[Senate Report 105-367]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
105th Congress Report
2d Session SENATE 105-367
_______________________________________________________________________
Calendar No. 700
STATISTICAL CONSOLIDATION ACT OF 1998
__________
R E P O R T
of the
COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS
UNITED STATES SENATE
to accompany
S. 1404
TO ESTABLISH A FEDERAL COMMISSION ON STATISTICAL POLICY TO STUDY THE
REORGANIZATION OF THE FEDERAL STATISTICAL SYSTEM, TO PROVIDE UNIFORM
SAFEGUARDS FOR THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF INFORMATION ACQUIRED FOR
EXCLUSIVELY STATISTICAL PURPOSES, AND TO IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY OF
FEDERAL STATISTICAL PROGRAMS AND THE QUALITY OF FEDERAL STATISTICS BY
PERMITTING LIMITED SHARING OF RECORDS AMONG DESIGNATED AGENCIES FOR
STATISTICAL PURPOSES UNDER STRONG SAFEGUARDS
October 6 (legislative day, October 2), 1998.--Ordered to be printed
-----------------------------
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
69-010 WASHINGTON : 1998
COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS
FRED THOMPSON, Tennessee, Chairman
WILLIAM V. ROTH, Jr., Delaware JOHN GLENN, Ohio
TED STEVENS, Alaska CARL LEVIN, Michigan
SUSAN M. COLLINS, Maine JOSEPH I. LIEBERMAN, Connecticut
SAM BROWNBACK, Kansas DANIEL K. AKAKA, Hawaii
PETE V. DOMENICI, New Mexico RICHARD J. DURBIN, Illinois
THAD COCHRAN, Mississippi ROBERT G. TORRICELLI, New Jersey
DON NICKLES, Oklahoma MAX CLELAND, Georgia
ARLEN SPECTER, Pennsylvania
Hannah S. Sistare, Staff Director and Counsel
Kristine I. Simmons, Professional Staff Member
Sebastian O'Kelly, Minority Professional Staff Member
Leonard Weiss, Minority Staff Director
Lynn L. Baker, Chief Clerk
------
Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, Restructuring, and
the District of Columbia
SAM BROWNBACK, Kansas, Chairman
WILLIAM V. ROTH, Jr., Delaware JOSEPH I. LIEBERMAN, Connecticut
ARLEN SPECTER, Pennsylvania MAX CLELAND, Georgia
Marie G. Wheat, Staff Director
Laurie Rubenstein, Minority Staff Director and Chief Counsel
Kevin J. Landy, Minority Counsel
Esmeralda Amos, Chief Clerk
C O N T E N T S
----------
Page
I. Purpose..........................................................1
II. Background.......................................................1
III. Section-by-Section Analysis......................................3
IV. Legislative History..............................................6
V. Estimated Cost of Legislation....................................9
VI. Evaluation of Regulatory Impact.................................10
VII. Changes in Existing Law.........................................11
Calendar No. 700
105th Congress Report
SENATE
2d Session 105-367
_______________________________________________________________________
STATISTICAL CONSOLIDATION ACT OF 1998
_______
October 6 (legislative day, October 2), 1998.--Ordered to be printed
_______________________________________________________________________
Mr. Thompson, from the Committee on Governmental Affairs, submitted the
following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 1404]
The Committee on Governmental Affairs, to which was
referred the bill (S. 1404) to establish a Federal Commission
on Statistical Policy to study the reorganization of the
Federal statistical system, to provide uniform safeguards for
the confidentiality of information acquired for exclusively
statistical purposes, and to improve the efficiency of Federal
statistical programs and the quality of Federal statistics by
permitting limited sharing of records among designated agencies
for statistical purposes under strong safeguards, having
considered the same, reports favorably thereon with amendments
and recommends that the bill as amended do pass.
I. Purpose
The purpose of S. 1404, the Statistical Consolidation Act
of 1998, is to establish a Commission to study the
reorganization of the federal statistical system and to allow
federal agencies to share data for exclusively statistical
purposes under uniform confidentiality safeguards.
II. Background
Beginning with the first census of population mandated by
the Constitution, the statistical infrastructure of the United
States has grown significantly in size and scope. Today, there
are 70 federal agencies involved in some aspect of data
collection, analysis and dissemination, with total expenditures
exceeding $3 billion annually. Yet despite the investment of
resources, the federal statistical infrastructure is losing
pace with our changing economy and society. Technological and
scientific advances and the shift to an information-driven
global economy require that our nation's statistical system be
modernized to meet the needs of policy makers and other data
users in the 21st century.
