[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 154 (Thursday, November 4, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S13990]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         FREEDOM TO E-FILE ACT

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                     FITZGERALD AMENDMENT NO. 2513

  Mr. GRASSLEY (for Mr. Fitzgerald) proposed an amendment to the bill 
(S. 777) 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; as 
follows:

       Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
     following:

     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 specified in subsection (b).
       (b) Applicability.--The agencies referred to in subsection 
     (a) are--
       (1) the Farm Service Agency;
       (2) the Rural Utilities Service;
       (3) the Rural Housing Service;
       (4) the Rural Business-Cooperative Service; and
       (5) 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 forms from the Internet; and
       (B) submit completed forms via electronic facsimile, mail, 
     or similar means;
       (2) redesign forms of the agencies of the Department of 
     Agriculture by incorporating into the forms user-friendly 
     formats and self-help guidance 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 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. 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. 5. 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.

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