[118th Congress Public Law 172]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[[Page 138 STAT. 2593]]
Public Law 118-172
118th Congress
An Act
To amend title 31, United States Code, to require agencies to include a
list of outdated or duplicative reporting requirements in annual budget
justifications, and for other purposes. <<NOTE: Dec. 23, 2024 - [H.R.
5301]>>
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Eliminate
Useless Reports Act of 2024.>>
SECTION <<NOTE: 31 USC 1101 note.>> 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Eliminate Useless Reports Act of
2024''.
SEC. 2. SUNSETS FOR AGENCY REPORTS.
(a) In General.--Section 1125 of title 31, United States Code, is
amended--
(1) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d);
(2) by striking subsections (a) and (b) and inserting the
following:
``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Budget justification materials.--The term `budget
justification materials' has the meaning given the term in
section 3(b)(2) of the Federal Funding Accountability and
Transparency Act of 2006 (31 U.S.C. 6101 note; Public Law 109-
282).
``(2) Plan or report.--The term `plan or report' means any
plan or report submitted to Congress, any committee of Congress,
or subcommittee thereof, by not less than 1 agency--
``(A) in accordance with Federal law; or
``(B) at the direction or request of a congressional
report.
``(3) Recurring plan or report.--The term `recurring plan or
report' means a plan or report submitted on a recurring basis.
``(4) Relevant congressional committee.--The term `relevant
congressional committee'--
``(A) means a congressional committee to which a
recurring plan or report is required to be submitted;
and
``(B) does not include any plan or report that is
required to be submitted solely to the Committee on
Armed Services of the House of Representatives or the
Senate.
``(b) Agency Identification of Unnecessary Reports.--
``(1) In general.--The head of each agency shall include in
the budget justification materials of the agency the following:
``(A) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), the
following:
``(i) A list of each recurring plan or report
submitted by the agency.
[[Page 138 STAT. 2594]]
``(ii) An identification of whether the
recurring plan or report listed in clause (i) was
included in the most recent report issued by the
Clerk of the House of Representatives concerning
the reports that any agency is required by law or
directed or requested by a committee report to
make to Congress, any committee of Congress, or
subcommittee thereof.
``(iii) If applicable, the unique alphanumeric
identifier for the recurring plan or report as
required by section 7243(b)(1)(C)(vii) of the
James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act
for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117-263).
``(iv) <<NOTE: Determination.>> The
identification of any recurring plan or report the
head of the agency determines to be outdated or
duplicative.
``(B) With respect to each recurring plan or report
identified in subparagraph (A)(iv), the following:
``(i) <<NOTE: Recommenda- tion.>> A
recommendation on whether to sunset, modify,
consolidate, or reduce the frequency of the
submission of the recurring plan or report.
``(ii) A citation to each provision of law or
directive or request in a congressional report
that requires or requests the submission of the
recurring plan or report.
``(iii) A list of the relevant congressional
committees for the recurring plan or report.
``(C) A justification explaining, with respect to
each recommendation described in subparagraph (B)(i)
relating to a recurring plan or report--
``(i) why the head of the agency made the
recommendation, which may include an estimate of
the resources expended by the agency to prepare
and submit the recurring plan or report; and
``(ii) the understanding of the head of the
agency of the purpose of the recurring plan or
report.
``(2) Agency consultation.--
``(A) In general.--In preparing the list required
under paragraph (1)(A), if, in submitting a recurring
plan or report, an agency is required to coordinate or
consult with another agency or entity, the head of the
agency submitting the recurring plan or report shall
consult with the head of each agency or entity with whom
consultation or coordination is required.
``(B) Inclusion in list.--If, after a consultation
under subparagraph (A), the head of each agency or
entity consulted under that subparagraph agrees that a
recurring plan or report is outdated or duplicative, the
head of the agency required to submit the recurring plan
or report shall--
``(i) include the recurring plan or report in
the list described in paragraph (1)(A); and
``(ii) identify each agency or entity with
which the head of the agency is required to
coordinate or consult in submitting the recurring
plan or report.