The Statistical Consolidation Act is a first step toward
updating the federal statistical system and improving the
quality of government data. S. 1404 is intended to address
duplication and inefficiency within the federal statistical
system by establishing a Commission to study the current
organization of federal statistical activities and recommend
how the federal government's main statistical agencies--the
Bureau of the Census, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, and the
Bureau of Labor Statistics--and perhaps other statistical
activities performed in and around the federal government can
be consolidated into a single ``Federal Statistical Service''.
Specifically, Title I of the bill establishes a 15-member
commission, comprised of the Chief Statistician of OMB, a
chairman and five members appointed by the President, four
members appointed by the Speaker of the House, and four members
appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.
The functions of the Commission are to recommend how the
Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Bureau of Economic Analysis,
and the Bureau of the Census could be consolidated in a single
``Federal Statistical Service'' by October 1, 2001; whether
functions of other statistical agencies should be transferred
to a Federal Statistical Service; and, whether decennial census
functions should be delineated from other Census Bureau
functions, and how such a delineation of functions might be
achieved. The Commission must report to Congress on these
recommendations within 18 months of enactment of this Act, and
terminates three years after the enactment of this Act.
If the Commission recommends consolidation of BLS, BEA and
the Census Bureau in a Federal Statistical Service, the
Commission's report must include legislation incorporating
those recommendations.
The Commission has also been tasked with conducting studies
on all aspects of the Federal statistical infrastructure. As
part of this duty, commissioners will review and make
recommendations regarding the quality and timeliness of
statistics; the relationship between the federal government and
States, localities, other nations and international agencies
with respect to the generation and dissemination of data; the
interrelationship of information technology, statistical data
and personal privacy; and, standards of accuracy for leading
economic and social indicators. The Committee believes that
improving the usefulness of social indicators, including
marriage and divorce rates, will aid data users, both public
and private, in evaluating how government policies affect the
American family.
Title II of the bill is entitled the ``Statistical
Confidentiality Act.'' The title has the dual purpose of
shoring up confidentiality standards while allowing eight
agencies to share statistical datafor purely statistical
purposes. The agencies are: the Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor
Statistics, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the National Agricultural
Statistical Service, the Energy Information Administration, the
National Council of Educational Statistics, the National Council of
Health Statistics, and the National Science Foundation. By covering
these agencies under uniform confidentiality safeguards, the
legislation strengthens protections at the Bureau of Labor Statistics,
the National Science Foundation and the Energy Information
Administration, which do not currently have strong legal protections.
While the Paperwork Reduction Act gives OMB's Office of
Statistical Policy the authority to make data sharing
agreements among agencies, it is done on a case-by-case basis.
The intent of this title is to streamline and facilitate such
interagency exchanges and to aid interagency cooperation with
regard to statistical data while maintaining confidentiality.
The Committee expects this title to lead to the consolidation
of government surveys where possible and a corresponding
decrease in the burden that responding to such surveys imposes
on the public.
III. Section-by-Section Analysis
Section 1. Short title; table of contents
This section states the short title of the bill and lists
the table of contents.
Section 2. Findings
This section states the findings of Congress that
statistical information is important in developing national
priorities and policies and that the Federal government should
coordinate the gathering and ensure the confidentiality of
statistics.
Section 3. Sense of Congress
This section states the importance of efficiency and
integration with regards to statistical information, the
importance of the role of the Chief Statistician, and the
necessity for a distinction between statistical forms clearance
and regulatory forms clearance.
title i--federal commission on statistical policy
Section 101. Establishment
A Commission to be known as the ``Federal Commission on
Statistical Policy'' is to be established. The Commission will
be made up of the Chief Statistician of the Office of
Management and Budget, as well as a Chairman and five members
appointed by the President, and four members appointed by the
Speaker of the House, and four members appointed the President
Pro Tempore of the Senate. Members are qualified to serve on
the Commission by virtue of experience relating to the Bureau
of the Census, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, or the Bureau
of Labor Statistics or if they have expertise relating to
organizational reorganization, State sources and uses of
statistical information, statistical analysis, or management of
complex organizations.
