        Statutes shall, for purposes of sections 9 and 214 of title 13, 
        United States Code, be treated as if it were information 
        furnished under the provisions of such title 13.
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