[Senate Report 113-232]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
113th Congress Report
SENATE
2d Session 113-232
_______________________________________________________________________
Calendar No. 505
GOVERMENTAL REPORTS ELIMINATION ACT
OF 2014
__________
R E P O R T
of the
COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND
GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS
UNITED STATES SENATE
to accompany
H.R. 4194
TO PROVIDE FOR THE ELIMINATION OR MODIFICATION OF FEDERAL REPORTING
REQUIREMENTS
July 31, 2014.--Ordered to be printed
COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS
THOMAS R. CARPER, Delaware, Chairman
CARL LEVIN, Michigan TOM COBURN, Oklahoma
MARK L. PRYOR, Arkansas JOHN McCAIN, Arizona
MARY L. LANDRIEU, Louisiana RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin
CLAIRE McCASKILL, Missouri ROB PORTMAN, Ohio
JON TESTER, Montana RAND PAUL, Kentucky
MARK BEGICH, Alaska MICHAEL B. ENZI, Wyoming
TAMMY BALDWIN, Wisconsin KELLY AYOTTE, New Hampshire
HEIDI HEITKAMP, North Dakota
Gabrielle A. Batkin, Staff Director
John P. Kilvington, Deputy Staff Director
Mary Beth Schultz, Chief Counsel
Kristine V. Lam, Professional Staff Member
Keith B. Ashdown, Minority Staff Director
Christopher J. Barkley, Minority Deputy Staff Director
Andrew C. Dockham, Minority Chief Counsel
Patrick J. Bailey, Minority Counsel
Laura W. Kilbride, Chief Clerk
Calendar No. 505
113th Congress Report
SENATE
2d Session 113-232
======================================================================
GOVERNMENT REPORTS ELIMINATION ACT OF 2014
_______
July 31, 2014.--Ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Carper, from the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs, submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 4194]
The Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs, to which was referred the bill (H.R. 4194), to provide
for the elimination or modification of Federal reporting
requirements, reports favorably thereon with an amendment and
recommends that the bill, as amended, do pass.
CONTENTS
Page
I. Purpose and Summary.............................................1
II. Background and Need for Legislation.............................1
III. Legislative History.............................................3
IV. Section-by-Section Analysis.....................................3
V. Evaluation of Regulatory Impact.................................6
VI. Congressional Budget Office Estimate............................7
VII. Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported...........7
I. PURPOSE AND SUMMARY
The Government Reports Elimination Act will save taxpayer
money by relieving federal agencies of requirements to produce
reports that are outdated or unneeded. Specifically, the bill
eliminates requirements for federal agencies to submit 61
quarterly, semiannual, and annual reports to Congress and
reduces reporting requirements for an additional five reports
that are required under law.
II. BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
When passing laws, Congress frequently includes
requirements for federal agencies to submit reports to Congress
or its committees. Members of Congress often use reporting
requirements to help inform their study of policy issues and
conduct oversight of agencies and programs. Congress may
require federal agencies to submit reports only once or
periodically according to a fixed schedule.
Over time, some reporting requirements become outdated or
no longer necessary, or are duplicative of other reporting
requirements. On several occasions, Congress, agencies, and the
President have reexamined reporting requirements to ascertain
whether the requirements should continue, change, or be
eliminated. In 1995, Congress passed the Federal Reports
Elimination and Sunset Act of 1995 (P.L. 104-66). The law
eliminated and modified nearly 200 reporting requirements and
established a date on which all annual or routine
Congressionally mandated reporting requirements that were in
place on the date of enactment of the Act would be terminated
unless specifically exempted by law. Additionally, the law
required the President to identify, in the next proposed budget
additional, Congressionally mandated reporting requirements
that could be eliminated. As a result of that provision, the
President, in the Fiscal Year 1997 Budget, provided Congress
with a list recommending that an additional 400 reports be
eliminated or modified. That list became the basis for the
Federal Reports Elimination Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-362), which
eliminated nearly 200 additional reports.
Congress revisited reporting requirements in the Government
Performance and Results Modernization Act of 2010 (GPRA
Modernization) (P.L. 111-352), which was enacted in January
2011. Under GPRA Modernization, each agency's chief operating
officer is required, on an annual basis, to compile a list of
all plans and reports the agency produces for Congress and to
identify those plans and reports that are outdated or
duplicative of other required plans and reports. Each agency's
chief operating officer then provides this information to the
Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Finally,
GPRA Modernization requires the President to include the list
of duplicative or outdated plans in the President's annual
budget submitted to Congress.
In January 2013, the Office of Management and Budget
published an initial list of 376 congressionally mandated
reports that agencies recommended be eliminated or modified to
improve efficiency. Because the reports are mandated by law,
striking the reporting requirements requires Congress to pass a
law. The Government Reports Elimination Act of 2014 was based
on this list and reflects those reports in which Congress
agrees with the assessment of federal agencies. Prior to
introducing the bill, Representative Darrell Issa, Chairman of
the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, sent a
letter to the chairman of each committee of the House of
Representatives soliciting input on OMB's list of reports that
agencies have recommended be eliminated or modified. The
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform relied on the
feedback received from the various committees of the House to
form the list of reports to be eliminated that became the basis
of the Government Reports Elimination Act of 2014.