Section 102. Duties of the Commission
The purpose of the Commission is to make recommendations on
how the Federal statistical system can be reorganized, and
whether the functions of the numerous statistical bureaus and
offices in the Federal government can be consolidated. The
recommendations must be completed within 18 months of the
enactment of the Act and will be submitted to Congress and the
President in the form of a written report and draft
legislation.
Within 15 days of receiving the report, the President will
either approve or disapprove the report. If the report is
approved, it will be submitted to Congress on the day following
approval. If the President takes no action within 15 days, the
report will be submitted to Congress at the end of the 15-day
period. If the President disapproves of the report, he must
give his specific objections and/or his suggested changes to
the Commission. Based upon these suggestions, the Commission
may make changes to the report before submitting it to
Congress. The report must be sent to Congress within ten days
of receiving the President's disapproval.
If the report makes recommendations on consolidating the
statistical functions of the Federal government, including the
Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Census Bureau and the Bureau of
Economic Analysis, into one Federal Statistical Service, the
report will also contain draft legislation incorporating these
recommendations.
The Commission will also be responsible for conducting
studies on all matters relating to the Federal statistical
infrastructure.
Section 103. Powers
The Commission has the authority to hold hearings, obtain
testimony, and receive evidence for the purpose of carrying out
its purpose.
Section 104. Commission procedures
The Commission shall meet at the call of the Chair or a
majority of members. The Commission shall adopt any
recommendation by a vote of a majority of its members; however,
the consolidation of BLS, BEA, and Census into the Federal
Statistical Service will take place unless a majority votes
against the consolidation and certifies to Congress that the
consolidation would not improve the statistical system.
Section 105. Personnel matters
Members of the Commission will receive basic pay for level
IV of the Executive Schedule for each day spent working on the
Commission. All travel expenses will be paid in accordance with
the appropriate sections of the United States Code. Staff,
including an Executive Director, may be appointed and paid as
appropriate.
Section 106. Other administrative provisions
This section allows the Commission to use the US mail,
printing and binding services as other agencies. The Commission
may also request administrative support and utilize
consultants.
Section 107. Termination
The Commission will terminate three years after the
enactment of this Act.
Section 108. Authorization of appropriations
Necessary funding is authorized to be appropriated for the
Commission.
TITLE II--EFFICIENCY AND CONFIDENTIALITY OF FEDERAL STATISTICAL SYSTEMS
Section 201. Short title
This section states the short title of this section.
Section 202. Findings and purposes
The section stating findings and purposes reaffirms
policies that have been applied to confidential data by
statistical agencies for many decades and extends these
policies to protect confidentiality while permitting the
sharing of information for exclusively statistical purposes. It
recognizes that credible protection of confidentiality is
essential to ensure the level of cooperation that produces
accurate and timely responses to statistical inquiries.
Section 203. Definitions
Section 3 establishes definitions that determine the scope
of the Act.
Section 204. Statistical data centers
This section establishes selected agencies whose purposes
are predominantly statistical/analytical as ``Statistical Data
Centers'' and provides authority for dealing with any future
reorganizations affecting a Statistical Data Center designated
by this Act. If an agency listed above is eliminated or has its
mission substantially changed in a reorganization, the Director
of OMB may designate an agency to serve as a successor
Statistical Data Center after a public comment period.
Section 205. Statistical data center responsibilities
This section assigns general responsibilities to the
agencies designated as Statistical Data Centers. It
specifically charges them to observe ``fair information
practices,'' a set of policies elaborated and endorsed in
reports of both the Privacy Protection Study Commission and the
Paperwork Commission.
Section 206. Confidentiality of information
A uniform confidentiality policy is established consistent
with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) for data acquired for
exclusively statistical purposes, by prohibiting disclosures of
such data for nonstatistical purposes and limiting disclosures
for statistical purposes. Heads of Statistical Data Centers are
required to resolve by rule any questions concerning whether
information may be disclosed prior to the collection of that
information.
Section 207. Coordination and oversight
The Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall
coordinate and oversee confidentiality and disclosure policies.
These shall include any disclosure agreement, results of any
review of information security, the results of any similar
review taken on the initiative of the Statistical Data Center
or similar agency. A summary of these reports and any action
taken shall be made by the Office of Management and Budget and
be given to Congress in the annual report of that office.
