[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 777 Engrossed Amendment Senate (EAS)]

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

                  In the Senate of the United States,

                                                          May 18, 2000.
      Resolved, That the Senate agree to the amendments of the House of 
Representatives to the bill (S. 777, entitled ``An Act to require the 
Department of Agriculture to establish an electronic filing and 
retrieval system to enable the public to file all required paperwork 
electronically with the Department and to have access to public 
information on farm programs, quarterly trade, economic, and production 
reports, and other similar information.'' with the following

                 SENATE AMENDMENT TO HOUSE AMENDMENTS:

            In lieu of the matter proposed to be inserted by the House 
      amendment to the text of the bill, insert:

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Freedom to E-File Act''.

SEC. 2. ELECTRONIC FILING AND RETRIEVAL.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, in accordance with subsection (c), the Secretary 
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 
        section 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 carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary 
shall--
            (1) provide a method by which agricultural producers may--
                    (A) download from the Internet the forms of the 
                agencies 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-friendly 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
                    (B) develop common Internet user-interface 
                locations and applications to consolidate the agencies' 
                news, information, and program materials.
    (d) Progress Reports.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report 
that describes the progress made toward implementing the Internet-based 
system required under this section.

SEC. 3. ACCESSING INFORMATION AND FILING OVER THE INTERNET.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, in accordance with subsection (b), the Secretary 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 carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary 
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 Department specified in section 2(b) and 
        determined appropriate by the Secretary; and
            (3) to access information of the Department concerning farm 
        programs, quarterly trade, economic, and production reports, 
        and other similar production agriculture information that is 
        readily available to the public in paper form.

SEC. 4. AVAILABILITY OF AGENCY INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FUNDS.

    (a) Reservation of 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 equal to not more 
than the following:
            (1) For fiscal year 2001, $3,000,000.
            (2) For each subsequent fiscal year, $2,000,000.
    (b) Time for Reservation.--The Secretary shall notify Congress of 
the amount to be reserved under subsection (a) for a fiscal year not 
later than December 1 of that fiscal year.
    (c) Use of Funds.--
            (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 Funds.--Funds reserved under subsection (a) and 
unobligated at the end of the fiscal year shall be returned to the 
agency from which the funds were reserved, to remain available until 
expended.

SEC. 5. FEDERAL CROP INSURANCE CORPORATION AND RISK MANAGEMENT AGENCY.

    (a) In General.--Not later than December 1, 2000, the Federal 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, and 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 
        providers 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 electronically all paperwork required for 
        participation 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 
                electronically 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 Federal 
Crop Insurance Corporation and the Risk Management Agency shall 
complete implementation of the plan submitted under subsection (a).

SEC. 6. CONFIDENTIALITY.

    In carrying out this Act, the Secretary--
            (1) may not make available any information over the 
        Internet that would otherwise not be available for release 
        under 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.

            Attest:

                                                             Secretary.
106th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                 S. 777

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                  SENATE AMENDMENT TO HOUSE AMENDMENTS