I 111th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2392 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 13, 2009 Mr. Issa introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform A BILL To improve the effectiveness of the Government’s collection, analysis, and dissemination of business information by using modern interactive data technologies.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Government Information Transparency Act.

2.

Requirements relating to standardization of collection, analysis, and dissemination of certain information

(a)

Purposes

(1)

In general

The purpose of this Act is to provide, to the maximum extent practicable, for the Federal Government to standardize the collection, analysis, and dissemination of business and financial information regarding business activities of companies through the use of a single data standard known as eXtensible Business Reporting Language. (2)

Additional purposes

In addition, the purposes of this Act are— (A)to require the use of the eXtensible Business Reporting Language standard to establish common definitions and structures that will maximize to the extent practicable the comparability and interoperability of data collected and held by Executive agencies; and (B)to provide for continued upgrading and maintenance of such common definitions and structures to remain current and of maximum utility as technologies and industry-specific or agency-specific content evolve over time. (b)

Best practices

Within 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, acting through the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, shall prepare and disseminate to Executive agencies guidance documents regarding best practices to accomplish the purposes set forth in subsection (a). (c)

Establishment of agency procedures

Within 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the head of each agency shall establish procedures for accomplishing the purposes set forth in subsection (a) within the agency concerned. (d)

Public access to interactive data

Upon establishment of the procedures required by subsection (c), the head of each agency shall ensure that the information collected under the standard is accessible to the general public to the extent permitted by law.

3.

Annual report to Congress

Within 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter on the anniversary of such date, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall submit to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report on the status of the implementation of this Act.

4.

Definition

In this Act; (1)

Agency

The term agency means any executive department, military department, Government corporation, Government controlled corporation, independent establishment, 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— (A)the Government Accountability Office; (B)the Federal Election Commission; (C)the governments of the District of Columbia and of the territories and possessions of the United States, and their various subdivisions; or (D)Government-owned contractor-operated facilities, including laboratories engaged in national defense research and production activities. (2)

Executive department, military department, Government corporation, Government controlled corporation, independent establishment

The terms Executive department, military department, Government corporation, Government controlled corporation, and independent establishment have the meanings given those terms by chapter 1 of title 5, United States Code. (3)

Independent regulatory agency

The term independent regulatory agency has the meaning given that term by section 3502(5) of title 44, United States Code.