Section 208. Implementing regulation
Rulemaking is authorized to implement the Act. OMB,
Statistical Data Centers, and other agencies that may provide
data to one or more Centers under this Act are authorized to
establish formal policies for such exchanges consistent with
their mandates, as long as such rules are also consistent with
the Paperwork Reduction Act.
Section 209. Conforming amendments and proposed changes in law
This section lists all the necessary conforming amendments
and changes to current law.
Section 210. Effect on other laws
The Director of OMB may direct an agency to make available
to another agency, or an agency may make available to another
agency, information obtained pursuant to an information
collection request if the disclosure is consistent with
applicable law. Nothing in this Act abrogates applicable state
law regarding the confidentiality of data collected by the
states. The disclosure standards in Section 206 shall apply in
lieu of the general disclosure standards of the Freedom of
Information Act.
IV. Legislative History
S. 1404, the Federal Statistical System Act of 1997 was
introduced on November 7, 1997 by Senator Brownback (for
himself and Senators Moynihan, Kerrey, and Thompson). S. 1404
was referred to the Committee on Governmental Affairs and was
subsequently referred to the Subcommittee on Oversight of
Government Management, Restructuring, and the District of
Columbia.
On April 9, 1997, the Subcommittee held a hearing to
examine the ``Role of the Department of Commerce in Federal
Statistical Gathering, Analysis and Dissemination, and
Opportunities for Reform and Consolidation.'' The hearing
examined S. 144, The Commission to Study the Federal
Statistical System Act of 1997, and explored opportunities for
reform and consolidation within the statistical agencies of the
Federal government. The hearing was chaired by Senator Sam
Brownback, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight.
The following witnesses presented testimony: The Honorable
Daniel Patrick Moynihan, U.S. Senator (D-NY); the Honorable
Stephen Horn, U.S. Representative (R-CA); Vincent P. Barabba,
General Motors Corporate Strategy and Knowledge Department;
Janet Norwood, Senior Fellow of The Urban Institute; Maurine A.
Haver, Chair of the Statistics Committee of the National
Association of Business Economists; Leonard Nakamura, Economic
Adviser of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia; and L. Nye
Stevens, Director of Federal Management and Workforce Issues of
the General Government Division of the U.S. General Accounting
Office.
Senator Moynihan testified about his legislation, S. 144.
This legislation would establish a commission of 13
Presidential and Congressional appointees, with expertise in
fields such as actuarial science, finance and economics, to
recommend whether statistical agencies should be consolidated.
Senator Moynihan referred to the consolidation of government
statistical activities in Canada and Great Britain and
emphasized the need to do the same here in the U.S. Federal
government. He also stressed the need for caution in
streamlining these statistical functions because of the
potential consequences for personal privacy, as seen in the
unauthorized accessibility of the Social Security Personal
Earnings and Benefits Estimate Statements (PEBES) via the
Internet.1 The Commission approach would allow a
careful evaluation of privacy issues to occur as part of any
reorganization of the federal statistical infrastructure.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Prepared statement of the Honorable Daniel Patrick Moynihan,
U.S. Senator (D-NY), before the Subcommittee on the Oversight of
Government Management, Restructuring, and the District of Columbia.
Senate Hearing 105-170, ``Role of the Department of Commerce in Federal
Statistical Gathering, Analysis, and Dissemination, and Opportunities
for Reform and Consolidation.'' April 9, 1997. Official hearing record,
page 6.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Congressman Horn proposed consolidating the Bureau of
Census, the Bureau of Labor of Statistics and the Bureau of
Economic Analysis into a Federal statistical service which
would operate as an independent agency. He introduced
legislation, H.R. 2521, the Statistical Consolidation Act of
1995, which would have established this consolidated service.
He also introduced H.R. 3924 which would permit statistical
data sharing among certain Federal agencies. He emphasized that
reliable government statistical data is integral to decision
making throughout the United States and that this function
should be removed from any political influences within the
Cabinet departments. He stated his bill would ensure the
political independence of this data. He also expressed the need
for uniform confidentiality standards for statistical data in
order to allow government agencies to share the data. Finally,
he pointed to the possible savings his consolidation proposal
would achieve.
