[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 137 (Wednesday, November 12, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H7907-H7910]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
GOVERNMENT REPORTS ELIMINATION ACT OF 2014
Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the
Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 4194) to provide for the elimination
or modification of Federal reporting requirements.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the Senate amendment is as follows:
Senate amendment:
In lieu of the matter proposed to be inserted, insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Government Reports
Elimination Act of 2014''.
SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.
The table of contents for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Table of contents.
TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Sec. 101. Reports eliminated.
TITLE II--DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Sec. 201. Reports eliminated.
TITLE III--CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE
Sec. 301. Reports eliminated.
TITLE IV--DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Sec. 401. Reports eliminated.
TITLE V--DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Sec. 501. Report on Impact Aid construction justifying discretionary
grant awards eliminated.
TITLE VI--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Sec. 601. Reports eliminated.
TITLE VII--ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Sec. 701. Great Lakes management comprehensive report eliminated.
TITLE VIII--EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
Sec. 801. Report relating to waiver of certain sanctions against North
Korea eliminated.
TITLE IX--GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE
Sec. 901. Reports eliminated.
Sec. 902. Reports modified.
TITLE X--DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Sec. 1001. Reports eliminated.
TITLE XI--DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Sec. 1101. Royalties in-kind report eliminated.
TITLE XII--DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Sec. 1201. Report eliminated.
TITLE XIII--OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE
Sec. 1301. Report eliminated.
TITLE XIV--DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Sec. 1401. Report eliminated.
TITLE XV--DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Sec. 1501. Reports eliminated.
Sec. 1502. Report modified.
TITLE XVI--DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Sec. 1601. Reports eliminated.
TITLE XVII--DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Sec. 1701. Report eliminated.
TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
SEC. 101. REPORTS ELIMINATED.
(a) Peanut Base Acres Data Collection and Publication.--
Section 1302(d) of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of
2008 (7 U.S.C. 8752(d)) is amended--
(1) by striking paragraph (3);
(2) in paragraph (4), by striking ``Paragraphs (1) through
(3)'' and inserting ``Paragraphs (1) and (2)''; and
(3) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (3).
(b) Report on Export Credit Guarantees to Emerging
Markets.--Section 1542(e) of the Food, Agriculture,
Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-624; 7
U.S.C. 5622 note) is amended--
(1) by striking ``(1) Effect of credits.--''; and
(2) by striking paragraph (2).
(c) Evaluation of the Rural Development, Business and
Industry Guaranteed Loan Program Financing of Locally or
Regionally Produced Food Products.--Section 310B(g)(9)(B) of
the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C.
1932(g)(9)(B)) is amended--
(1) by striking clause (iv); and
(2) by redesignating clause (v) as clause (iv).
(d) Quarterly Export Assistance Reports.--Section 603 of
the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 5713) is
repealed.
(e) Rural Collaborative Investment Program.--
(1) Secretarial report on regional rural investment
boards.--Section 385C(b)(7) of the Consolidated Farm and
Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2009dd-2(b)(7)) is amended--
(A) in subparagraph (B), by adding ``and'' at the end;
(B) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``; and'' and
inserting a period; and
(C) by striking subparagraph (D).
(2) Report by regional rural investment board to national
rural investment board and the secretary.--Section 385D(a)(7)
of Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C.
2009dd-3(a)(7)) is amended--
(A) in subparagraph (C), by adding ``and'' at the end;
(B) by striking subparagraph (D); and
(C) by redesignating subparagraph (E) as subparagraph (D).
(f) Status Report for Foreign Market Development.--Section
702 of the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 5722) is
amended by striking subsection (c).
TITLE II--DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
SEC. 201. REPORTS ELIMINATED.
(a) Efforts and Progress in Becoming Designated as Sea
Grant College or Institute.--Section 207 of the National Sea
Grant Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1126) is amended by striking
subsection (e).
(b) Enterprise Integration Standardization and
Implementation.--Section 3 of the Enterprise Integration Act
of 2002 (15 U.S.C. 278g-5) is amended--
(1) by striking subsection (c); and
(2) by redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as subsections
(c) and (d), respectively.
(c) Ensuring Equal Access to Sea Grant Fellowship
Program.--Section 208(a) of the National Sea Grant Program
Act (33 U.S.C. 1127(a)) is amended by striking the fourth
sentence.
