United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office Program Evaluation and Methodology Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 1993-12-06 monographic deposited born digital GA 1.13:PEMD-94-3 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-94-3 P0b002ee18038a5aa f:pe94003 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-24 GAOREPORTS-PEMD-94-3 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-PEMD-94-3 PEMD-94-3 Paperwork Accounting procedures Data collection operations Management information systems Information gathering operations Reporting requirements Policy evaluation Statutory law Income taxes Data integrity OSHA Hazard Communication Standard FCIC Disaster Payment Program Medicare Program EPA Public Water Supply Supervision Program Emergency Response Communications Program DOD Data Requirements Control List DOD Acquisition Management System DOJ Employment Eligibility Verification Program Letter Report PEMD The U.S. government is the world's largest creator, collector, distributor, and user of information. From filing income tax returns to applying for food stamps, the American citizen is faced with a government form. In addition, thousands of businesses, nonprofit groups, and state and local governments fill out lengthy applications to receive federal benefits or to remain eligible as government contractors. During 1992, Americans spent nearly 6.6 billion hours filling out forms, answering survey questions, and compiling records for the federal government--the equivalent of hiring more than 3 million full-time workers annually to complete paperwork. GAO estimates that the federal paperwork burden, as measured in hours, increased 261 percent between 1987 and 1992, most of which is due to a Treasury Department reassessment of the time it spends processing paperwork, especially tax-related reporting and filing requirements at the Internal Revenue Service. This report discusses in detail (1) how the paperwork burden has changed over time, (2) what factors account for the observed change, (3) whether some groups have been affected differently, and (4) whether the reasons for information collection have changed. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-94-3/html/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-94-3.htm GAO/PEMD-94-3 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-94-3 Letter Report GAO/PEMD-94-3; Paperwork Reduction: Reported Burden Hour Increases Reflect New Estimates, Not Actual Changes; Paperwork Accounting procedures Data collection operations Management information systems Information gathering operations Reporting requirements Policy evaluation Statutory law Income taxes Data integrity OSHA Hazard Communication Standard FCIC Disaster Payment Program Medicare Program EPA Public Water Supply Supervision Program Emergency Response Communications Program DOD Data Requirements Control List DOD Acquisition Management System DOJ Employment Eligibility Verification Program