Mr. Barabba testified that the current statistical system
must move from a ``predict-and-prepare mentality'' to a
``sense-and-respond mentality.'' He pointed to the need for
shared data in order to have consistent statistical service. In
addition, he emphasized that the data must be useful and that
consumers of the data must have a voice in determining the
relevance of the statistical data produced by the federal
government. He expressed his support for a commission because
much in the federal government's statistical programs needs to
be sorted out before consolidation can take place. In his oral
testimony, he stated:
* * * [T]he worst thing to do is to take a set of
agencies that were designed for one era and mush them
together without understanding what their new
assignment is. So the notion of a commission to really
sort out the needs of society, not just the needs of
government, to design a system based on those needs
would be very important.2
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ Oral testimony of Vincent P. Barabba before the Subcommitee on
the Oversight of Government Management, Restructuring, and the District
of Columbia. Senate Hearing 105-170, ``Role of the Department of
Commerce in Federal Statistical Gathering, Analysis, and Dissemination,
and Opportunities for Reform and Consolidation.'' April 9, 1997.
Official hearing record, page 13.
Finally, Mr. Barabba stressed that we need systemic change
throughout Federal statistical programs rather than reforming
individual statistical programs.
Ms. Norwood underscored the need for objectivity in any
federal statistical agency. She echoed Mr. Barabba's statement
that there must be organizational change and a move toward
centralizing the statistical system. She testified that the
consolidation should be limited to the Census Bureau, the
Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
She added that the new agency must be responsible for
statistical quality standards, for definition standards and for
representing the system abroad.
Ms. Haver testified that a single statistical agency would
address many of the problems currently facing the system today.
Currently, the United States lacks statistical detail in
services and high-tech industries. In addition, there is
currently a problem with the response rates from businesses who
are asked to provide information. This is fueled by concerns
over confidentiality and the existence of statistical agencies
as just one component of larger agencies with enforcement
responsibilities. She testified that businesses would be more
responsive if there was an independent statistical agency
requesting information. She also said that within a single
independent agency, there would be a single reporting form as
opposed to multiple forms which ask for the same information.
Finally, she testified that any consolidation must include data
sharing, and that data sharing alone would not realize all the
advantages and efficiencies of one consolidated agency.
Mr. Nakamura outlined the various inaccuracies in current
statistical data. The inaccurate measurement of inflation
overall has worsened since the 1970s where, for example, the
Consumer Price Index for airfares, food at home and medical
care has been overstated. Over the past three years, the U.S.
economy may have been growing twice as fast as our real Gross
Domestic Product growth rate figures indicate. He concluded
that measuring inflation and economic growth requires on-going
research and not just a change in procedures.
Mr. Stevens provided GAO's assessment of the quality of
statistical data and stated that overall the quality is very
good, but problems remain. He pointed to some difficulty with
data sharing due to statutory restrictions and some problems
with the international transactions of the U.S. economy and the
way they are measured. He also outlined how the decentralized
nature of the current statistical systems lends itself to
inefficiencies and pointed to the benefits of consolidation as
seen in the Canadian model. Finally, he said that he was not
aware of any reason that would prevent the Census and the
Bureau of Economic Analysis from performing their missions if
they were removed from the Commerce Department. He added that
the Commerce Department has historically not managed on the
basis of any unifying mission. Under the Commerce Department,
the Census and the BEA must compete for funding with unrelated
functions such as fisheries management and weather forecasting.
Committee Action
S. 1404 was reported out of the Subcommittee by Senator
Brownback, Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Oversight of
Government Management, Restructuring, and the District of
Columbia on September 23, 1998. The Senate Governmental Affairs
Committee held a mark-up on September 24, 1998. Chairman
Thompson offered an amendment in the nature of a substitute on
behalf of himself and Senators Brownback and Lieberman which
was the result of bipartisan discussions on the bill. In
addition to making technical changes to S. 1404, the amendment
sunsets the Federal Commission on Statistical Policy three
years after the date of enactment. It also allows the President
to provide comments and suggestions on the commission's
recommendations before they are submitted to Congress. The
amendment clarifies that the commission has the option of
recommending against a consolidation of statistical agencies if
the commission finds that a consolidation would not improve the
federal statistical system, and it provides expedited rules for
Congress when considering the commission's recommendations.
Finally, the amendment changes the short title of S. 1404 to
the ``Statistical Consolidation Act of 1998''. The Thompson
amendment in the nature of a substitute passed on a voice vote.
