[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 146 (Monday, October 25, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H10730-H10731]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    EXEMPTING CERTAIN REPORTS FROM AUTOMATIC ELIMINATION AND SUNSET

  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass 
the bill (H.R. 3111) to exempt certain reports from automatic 
elimination and sunset pursuant to the Federal Reports Elimination and 
Sunset Act of 1995, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 3111

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

     SECTION 1. EXEMPTION OF CERTAIN REPORTS FROM AUTOMATIC 
                   ELIMINATION AND SUNSET.

       Section 3003(a)(1) of the Federal Reports Elimination and 
     Sunset Act of 1995 (31 U.S.C. 1113 note) does not apply to 
     any report required to be submitted under any of the 
     following provisions of law:
       (1) The following sections of title 18, United States Code: 
     sections 2709(e), 3126, and 3525(b), and 3624(f)(6).
       (2) The following sections of title 28, United States Code: 
     sections 522, 524(c)(6), 529, 589a(d), and 594.
       (3) Section 3718(c) of title 31, United States Code.
       (4) Section 9 of the Child Protection Act of 1984 (28 
     U.S.C. 522 note).
       (5) Section 8 of the Civil Rights of Institutionalized 
     Persons Act (42 U.S.C. 1997f).
       (6) The following provisions of the Omnibus Crime Control 
     and Safe Streets Act of 1968: sections 102(b) (42 U.S.C. 
     3712(b)), 520 (42 U.S.C. 3766), 522 (42 U.S.C. 3766b), and 
     810 (42 U.S.C. 3789e).
       (7) The following provisions of the Immigration and 
     Nationality Act: sections 103 (8 U.S.C. 1103), 207(c)(3) (8 
     U.S.C. 1157(c)(3)), 412(b) (8 U.S.C. 1522(b)), and 413 (8 
     U.S.C. 1523), and subsections (h), (l), (o), (q), and (r) of 
     section 286 (8 U.S.C. 1356).
       (8) Section 3 of the International Claims Settlement Act of 
     1949 (22 U.S.C. 1622).
       (9) Section 9 of the War Claims Act of 1948 (50 U.S.C. App. 
     2008).
       (10) Section 13(c) of the Act of September 11, 1957 (8 
     U.S.C. 1255b(c)).
       (11) Section 203(b) of the Aleutian and Pribilof Islands 
     Restitution Act (50 U.S.C. App. 1989c-2(b)).
       (12) Section 801(e) of the Immigration Act of 1990 (29 
     U.S.C. 2920(e)).
       (13) Section 401 of the Immigration Reform and Control Act 
     of 1986 (8 U.S.C. 1364).
       (14) Section 707 of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (15 
     U.S.C. 1691f).
       (15) Section 201(b) of the Privacy Protection Act of 1980 
     (42 U.S.C. 2000aa-11(b)).
       (16) Section 609U of the Justice Assistance Act of 1984 (42 
     U.S.C. 10509).
       (17) Section 13(a) of the Classified Information Procedures 
     Act (18 U.S.C. App.).
       (18) Section 1004 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964(42 U.S.C. 
     2000g-3).
       (19) Section 1114 of the Right to Financial Privacy Act of 
     1978 (12 U.S.C. 3414).
       (20) Section 11 of the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 
     1938 (22 U.S.C. 621).
       (21) The following provisions of the Foreign Intelligence 
     Surveillance Act of 1978: sections 107 (50 U.S.C. 1807) and 
     108 (50 U.S.C. 1808).
       (22) Section 102(b)(5) of the Department of Justice and 
     Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1993 (28 U.S.C. 533 
     note).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Smith) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers) each 
will control 20 minutes.

[[Page H10731]]

  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith).


                             General Leave

  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend 
their remarks on H.R. 3111, the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the Federal Reports Elimination and Sunset Act of 1995 
provided that all periodic reports provided to Congress will sunset on 
December 21, 1999, unless reauthorized by Congress. The intent of the 
act was to spur Congress to reexamine all the periodic reports it 
receives and eliminate the obsolete reports.
  After careful review, the Committee on the Judiciary determined that 
about 40 reports, out of the thousands of reports subject to subset, 
are required for the committee to perform its legislative and oversight 
duties. Examples include the U.S. Department of Justice's annual report 
on crime statistics and the Immigration and Naturalization Service's 
annual statistical report.
  This bill in its present form is a manager's amendment that includes 
16 additional reports requested by my Democratic colleagues. Again, the 
bill merely continues existing report requirements. It does not 
authorize any new reports.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith), the 
chairman of the Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims of the Committee 
on the Judiciary. We have worked out the differences in this measure.
  I have to let the Record show that it would have been nice to have 
held hearings on this measure; but, nonetheless, H.R. 3111 is a bill 
supported by myself, introduced by the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Hyde), chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary. We think that the 
Federal Reports Elimination and Sunset Act of 1995 requires the end of 
the submission of various periodic reports to Congress by December 21 
of this year.
  The Act forces Congress to reexamine the usefulness of the various 
reporting requirements that have been mandated of Federal agencies, 
including the Department of Justice. This review process is important 
and a practical exercise in that we must be sure that Federal dollars 
and personnel time are not being wasted on obsolete reports to 
Congress.
  But all reports are not obsolete. So together we have reviewed and 
have been able to agree on a reduced list of reports from the 
Department of Justice that will continue to provide information 
important to the legislative and oversight process.
  One should not minimize the importance of these reports. For example, 
we have retained reports on pen register orders and wiretap 
applications to monitor the activities of the Department to ensure that 
its activities do not invade our society's expected right to privacy.
  Other reports help Congress monitor the Department's undercover 
operations, the conduct of various justice programs in areas including 
immigration. These should not sunset.
  So, again, my commendations to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith), 
the subcommittee chair, for the spirit of cooperation in working out 
this measure. The review process required to produce this bill 
represents an essential function of good government that we can all 
support on a bipartisan basis.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the generous comments 
of the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers).
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 3111, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________