[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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