Senator Levin offered an amendment to strike the expedited,
or ``fast track'', procedures, arguing that the twenty days
allotted for committee review of legislation implementing the
commission's recommendations was inadequate. He also argued
that the prohibition on any amendment that was not germane was
excessively restrictive, and that the normal legislative
process was preferable to the use of expedited procedures.
Senator Brownback countered that the fast track procedures were
necessary to ensure timely congressional consideration of the
commission's recommendations and to prevent the legislation
implementing those recommendations from getting stalled in
Congress. He added that germane amendments would be in order,
and that S. 1404 as amended by Senator Thompson would permit
the President an opportunity to review and comment on the
commission's recommendations before they are submitted to
Congress. Senator Thompson echoed Senator Brownback's comments.
The Levin amendment passed by a vote of six yeas and three
nays. Senators Domenici (by proxy), Cochran, Nickles, Levin,
Akaka and Cleland voted in favor of the Levin Amendment;
Senators Roth (by proxy), Brownback and Thompson voted against
it.
On September 25, 1998, S. 1404 as amended was ordered
reported favorably by a vote of nine yeas and zero nays:
Senators Brownback, Cochran, Nickles, Levin, Lieberman, Akaka,
Torricelli, Cleland, and Thompson voted ``aye'', and Senators
Roth and Domenici voted ``aye'' by proxy.
V. Estimated Costs of Legislation
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, September 29, 1998.
Hon. Fred D. Thompson,
Chairman, Committee on Governmental Affairs,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 1404, the
Statistical Consolidation Act of 1998.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Mark Hadley.
Sincerely,
June E. O'Neill, Director.
Enclosure.
congressional budget office cost estimate
S. 1404--Statistical Consolidation Act of 1998
S. 1404 would establish a three-year commission to study
consolidating the statistical functions of various government
agencies, including the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Bureau
of the Census, and the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The
legislation also would allow the identification of the
individual providers of such information. Violators would be
subject to imprisonment and fines.
Based on the spending of similar commissions, CBO estimates
that implementing S. 1404 would cost about $2 million over the
1999-2001, period, assuming appropriation of the necessary
amounts. The legislation also would require the Office of
Management and Budget to issue regulations and submit reports
to the Congress. CBO estimates that any associated costs would
be less than $500,000 a year, subject to the availability of
appropriated funds.
Enacting S. 1404 would allow the federal government to
pursue criminal cases that it otherwise would not be able to
prosecute. CBO expects that the government probably would not
pursue many such cases, so we estimate that any increase in
federal costs for law enforcement, court proceedings, or prison
operations would not be significant. Any such additional costs
would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
Because those convicted under S. 1404 would be subject to
criminal fines, the federal government might collect additional
fines if the bill is enacted. Collections of such fines are
recorded in the budget as governmental receipts (revenues),
which are deposited in the Crime Victims Fund and spent in the
following year. Because the bill could affect direct spending
and receipts, pay-as-you-go procedures would apply. CBO
expects, however, that any additional collections from enacting
S. 1404 would be negligible, because of the small number of
cases likely to be involved. Because any increase in direct
spending would equal the fines collected with a one-year lag,
the additional direct spending would also be negligible.
S. 1404 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and
would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal
governments.
The CBO staff contact is Mark Hadley. This estimate was
approved by Robert A. Sunshine, Deputy Assistant Director for
Budget Analysis.
VI. Evaluation of Regulatory Impact
Pursuant to the requirement of paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI
of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee has
considered the regulatory and paperwork impact of S. 1404. The
legislation contributes to the economical operation of federal
government activities by establishing a Commission to recommend
ways in which the federal statistical infrastructure can be
consolidated and streamlined without adversely impacting the
quality of data. The Committee finds that such a consolidation
would reduce the redundancy and burden of government surveys on
the public, including the time and paperwork involved in
responding to the surveys, while simplifying data collection
activities.
In addition, this legislation will provide uniform
confidentiality protections and permit sharing of data among
designated statistical agencies, which will position agencies
to improve the overall cost-effectiveness of their programs.
Data sharing could lead to the elimination of errors in
existing data, consolidation of overlapping programs,
reductions in reporting burden for the public, and
opportunities to improve data quality without incurring
additional costs.
VII. Changes in Existing Law
In accordance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee has determined that
it is necessary to dispense with the requirements of this
subsection to expedite the business of the Senate.