Similarly, after the legislation passed the House of
Representatives and was referred to this Committee in the
Senate, Chairman Carper and Ranking Member Coburn sent a letter
to the Chairman and Ranking Member of each other committee in
the Senate soliciting their feedback regarding eliminating the
reports contained in the House-passed version of the Government
Reports Elimination Act of 2014. The legislation reported by
this Committee containing a list of reports to be eliminated
reflects the input of the Senate committees.
III. LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
H.R. 4194 was introduced on March 11, 2014 by
Representative Darrell Issa. On April 28, 2014, H.R. 4194 was
agreed to in the House of Representatives by voice vote. The
bill was received in the Senate on April 29, 2014 and referred
to the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
The Committee considered the bill at a business meeting on
June 25, 2014. Senators Carper, Coburn, and McCaskill offered a
substitute amendment to the bill that would eliminate 61
quarterly, semiannual, and annual reports to Congress and
modify reporting requirements for an additional five reports
that are currently required under law. The Committee adopted
the Carper-Coburn-McCaskill substitute and ordered the bill, as
amended, be reported favorably by voice vote. Senators Carper,
Levin, McCaskill, Tester, Heitkamp, Coburn, McCain, Johnson,
and Portman were present for the vote.
IV. SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS
Section 1. Short title
This section states that this bill may be cited as the
``Government Reports Elimination Act of 2014.''
Section 2. Table of contents
This section provides the Table of Contents for the bill.
TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Section 101 would eliminate the following congressionally
mandated reports submitted by the Department of Agriculture:
1. Information on Administrative Expenses on Commodity
Promotion Programs
2. Unfair Trade Practices Report and the Related Meeting
3. Farmland Protection Policy Act Annual Report
4. Peanut Base Acres Data Collection and Publication
5. Other Base Acres Data Collection and Publication
6. Beginning Farmer and Rancher Individual Development
Accounts Pilot Program Report
7. Rural Broadband Access Program Report
8. Report on Export Credit Guarantees to Emerging Markets
9. Commodity Credit Corporation Quarterly Report
10. Evaluation of the Rural Development, Business and
Industry Guaranteed Loan Program Financing of Locally or
Regionally Produced Food Products
11. United States Grain Standards Act Report
12. Notifications to Congress on Release of Names and
Addresses of Producers Operating Under Marketing Agreements and
Orders
13. Plant Pest and Disease Management and Disaster
Prevention Action Plans Reports
14. Quarterly Export Assistance Reports
15. Rural Collaborative Investment Program
a. Secretarial Report on Regional Rural Investment
Boards
b. Report by Regional Rural Investment Board to
National Rural Investment Board and the Secretary
16. Status Report for Food for Progress Program
17. Southeastern Alaska Timber Reports
TITLE II--DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Section 201 would eliminate the following congressionally
mandated reports submitted by the Department of Commerce:
1. Efforts and Progress in Becoming Designated as a Sea
Grant College or Institute
2. Enterprise Integration Standardization and
Implementation
3. Ensuring Equal Access to Sea Grant Fellowship Program
4. TIP Activities
5. TIP Advisory Board Annual Report
6. Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Activities
TITLE III--CORPORATION FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE
Section 301 would eliminate the following congressionally
mandated reports submitted by the Corporation for Community
Service:
1. Reports by Other Federal Agencies to the Corporation
2. Service-Learning Impact Study
TITLE IV--DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Section 401 would eliminate the following congressionally
mandated reports submitted by the Department of Defense:
1. Display of Annual Budget Requirements for Air
Sovereignty Alert Mission
2. Annual Report on Reliability of Department of Defense
Financial Statement
TITLE V--DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Section 501 would eliminate the following congressionally
mandated report submitted by the Department of Education:
1. Impact Aid Construction Justifying Discretionary Grant
Awards
TITLE VI--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Section 601 would eliminate the following congressionally
mandated reports submitted by the Department of Energy:
1. Science and Engineering Education Pilot Program
2. Strategic Unconventional Fuels Development Program
3. Energy Efficiency Standards for Industrial Equipment
TITLE VII--ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Section 701 would eliminate the following congressionally
mandated report submitted by the Environmental Protection
Agency:
1. Great Lakes Management Comprehensive Report
TITLE VIII--EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
Section 801 would eliminate the following congressionally
mandated report submitted by the Executive Office of the
President:
1. Report Relating to Waiver of Certain Sanctions against
North Korea
TITLE IX--GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE
Section 901 would eliminate the following congressionally
mandated reports submitted by the Government Accountability
Office:
1. Expenditures of Local Educational Agencies
2. Use of Recovery Act Funds by States and Localities
Report
3. State Small Business Credit Initiative Audit and Report
4. Help America Vote Act Funds Audit
5. Small Business Lending Fund Program Audit and Report
6. Housing Assistance Council Financial Statement Audit
Report
Section 902 would modify the requirements to the following
congressionally mandated reports submitted by the Government
Accountability Office:
1. National Prevention, Health Promotion and Public Health
Council, by directing only the Secretary of the Department of
Health and Human Services to conduct periodic reviews
2. Postcard Mandate, by allowing for online posting of this
information instead of requiring print copies to be delivered
to each Congressional office
3. Annual Audit of the Congressional Award Foundation, by
allowing for the contracting of a private auditor
