[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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