(d) Technology Innovation Program Activities.--Section 28
of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15
U.S.C. 278n) is amended--
(1) by striking subsection (g);
(2) by redesignating subsections (h) through (l) as
subsections (g) through (k), respectively; and
(3) in subsection (k)(5), as redesignated, by striking
``under subsection (k)'' and inserting ``under subsection
(j)''.
(e) TIP Advisory Board Annual Report.--Section 28 of the
National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C.
278n) is further amended in subsection (j), as redesignated
by subsection (d), by striking paragraph (5).
(f) Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Activities.--Section 212
of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Convention Act of 1995
(16 U.S.C. 5611) is repealed.
TITLE III--CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE
SEC. 301. REPORTS ELIMINATED.
(a) Service-Learning Impact Study.--The National and
Community Service Act of 1990 is amended by repealing part IV
of subtitle B of title I (42 U.S.C. 12565).
(b) Reports by Other Federal Agencies to the Corporation.--
Section 182 of the National and Community Service Act of 1990
(42 U.S.C. 12642) is amended--
(1) by striking the following:
``(a) Design of Programs.--''; and
(2) by striking subsection (b).
TITLE IV--DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
SEC. 401. REPORTS ELIMINATED.
(a) Display of Annual Budget Requirements for Air
Sovereignty Alert Mission.--Section 354 of the Duncan Hunter
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009
(Public Law 110-417; 10 U.S.C. 221 note) is hereby repealed.
(b) Annual Report on Reliability of Department of Defense
Financial Statements.--Section 1008 of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002 (Public Law 107-107;
10 U.S.C. 113 note) is amended--
(1) by striking subsections (a) and (b); and
(2) in subsection (d)(1), by striking ``(b) or''.
TITLE V--DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
SEC. 501. REPORT ON IMPACT AID CONSTRUCTION JUSTIFYING
DISCRETIONARY GRANT AWARDS ELIMINATED.
Section 8007(b) of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7707(b)) is amended by striking
paragraph (7).
TITLE VI--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
SEC. 601. REPORTS ELIMINATED.
(a) Science and Engineering Education Pilot Program.--
Section 983 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C.
16323) is amended by striking subsection (d).
(b) Strategic Unconventional Fuels Development Program.--
Section 369(i) of Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C.
15927(i)) is amended by striking paragraph (3).
(c) Energy Efficiency Standards for Industrial Equipment.--
Section 342(a)(6)(C) of Energy Policy and Conservation Act
(42 U.S.C. 6313(a)(6)(C)) is amended--
(1) by striking clause (v); and
(2) by redesignating clause (vi) (as added by section
310(a)(4) of Public Law 112-110; 126 Stat. 1524) as clause
(v).
TITLE VII--ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
SEC. 701. GREAT LAKES MANAGEMENT COMPREHENSIVE REPORT
ELIMINATED.
Section 118(c) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act
(33 U.S.C. 1268(c)) is amended--
(1) by striking paragraph (10); and
(2) by redesignating paragraphs (11) through (13) as
paragraphs (10) through (12), respectively.
TITLE VIII--EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
SEC. 801. REPORT RELATING TO WAIVER OF CERTAIN SANCTIONS
AGAINST NORTH KOREA ELIMINATED.
Section 1405 of the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008
(22 U.S.C. 2799aa-1 note) is amended--
[[Page H7908]]
(1) by striking subsection (c); and
(2) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (c).
TITLE IX--GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE
SEC. 901. REPORTS ELIMINATED.
(a) Expenditures of Local Educational Agencies.--Section
1904 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 6574) is repealed.
(b) Use of Recovery Act Funds by States and Localities
Report.--Section 901 of the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5; 123 Stat. 191) is
repealed.
(c) Help America Vote Act Funds Audit.--
(1) Elimination of audit.--Section 902(b) of the Help
America Vote Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 15542(b)) is amended--
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``paragraph (5)'' and
inserting ``paragraph (4)'';
(B) by striking paragraph (3); and
(C) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through (6) as
paragraphs (3) through (5).
(2) Preservation of authority to recoup funds resulting
from prior audits.--Section 902(c) of such Act (42 U.S.C.
