[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 68 (Tuesday, June 6, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H3892-H3893]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
FREEDOM TO E-FILE ACT
Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the
Speaker's table the Senate 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, with a Senate amendment to the House amendments
thereto, and concur in the Senate amendment.
The Clerk read the title of the Senate bill.
The Clerk read the Senate amendment to the House amendments, as
follows:
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.
Mr. LaHOOD (during the reading). Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent
that the Senate amendment to the House amendments be considered as read
and printed in the Record.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Illinois?
There was no objection.
Mr. STENHOLM. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the House in concurring
with the Senate amendment and passing S. 777, otherwise known as, the
Freedom to E-File bill.
I have long been a proponent of initiatives at USDA to provide better
service to farmers and ranchers through streamlining and the use of new
technologies, while at the same time saving taxpayer dollars.
Growing numbers of farmers and ranchers are using home computers.
This fact, coupled with budget demands, is putting enormous pressure on
USDA's field service employees. It is therefore imperative that USDA
take advantage of the internet for the efficiencies it
[[Page H3893]]
can offer. Doing so will benefit overworked field service staff, save
taxpayer dollars, and allow farmers and ranchers to spend more time on
their operations and less time visiting USDA offices.
For these reasons, I believe USDA must improve electronic access to
its programs and services. Consequently, I support S. 777, the Freedom
to E-File bill.
While I support the goals of this bill, I would prefer a more
comprehensive look at USDA reorganization and modernization.
Unfortunately, it appears that changes at USDA are only going to be
made on an incremental basis.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the initial request of
the gentleman from Illinois?
There was no objection.
The motion to reconsider is laid on the table.
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