4. Annual GAO Review of Proposed HHS Recovery Threshold, by
phasing out this requirement at the end of 2014
TITLE X--DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Section 1001 would eliminate the following congressionally
mandated reports submitted by the Department of Homeland
Security:
1. Prohibition on Importation of Products Made With Dog or
Cat Fur
2. Port of Entry Infrastructure Assessment Study and
National Land Border Security Plan
3. Fees for Certain Customs Services
4. Modernization of the National Distress and Response
System
TITLE XI--DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Section 1101 would eliminate the following congressionally
mandated report submitted by the Department of the Interior:
1. Royalties In-Kind Report
TITLE XII--DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Section 1201 would eliminate the following congressionally
mandated reports submitted by the Department of Labor:
1. Older Americans Act
2. Andean Trade Preference Act
TITLE XIII--OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE
Section 1301 would eliminate the following congressionally
mandated reports submitted by the Office of the Director of
National Intelligence:
1. Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe
2. Reports on Commerce With, and Assistance to, Cuba from
Other Foreign Countries
TITLE XIV--DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Section 1401 would eliminate the following congressionally
mandated report submitted by the Department of State:
1. Report on Progress Toward Regional Non-Proliferation in
South Asia
TITLE XV--DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Section 1501 would eliminate the following congressionally
mandated reports submitted by the Department of Transportation:
1. Reports of the Air Traffic Services Committee
2. Annual Summaries of Airport Financial Reports
3. Annual Report on Pipeline Safety Information Grants to
Communities
4. Annual Report on Pilot Program for Innovative Financing
of Air Traffic Control Equipment
5. Reports on Justifications for Air Defense Identification
Zones
6. Annual Report on Standards for Aircraft and Aircraft
Engines to Reduce Noise Levels
Section 1502 would modify the requirements to the following
congressionally mandated report submitted by the Department of
Transportation:
1. Evaluation and Audit of the National Transportation
Safety Board, by allowing the evaluation and audit to be
conducted only when needed
TITLE XVI--DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Section 1601 would eliminate the following congressionally
mandated reports submitted by the Department of the Treasury:
1. Annual Report on the North American Development Bank
2. Report on International Financial Institution Borrowers'
Labor Practices
3. Report on New IMF Arrangements Regarding Rates and
Maturities
4. Report on Significant Modifications
TITLE XVII--DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Section 1701 would eliminate the following congressionally
mandated report submitted by the Department of Veterans
Affairs:
1. Annual Report on Procurement of Health-care Items
V. REGULATORY IMPACT AND EVALUATION
Pursuant to the requirement of paragraph 11(b)(1) of rule
XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee has
considered the regulatory impact of this bill and has
determined that the bill will have no regulatory impact. CBO
states that the bill contains no intergovernmental or private-
sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal
governments.
VI. CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE
July 9, 2014.
Hon. Tom Carper,
Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, U.S.
Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 4194, the
Government Reports Elimination Act of 2014.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Matthew
Pickford.
Sincerely,
Douglas W. Elmendorf.
Enclosure.
H.R. 4194--Government Reports Elimination Act of 2014
H.R. 4194 would eliminate the requirement for 17 federal
entities to prepare certain reports for the Congress. Based on
information from the Office of Management and Budget and some
affected agencies, CBO estimates that implementing this
legislation would reduce costs that are subject to
appropriation by less than $1 million over the next five years.
Enacting H.R. 4194 would not affect direct spending or
revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply.
H.R. 4194 would eliminate the requirement to prepare 66
reports that are produced by numerous federal agencies,
including: the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense,
Education, Energy, Homeland Security, Interior, Labor, State,
Transportation, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs, and the
Corporation for National and Community Service, the
Environmental Protection Agency, the Executive Office of the
President, the Government Accountability Office, and the Office
of the Director of National Intelligence. By reducing the
number of reports that must be prepared and printed,
implementing H.R. 4194 would reduce the administrative costs of
those agencies. However, about 50 of the reports are either
duplicative, obsolete, or would remain available online. CBO
estimates that eliminating the requirement to produce them
would yield a small reduction in administrative costs.
H.R. 4194 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and
would impose no costs on state, local or tribal governments.
On April 24, 2014, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for H.R.
4194 as ordered reported by the House Committee on Oversight
and Government Reform. The two versions of H.R. 4194 are
similar, but they would affect different federal entities and
eliminate a different number of reports. The CBO cost estimates
reflect those differences.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Matthew
Pickford. The estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, Deputy
Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.
VII. CHANGES TO EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED
Pursuant to the provisions of paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of
the Standing Rules of the Senate, the changes in existing law
made by certain portions of the bill have not been shown in
this section of the report because, in the opinion of the
committee, it is necessary to dispense with showing such
changes in order to expedite the business of the Senate.