15542(c)) is amended by inserting after ``subsection (b)''
the following: ``prior to the date of the enactment of the
Government Reports Elimination Act of 2014''.
(d) State Small Business Credit Initiative Audit and
Report.--Section 3011 of the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010
(12 U.S.C. 5710) is amended--
(1) by striking subsection (b); and
(2) by redesignating subsections (c) and (d) as subsections
(b) and (c), respectively.
(e) Small Business Lending Fund Program Audit and Report.--
Section 4107 of the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 (12
U.S.C. 4741 note) is amended--
(1) by striking subsection (c); and
(2) by redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as subsections
(c) and (d), respectively.
(f) Housing Assistance Council Financial Statement Audit
Report.--Section 6303(a) of the Food, Conservation, and
Energy Act of 2008 (42 U.S.C. 1490e note) is amended by
striking paragraph (3).
SEC. 902. REPORTS MODIFIED.
(a) National Prevention, Health Promotion and Public Health
Council.--Subsection (i) of section 4001 of the Patient
Protection and Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 300u-10) is
amended by striking ``The Secretary and the Comptroller
General of the United States shall jointly conduct periodic
reviews'' and inserting ``The Secretary shall conduct
periodic reviews''.
(b) Postcard Mandate.--Section 719(g)(2) of title 31,
United States Code is amended--
(1) by striking the first sentence and inserting the
following: ``The Comptroller General shall make each list
available through the public website of the Government
Accountability Office.''; and
(2) in the second sentence, by inserting ``of Congress''
after ``committee or member''.
(c) Annual Audit of the Congressional Award Foundation.--
(1) Use of private independent public accountant.--Section
107 of the Congressional Award Act (2 U.S.C. 807) is amended
to read as follows:
``audits
``Sec. 107. (a) Contracts With Independent Public
Accountant.--The Board shall enter into a contract with an
independent public accountant to conduct an annual audit in
accordance with generally accepted government auditing
standards, of the financial records of the Board and of any
corporation established under section 106(i), and shall
ensure that the independent public accountant has access for
the purpose of the audit to any books, documents, papers, and
records of the Board or such corporation (or any agent of the
Board or such corporation) which the independent public
accountant reasonably determines to be pertinent to the
Congressional Award Program.
``(b) Annual Report to Congress on Audit Results.--Not
later than May 15 of each calendar year, the Board shall
submit to appropriate officers, committees, and subcommittees
of Congress and to the Comptroller General of the United
States a report on the results of the most recent audit
conducted pursuant to this section, and shall include in the
report information on any such additional areas as the
independent public accountant who conducted the audit
determines deserve or require evaluation.
``(c) Review by the Comptroller General of Annual Audit.--
``(1) The Comptroller General of the United States shall
review each annual audit conducted under subsection (a).
``(2) For purposes of a review under paragraph (1), the
Comptroller General, or any duly authorized representative of
the Comptroller General, shall have access to any books,
documents, papers, and records of the Board or such
corporation, or any agent of the Board or such corporation,
including the independent external auditor designated under
subsection (a), which, in the opinion of the Comptroller
General, may be pertinent.
``(3) Not later than 180 days after the date on which the
Comptroller General receives a report under subsection (b),
the Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a report
containing the results of the review conducted under
paragraph (1) with respect to the preceding year.''.
(2) Amendments relating to compliance with fiscal control
and accounting policies and procedures.--Section 104(c) of
the Congressional Award Act (2 U.S.C. 804(c)) is amended--
(A) in paragraph (1), in the first sentence, by--
(i) inserting ``policies and'' before ``procedures''; and
(ii) striking ``fund''; and
(B) in paragraph (2)(A)--
(i) in the first sentence, by striking ``The Comptroller
General of the United States'' and inserting ``The
independent public accountant conducting the annual audit of
the financial records of the Board pursuant to section
107(a)''; and
(ii) in the second sentence, by striking ``the Comptroller
General'' and inserting ``the independent public
accountant''.
(3) Effective date.--The amendments made by this subsection
shall take effect on October 1, 2014.
(d) Annual GAO Review of Proposed HHS Recovery Threshold.--
The third sentence of section 1862(b)(9)(B)(i) of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395y(b)(9)(B)(i)) is amended by
striking ``for a year'' and inserting ``for 2014''.
