[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 16]
[House]
[Page 22752]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               FEDERAL REGULATORY IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2004

  Mr. CANNON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee 
on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of the bill 
(H.R. 4917) to amend title 5, United States Code, to authorize 
appropriations for the Administrative Conference of the United States 
for fiscal years 2005, 2006, and 2007, and for other purposes, and ask 
for its immediate consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Utah?
  There was no objection.
  The Clerk read the bill, as follows:

                               H.R. 4917

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Regulatory 
     Improvement Act of 2004''.

     SEC. 2. PURPOSES.

       (a) Purposes.--Section 591 of title 5, United States Code, 
     is amended to read as follows:

     ``Sec. 591 Purposes

       ``The purposes of this subchapter are--
       ``(1) to provide suitable arrangements through which 
     Federal agencies, assisted by outside experts, may 
     cooperatively study mutual problems, exchange information, 
     and develop recommendations for action by proper authorities 
     to the end that private rights may be fully protected and 
     regulatory activities and other Federal responsibilities may 
     be carried out expeditiously in the public interest;
       ``(2) to promote more effective public participation and 
     efficiency in the rulemaking process;
       ``(3) to reduce unnecessary litigation in the regulatory 
     process;
       ``(4) to improve the use of science in the regulatory 
     process; and
       ``(5) to improve the effectiveness of laws applicable to 
     the regulatory process.''.
       (b) Conforming Amendments.--Title 5 of the United States 
     Code is amended--
       (1) in section 594 by striking ``purpose'' and inserting 
     ``purposes''; and
       (2) in the table of sections of chapter 5 of part I by 
     amending the item relating to section 591 to read as follows:

``591. Purposes''.

     SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       Section 596 of title 5, United States Code, is amended to 
     read as follows:

     ``Sec. 596. Authorization of appropriations

       ``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this 
     subchapter not more than $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2005, 
     $3,100,000 for fiscal year 2006, and $3,200,000 for fiscal 
     year 2007. Of any amounts appropriated under this section, 
     not more than $2,500 may be made available in each fiscal 
     year for official representation and entertainment expenses 
     for foreign dignitaries.''.

  The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, was read 
the third time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the 
table.

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