[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 158 (Wednesday, November 10, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H11902-H11904]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    EXEMPTING CERTAIN REPORTS FROM AUTOMATIC ELIMINATION AND SUNSET 
   PURSUANT TO FEDERAL REPORTS AND ELIMINATION AND SUNSET ACT OF 1995

  Mr. GOODLING. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 3234) to exempt certain reports from automatic elimination 
and sunset pursuant to the Federal Reports and Elimination and Sunset 
Act of 1995, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 3234

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

     SECTION 1. REPORTS WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE COMMITTEE 
                   ON EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE.

       Section 3003(a)(1) of the Federal Reports Elimination and 
     Sunset Act of 1995 (31 U.S.C.

[[Page H11903]]

     1113 note) does not apply to any report required to be 
     submitted under the following provisions of law:
       (1) Section 425 of the General Education Provisions Act (20 
     U.S.C. 1226c), relating to the effectiveness of applicable 
     programs.
       (2) The following provisions of the Department of Education 
     Organization Act:
       (A) Section 414 (20 U.S.C. 3474), relating to the 
     promulgation of rules and regulations.
       (B) Section 426 (20 U.S.C. 3486), relating to Departmental 
     activities.
       (3) The following provisions of the Higher Education Act of 
     1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.):
       (A) Section 114 (20 U.S.C. 1011c), relating to the National 
     Advisory Committee on Institutional Evaluation and Integrity.
       (B) Section 392(b)(2) (20 U.S.C. 1068a(b)(2)), relating to 
     reports on waivers.
       (C) Section 432(b) (20 U.S.C. 1082(b)), relating to budget 
     submissions by the Secretary of Education.
       (D) Section 439(k) (20 U.S.C. 1087-2(k)), relating to 
     reports on audits by the Secretary of the Treasury.
       (E) Section 482(d) (20 U.S.C. 1089(d)), relating to notices 
     of failures to comply with master calendar deadlines.
       (F) Section 485B(d) (20 U.S.C. 1092b(d)), relating to a 
     report on the student loan data system.
       (G) Section 702(a)(2)(D) (20 U.S.C. 1134a(a)(2)(D)), 
     relating to reports of the Javits Fellows Program Fellowship 
     Board.
       (4) The following provisions of the National Foundation on 
     the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 951 et 
     seq.):
       (A) Section 5(q) (20 U.S.C. 954(q)), relating to the state 
     of the arts in the Nation.
       (B) Section 7(k) (20 U.S.C. 956(k)), relating to the state 
     of the humanities in the Nation.
       (C) Section 10(d) (20 U.S.C. 959(d)), relating to annual 
     reports summarizing activities.
       (D) Section 10(e) (20 U.S.C. 959(e)), relating to annual 
     reports summarizing activities.
       (5) The following provisions of the Arts and Artifacts 
     Indemnity Act (20 U.S.C. 971 et seq.):
       (A) Section 6(b) (20 U.S.C. 975(b)), relating to 
     certification of the validity of the claims.
       (B) Section 8 (20 U.S.C. 977), relating to an annual report 
     on claims and contracts.
       (6) Section 5(a)(7) of the National Commission on Libraries 
     and Information Science Act (20 U.S.C. 1504(a)(7)), relating 
     to an annual report on the activities of the National 
     Commission on Libraries and Information Science.
       (7) Section 112(b)(3) of the Education of the Deaf Act of 
     1986 (20 U.S.C. 4332(b)(3)), relating to the annual report on 
     indirect costs from the Board of Trustees.
       (8) The following provisions of the United States Institute 
     of Peace Act (22 U.S.C. 4601 et seq.):
       (A) Section 1708(h) (22 U.S.C. 4607(h)), relating to an 
     annual report of audit.
       (B) Section 1712 (22 U.S.C. 4611), relating to a biennial 
     report on progress.
       (9) Section 1121(h)(4) of the Education Amendments of 1978 
     (25 U.S.C. 2001(h)(4)), relating to review of or proposed 
     closure or consolidation of schools operated by the Bureau of 
     Indian Affairs.
       (10) Section 1125(b) of the Education Amendments of 1978 
     (25 U.S.C. 2005(b)), relating to plans to bring Indian 
     educational facilities into compliance with health and safety 
     standards.
       (11) Section 1137(a) of the Education Amendments of 1978 
     (25 U.S.C. 2017(a)), relating to annual reports on the status 
     of educational programs administered by the Bureau of Indian 
     Affairs and educational problems encountered during the year 
     for which the report is submitted.
       (12) Section 5206(g) of the Tribally Controlled Schools Act 
     of 1988 (P.L. 100-297; 102 Stat. 391), relating to 
     applications received and actions taken on grants for 
     tribally controlled schools.
       (13) Section 204(b)(2) of the Helen Keller National Center 
     Act (29 U.S.C. 1903(b)(2)), relating to the report on the 
     evaluation of the operation of the Helen Keller National 
     Center.
       (14) The following provisions of the Older Americans Act of 
     1965:
       (A) Section 206(d) (42 U.S.C. 3017(d)), relating to reports 
     on results of evaluative research and program evaluation.
       (B) Subsections (a) and (b) of section 207 (42 U.S.C. 
     3018(a), (b)), relating to reports on activities and reports 
     on State long-term care ombudsman programs.
       (15) The following provisions of Federal law requiring 
     reports related to the Equal Opportunity Employment 
     Commission:
       (A) Section 13 of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act 
     of 1967 (29 U.S.C. 632).
       (B) Section 705(e) of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 
     U.S.C. 2000e-4(e)).
       (16) The following provisions of the Rehabilitation Act of 
     1973 (29 U.S.C. 701 et seq.):