TITLE X--DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
SEC. 1001. REPORTS ELIMINATED.
(a) Prohibition on Importation of Products Made With Dog or
Cat Fur.--Section 308 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C.
1308) is amended by striking subsection (e).
(b) Port of Entry Infrastructure Assessment Study and
National Land Border Security Plan.--The Border
Infrastructure and Technology Modernization Act of 2007
(title VI of division E of Public Law 110-161; 6 U.S.C. 1401
et seq.) is amended by striking sections 603 and 604.
(c) Fees for Certain Customs Services.--
(1) Repeal.--Section 13031 of the Consolidated Omnibus
Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (Public Law 99-272; 19
U.S.C. 58c) is amended--
(A) in subsection (a)(9), by striking subparagraph (C) and
redesignating subparagraph (D) as subparagraph (C); and
(B) in subsection (f)--
(i) in paragraph (3)--
(I) by striking subparagraph (D); and
(II) by redesignating subparagraph (E) as subparagraph (D);
(ii) by striking paragraph (4); and
(iii) by redesignating paragraphs (5) and (6) as paragraphs
(4) and (5), respectively.
(2) Conforming amendments.--Subsection (f) of such section
is further amended--
(A) in paragraph (1)(B), by striking ``paragraph (5)'' and
inserting ``paragraph (4)''; and
(B) in paragraph (3)(A), by striking ``paragraph (5)'' and
inserting ``paragraph (4)''.
(d) Modernization of National Distress and Response
System.--
(1) Repeal.--Section 346 of the Maritime Transportation
Security Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-295; 14 U.S.C. 88 note)
is repealed.
(2) Clerical amendment.--The table of contents in section
1(b) of such Act is amended by striking the item relating to
section 346.
TITLE XI--DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
SEC. 1101. ROYALTIES IN-KIND REPORT ELIMINATED.
Section 342 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C.
15902) is amended--
(1) by striking subsection (e); and
(2) by redesignating subsections (f) through (j) as
subsections (e) through (i), respectively.
TITLE XII--DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
SEC. 1201. REPORT ELIMINATED.
Section 207 of the Andean Trade Preference Act (19 U.S.C.
3205) is repealed.
TITLE XIII--OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE
SEC. 1301. REPORT ELIMINATED.
Section 2(5)(E) of the Senate resolution advising and
consenting to ratification of the Document Agreed Among the
States Parties to the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in
Europe (CFE) of November 19, 1990, adopted at Vienna May 31,
1996 (Treaty Doc. 105-5) (commonly referred to as the ``CFE
Flank Document''), 105th Congress, agreed to May 14, 1997, is
repealed.
TITLE XIV--DEPARTMENT OF STATE
SEC. 1401. REPORT ELIMINATED.
Section 620F of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22
U.S.C. 2376) is amended by striking subsection (c).
TITLE XV--DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
SEC. 1501. REPORTS ELIMINATED.
(a) Reports of Air Traffic Services Committee.--Section
106(p)(7) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by striking subparagraph (H); and
(2) by redesignating subparagraph (I) as subparagraph (H).
(b) Annual Summaries of Airport Financial Reports.--
(1) In general.--Section 47107 of title 49, United States
Code, is amended by striking subsection (k).
(2) Conforming amendments.--
(A) Section 47107 of title 49, United States Code, as
amended by paragraph (1), is further amended--
(i) by redesignating subsections (l) through (t) as
subsections (k) through (s), respectively;
(ii) in paragraph (5) of subsection (k), as redesignated by
clause (i)--
(I) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking
``subsection (n)(7)'' and inserting ``subsection (m)(7)'';
and
(II) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``subsection (n)''
and inserting ``subsection (m)'';
(iii) in subsection (m), as so redesignated--
(I) by striking ``subsections (b) and (l)'' each place it
appears and inserting ``subsections (b) and (k)''; and
(II) by striking ``subsection (o)'' each place it appears
and inserting ``subsection (n)'';
(iv) in subsection (n), as so redesignated, by striking
``subsection (n)'' each place it appears and inserting
``subsection (m)'';
(v) in subsection (o), as so redesignated, by striking
``subsection (o)'' and inserting ``subsection (n)'';
[[Page H7909]]
(vi) in subsection (p), as so redesignated, by striking
``subsections (a) through (p)'' and inserting ``subsections
(a) through (o)''; and
(vii) in subsection (q), as so redesignated, by striking
``subsections (q)(1) through (3)'' and inserting ``paragraphs
(1) through (3) of subsection (p)''.