``(C) Disagreement.--If the head of any agency or
entity consulted under subparagraph (A) does not agree
that a recurring plan or report is outdated or
duplicative, the head of the agency required to submit
the recurring
[[Page 138 STAT. 2595]]
plan or report shall not include the recurring plan or
report in the list described in paragraph (1)(A).
``(3) Government-wide or multi-agency plan and report
submissions.--With respect to a recurring plan or report
required to be submitted by not less than 2 agencies, the
Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall--
``(A) <<NOTE: Determination.>> determine whether
the requirement to submit the recurring plan or report
is outdated or duplicative; and
``(B) <<NOTE: Recommenda- tions.>> make
recommendations to Congress accordingly.
``(4) Plan and report submissions conformity to the access
to congressionally mandated reports act.--With respect to an
agency recommendation, citation, or justification made under
subparagraph (B) or (C) of paragraph (1) or a recommendation by
the Director of the Office of Management and Budget under
paragraph (3), the agency or Director, as applicable, shall also
provide this information to the Director of the Government
Publishing Office in conformity with the agency submission
requirements under section 7244(a) of the James M. Inhofe
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public
Law 117-263; chapter 41 of title 44 note) in conformity with
guidance issued by the Director of the Office of Management and
Budget under section 7244(b) of such Act.
``(c) Rule of Construction on Agency Requirements.--Nothing in this
section shall be construed to exempt the head of an agency from a
requirement to submit a recurring plan or report.''; and
(3) in subsection (d), as so redesignated, by striking ``in
the budget of the United States Government, as provided by
section 1105(a)(37)'' and inserting ``in the budget
justification materials of each agency''.
(b) Budget Contents.--Section 1105(a) of title 31, United States
Code, is amended by striking paragraph (39).
(c) <<NOTE: Deadlines.>> Conformity to the Access to Congressionally
Mandated Reports Act.--
(1) Amendment.--Subsections (a) and (b) of section 7244 of
the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117-263; chapter 41 of title 44,
United States Code, note) <<NOTE: 44 USC note prec. 4101.>> ,
are amended to read as follows:
``(a) Submission of Electronic Copies of Reports.--Not earlier than
30 days or later than 60 days after the date on which a congressionally
mandated report is submitted to either House of Congress or to any
committee of Congress or subcommittee thereof, the head of the Federal
agency submitting the congressionally mandated report shall submit to
the Director the information required under subparagraphs (A) through
(D) of section 7243(b)(1) with respect to the congressionally mandated
report. Notwithstanding section 7246, nothing in this subtitle shall
relieve a Federal agency of any other requirement to publish the
congressionally mandated report on the online portal of the Federal
agency or otherwise submit the congressionally mandated report to
Congress or specific committees of Congress, or subcommittees thereof.
``(b) Guidance.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this subsection and periodically thereafter as appropriate,
the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, in consultation
with the Director, shall issue guidance to agencies on the
implementation of this subtitle as well as the requirements of section
1125(b) of title 31, United States Code.''.
[[Page 138 STAT. 2596]]
(2) <<NOTE: 31 USC 1125 note.>> Updated omb guidance.--Not
later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act,
the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall issue
updated guidance to agencies to ensure that the requirements
under subsections (a) and (b) of section 1125 of title 31,
United States Code, as amended by this Act, for agency
submissions of recommendations and justifications for plans and
reports to sunset, modify, consolidate, or reduce the frequency
of the submission of are also submitted as a separate attachment
in conformity with the agency submission requirements of
electronic copies of reports submitted by agencies under section
7244(a) of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization
Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117-263; chapter 41 of
title 44, United States Code, note) for publication on the
online portal established under section 7243 of such Act.
Approved December 23, 2024.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 5301:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 170 (2024):
Nov. 12, considered and passed House.
Dec. 11, considered and passed Senate.
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