       (A) Section 13 (29 U.S.C. 710), relating to the annual 
     report on activities carried out under the Act.
       (B) Section 106(d) (29 U.S.C. 726(d)), relating to an 
     analysis of program performance based on standards and 
     indicators.
       (C) Section 401 (29 U.S.C. 781), relating to the annual 
     report on the status of disability policy.
       (D) Section 502(b)(8) and (9) and section 502(h)(1) (29 
     U.S.C. 792(b)(8) and (9) and (h)(1)), relating to reports by 
     the Access Board on investigations, recommendations, and 
     activities of the Board.
       (E) Section 507(c) (29 U.S.C. 794c(c)), relating to the 
     report by the Interagency Disability Coordinating Council.
       (17) The following provisions of Federal law requiring 
     reports related to labor:
       (A) Section 3(c) of the National Labor Relations Act (29 
     U.S.C. 153(c)), relating to case activities and operations of 
     the National Labor Relations Board.
       (B) Section 8 of the Act of June 13, 1888 (29 U.S.C. 6) 
     relating to reports by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
       (C) Section 4(d) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 
     (29 U.S.C. 204(d)) relating to a report of the Secretary of 
     Labor respecting implementation of such Act and the 
     curtailment of employment opportunities.
       (D) Section 42 of the Longshore and Harbor Workers' 
     Compensation Act (33 U.S.C. 942) relating to a report of the 
     Secretary of Labor respecting implementation of such Act.
       (E) Section 8152 of title 5, United States Code, relating 
     to reports by the Secretary of Labor respecting the 
     implementation of chapter 81 of such title relating to 
     compensation for work injuries.
       (F) Section 26 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 
     1970 (29 U.S.C. 675) relating to a report of the Secretary of 
     labor respecting implementation of such Act.
       (G) Section 9(b)(1) of the Wagner-Peyser Act (29 U.S.C. 
     49h(b)(1)) relating to an evaluation by the Comptroller 
     General regarding the United States Employment Service.
       (H) Section 511(a) of the Federal Coal Mine Health and 
     Safety Act of 1969 (30 U.S.C. 958(a)) relating to a report by 
     the Secretary of Labor relating to coal mine health and 
     safety.
       (I) Section 202(c) of the Labor Management Relations Act of 
     1947 (29 U.S.C. 172(c)) relating to reports by the Federal 
     Mediation and Conciliation Service.
       (J) Section 22(f) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act 
     of 1970 (29 U.S.C. 671(f)) relating to reports by the 
     National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health.
       (K) Section 2908 of Public Law 101-647, relating to reports 
     by the Secretary of Labor respecting compliance with certain 
     requirements.
       (18) Section 513(b) of the Employee Retirement Income 
     Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1143(b)), relating to an 
     explanation of variances granted for vesting or funding, the 
     status of enforcement cases, any recommendations received 
     from the Advisory Council, and recommendations for further 
     legislation.
       (19) Section 4008 of the Employee Retirement Income 
     Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1308), relating to the report 
     of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation of its financial 
     statements and on its activities and providing actuarial 
     evaluations for the next 5 years.
       (20) Section 650 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9846), 
     relating to the operation of Head Start programs.
       (21) The reporting requirements of section 8G(h)(2) of the 
     Inspector General Act (5 U.S.C. App.), relating to results of 
     audits conducted by the Office of Inspector General, and the 
     requirements of section 8G(e) of such Act, relating to 
     communication of reasons for removal or transfer of the 
     Inspector General, for the following agencies:
       (A) The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.
       (B) The Department of Labor.
       (C) The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Goodling) and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Goodling).
  Mr. GOODLING. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3234.
  On December 21, 1999, all the reports that we would normally use in 
oversight will terminate. We believe that we have identified somewhere 
between 170 and 200 such reports that affect our committee.
  We believe for oversight purposes, if we are going to do the job the 
way we should do it, we should make sure that 48 of those do not 
terminate. So we would ask that the 48 that we have identified that are 
necessary to do our oversight work remain on the books. And we are 
happy to get rid of all of the others, which are in this folder.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that our staff were able to resolve the 
concerns that we had about the adequacy of the list of reports and 
studies contained in the introduced bill.
  By taking just a little additional time, we have reached a bipartisan 
agreement that has been incorporated into the amendment that has been 
offered today.
  Reexamining the usefulness of the reporting requirements that have 
been imposed on Federal agencies is a prudent exercise for committees 
to undertake. It can ensure that resources are not being wasted to 
produce reports that are no longer useful or desirable.

[[Page H11904]]

  Therefore, Mr. Speaker, the legislation now before us indicates that 
our committee has met that standard. Accordingly, I urge a yes vote on 
the bill.
  Mr. GOODLING. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CLAY. 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 Pennsylvania (Mr. Goodling) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3234, 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.

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