(B) Section 46301(d)(2) of such title is amended by
striking ``section 47107(l)'' and inserting ``section
47107(k)''.
(C) Section 47111(e) of such title is amended by striking
``section 47107(l)'' and inserting ``section 47107(k)''.
(D) Section 9502 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is
amended by striking ``section 47107(n)'' each place it
appears and inserting ``section 47107(m)''.
(c) Annual Report on Pipeline Safety Information Grants to
Communities.--Section 60130 of title 49, United States Code,
is amended--
(1) by striking subsection (c); and
(2) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (c).
(d) Annual Report on Pilot Program for Innovative Financing
of Air Traffic Control Equipment.--Section 182 of the Vision
100--Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act (117 Stat. 2515;
49 U.S.C. 44502 note) is amended--
(1) by striking subsection (e); and
(2) by redesignating subsection (f) as subsection (e).
(e) Reports on Justifications for Air Defense
Identification Zones.--Section 602 of the Vision 100--Century
of Aviation Reauthorization Act (117 Stat. 2563), and the
item relating to that section in the table of contents
contained in section 1(b) of that Act, are repealed.
(f) Annual Report on Standards for Aircraft and Aircraft
Engines To Reduce Noise Levels.--Section 726 of the Wendell
H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st
Century (114 Stat. 167; 49 U.S.C. 47508 note) is amended by
striking subsection (c).
SEC. 1502. REPORT MODIFIED.
Section 1138(a) of title 49, United States Code, is amended
by striking ``at least annually, but may be conducted''.
TITLE XVI--DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
SEC. 1601. REPORTS ELIMINATED.
(a) Annual Report on the North American Development Bank.--
Section 2 of Public Law 108-215 (22 U.S.C. 290m-6) is
repealed.
(b) Report on Voting on International Financial
Institutions Loan Proposals.--Section 701 of the
International Financial Institutions Act (22 U.S.C. 262d) is
amended by striking subsection (c) and redesignating
subsection (d) through subsection (g) (as added by section
501(g) of Public Law 96-259) as subsections (c) through (f),
respectively.
(c) Report on New IMF Arrangements Regarding Rates and
Maturities.--Section 605 of the Foreign Operations, Export
Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1999 (112
Stat. 2681-222), as enacted into law by section 101(d) of
division A of the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency
Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1999 (Public Law 105-277),
is amended by striking subsection (d).
(d) Report on Significant Modifications.--The Government
Securities Act Amendments of 1993 (Public Law 103-202; 31
U.S.C. 3121 note) is amended--
(1) by striking section 203; and
(2) in the table of contents for such Act, by striking the
item relating to section 203.
TITLE XVII--DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
SEC. 1701. REPORT ELIMINATED.
Section 8125 of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by striking subsection (d); and
(2) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (d).
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Issa) and the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia
(Ms. Norton) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
General Leave
Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge my colleagues to support the Senate
amendment to H.R. 4194, the Government Reports Elimination Act of 2014.
H.R. 4194 passed the House by voice vote on April 28, 2014, and an
amended version passed the Senate under unanimous consent on September
16. I would like to personally take a moment to thank Senators Carper
and Coburn, as well as the Senate Homeland Security and Government
Affairs Committee staff, for diligently working on getting this bill
passed through the Senate. I would also like to personally thank
Senators Warner and Ayotte, who introduced a companion bill in the
Senate, for working with the OGR and the House Armed Services
Committee, and others, to get a bill that is so broadly accepted and
does so much to eliminate unnecessary and duplicative agency reports.
The Government Reports Elimination Act is part of the committee's
effort to reduce waste and duplication in the Federal Government. We
have spent more than a year working with each House committee vetting
each section to ensure that useful agency reports are maintained. The
Senate amendment reduces to 48 the number of unnecessary agency reports
to Congress and eliminates or streamlines an additional five.
Mr. Speaker, it is a good start. We started with a much larger report
list. We believe that the progress under this bill sets the tone for an
annual elimination of reports that have become outdated or unnecessary.
It is very clear that each time the Congress passes a new piece of
legislation--or even a new appropriation--there are questions that need
to be answered and which the executive branch is staffed and funded to
answer. However, most reports requested have no termination date. A
single report is harmless and generally is accurate to the time of the
passing, while one that goes on in perpetuity inevitably becomes
outdated and, in fact, unnecessary.
In the future, we not only want to continue doing this for those
reports that have an in-perpetuity annual or periodic report, we also
want to make sure, as a committee, that new report requirements written
into any piece of legislation have a reauthorization or elimination
date. We believe that is the only way we can cease the continuation of
excess reports.
Lastly, I would like to thank the GAO, the Congress' government
accountability organization. In 2013, they identified mandates that
appeared to be both burdensome and unnecessary, and they came to the
Oversight Committee and to our counterpart in the Senate with them. If
not for them, we would not have this bill here today.
Again, very often, the American people see Senators on one side and
House Members on another taking credit for a vote they are about to
make or have just made. Not often enough do we realize that it is not
only our personal and committee staffs but also the staffs that work
for Congress on a nonpartisan basis who are the ones, in fact, who
generate most of the good things that ultimately come to this floor.
Lastly, I would like to thank this administration. This is one area
in which they concurred with us and helped all along the way to try to
include as many reports as they could in this piece of legislation.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this important legislation. I am
pleased to join my colleagues in support of H.R. 4194, the Government
Reports Elimination Act, as amended. I also want to thank my good
friend, Chairman Darrell Issa, for his bipartisan approach to this
bill. This bill will bring greater efficiency to the overall government
of the United States.
Congress often requires reports from executive branch agencies, and
these reports can be a valuable tool to scrutinize performance and
assess agency goals. However, with the passage of time, reporting
requirements can become outdated, unnecessary, or duplicative.
Congress and the executive branch have recognized that improved
coordination across the Federal Government benefits both the taxpayer
and the government. In 2010, Congress passed the Government Performance
and Results Modernization Act. That act requires the Office of
Management and Budget to publish a list of plans or reports that are
produced by the executive branch pursuant to congressional mandate. The
act also requires the administration to identify potentially outdated
or duplicative plans and reports, and to provide views on whether they
should be eliminated.
In January 2013 the Office of Management and Budget produced a list
of more than 300 plans and reports that are potentially outdated or
duplicative. Majority and minority staffs of our committee worked
together to review this list. During this process, the
[[Page H7910]]
views of all other committees of jurisdiction were also considered. A
similar process occurred in the Senate.
H.R. 4194, as amended, would eliminate the statutory requirements to
prepare reports that are produced by 17 different Federal agencies.
Implementing H.R. 4194 would reduce the administrative costs of these
agencies by reducing the number of reports that must be prepared and
printed. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that
implementing the bill would save about $1 million over the next 5
years. H.R. 4194 provides for greater efficiency and a more effective
Federal Government.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to join me in supporting
this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, this is a good bill. It is worth the time we have put
into discussing it. I thank Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy for his
support on this bill, and I think this is a special opportunity to
thank Congressmen Woodall and Connolly for their support as original
cosponsors on this bill.
It is amazing to me that you can have dozens and dozens of reports
senselessly coming back from the administration that are not being
read, not needed, are obsolete, and when you point it out, there is no
objection whatsoever to eliminating them. I think that is exactly the
situation we have here.
I look forward to working with the majority and minority leaders'
offices to make sure that this is an annual event until we reach a
point where there are zero pieces of reports coming to the Congress
that are unread, unused, or unnecessary.
With that, I urge passage of this bill, and I reserve the balance of
my time.
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume,
and I just wanted to join the chairman in his remarks about this bill.
This bill is the quintessential efficiency bill. We have been doing the
same thing over and over again until the chairman got the bright idea
that maybe we should start doing this. I think we are in for more
efficiency as more Federal agencies go through the same process.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, once again, I urge support for the bill, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from California (Mr. Issa) that the House suspend the rules
and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill, H.R. 4194.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
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