The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“AMENDMENTS SUBMITTED” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Commerce was published in the Senate section on pages S3540-S3541 on March 6, 1995.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
AMENDMENTS SUBMITTED
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PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT
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ROTH (AND NUNN) AMENDMENT NO. 317
Mr. ROTH (for himself and Mr. Nunn) proposed an amendment to the bill
(S. 244) to further the goals of the Paperwork Reduction Act to have Federal agencies become more responsible and publicly accountable for reducing the burden of Federal paperwork on the public, and for other purposes; as follows:
On page 8, lines 19 and 20, strike out ``and processes, automated or manual,''.
On page 8, line 25, beginning with ``section'' strike out all through line 2 on page 9 and insert in lieu thereof
``section 111(a)(2) and (3)(C)(i) through (v) of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 (40 U.S.C. 759(a)(2) and (3)(C)(i) through (v));''.
On page 22, line 24, strike out ``a senior official'' and insert in lieu thereof ``senior officials''.
On page 23, line 2, strike out ``for the military departments''.
On page 46, lines 8 and 9, strike out ``collection of information prior to expiration of time periods established under this chapter'' and insert in lieu thereof ``a collection of information''.
On page 46, line 13, strike out ``such time periods'' and insert in lieu thereof ``time periods established under this chapter''.
On page 46, lines 17 and 18, strike out ``within such time periods because'' and insert in lieu thereof ``because''.
On page 46, line 21, strike out ``or''.
On page 46, beginning with line 22, strike out all through line 2 on page 47 and insert in lieu thereof the following:
``(ii) an unanticipated event has occurred; or
``(iii) the use of normal clearance procedures is reasonably likely to prevent or disrupt the collection of information or is reasonably likely to cause a statutory or court ordered deadline to be missed.''
On page 49, line 14, insert ``(a)'' before ``In order''.
On page 50, insert between lines 22 and 23 the following new subsection:
``(b) This section shall not apply to operational files as defined by the Central Intelligence Agency Information Act
(50 U.S.C. 431 et seq.).''
On page 56, lines 4 and 5, strike out ``section 4-206 of Executive Order No. 12036, issued January 24, 1978,'' and insert in lieu thereof ``section 3.4(e) of Executive Order No. 12333, issued December 4, 1981,''.
On page 58, insert between lines 2 and 3 the following new section:
SEC. 3. PAPERWORK BURDEN REDUCTION INITIATIVE REGARDING THE
QUARTERLY FINANCIAL REPORT PROGRAM AT THE
BUREAU OF THE CENSUS.
(a) Paperwork Burden Reduction Initiative Required.--As described in subsection (b), the Bureau of the Census within the Department of Commerce shall undertake a demonstration program to reduce the burden imposed on firms, especially small businesses, required to participate in the survey used to prepare the publication entitled ``Quarterly Financial Report for Manufacturing, Mining, and Trade Corporations''.
(b) Burden Reduction Initiatives To Be Included in the Demonstration Program.--The demonstration program required by subsection (a) shall include the following paperwork burden reduction initiatives:
(1) Furnishing assistance to small business concerns.--
(A) The Bureau of the Census shall furnish advice and similar assistance to ease the burden of a small business concern which is attempting to compile and furnish the business information required of firms participating in the survey.
(B) To facilitate the provision of the assistance described in subparagraph (A), a toll-free telephone number shall be established by the Bureau of the Census.
(2) Voluntary participation by certain business concerns.--
(A) A business concern may decline to participate in the survey, if the firm has--
(i) participated in the survey during the period of the demonstration program described under subsection (c) or has participated in the survey during any of the 24 calendar quarters previous to such period; and
(ii) assets of $50,000,000 or less at the time of being selected to participate in the survey for a subsequent time.
(B) A business concern may decline to participate in the survey, if the firm--
(i) has assets of greater than $50,000,000 but less than
$100,000,000 at the time of selection; and
(ii) participated in the survey during the 8 calendar quarters immediately preceding the firm's selection to participate in the survey for an additional 8 calendar quarters.
(3) Expanded use of sampling techniques.--The Bureau of the Census shall use statistical sampling techniques to select firms having assets of $100,000,000 or less to participate in the survey.
(4) Additional burden reduction techniques.--The Director of the Bureau of the Budget may undertake such additional paperwork burden reduction initiatives with respect to the conduct of the survey as may be deemed appropriate by such officer.
(c) Duration of the Demonstration Program.--The demonstration program required by subsection (a) shall commence on October 1, 1995, and terminate on the later of--
(1) September 30, 1998; or
(2) the date in the Act of Congress providing for authorization of appropriations for section 91 of title 13, United States Code, first enacted following the date of the enactment of this Act, that is September 30, of the last fiscal year providing such an authorization under such Act of Congress.
(d) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
(1) The term ``burden'' shall have the meaning given that term by section 3502(2) of title 44, United States Code.
(2) The term ``collection of information'' shall have the meaning given that term by section 3502(3) of title 44, United States Code.
(3) The term ``small business concern'' means a business concern that meets the requirements of section 3(a) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632(a)) and the regulations promulgated pursuant thereto.
(4) The term ``survey'' means the collection of information by the Bureau of the Census at the Department of Commerce pursuant to section 91 of title 13, United States Code, for the purpose of preparing the publication entitled ``Quarterly Financial Report for Manufacturing, Mining, and Trade Corporations''.
On page 58, insert between lines 2 and 3 the following new section:
SEC. 4. OREGON OPTION PROPOSAL.
(a) Findings.--The Senate finds that--
(1) Federal, State and local governments are dealing with increasingly complex problems which require the delivery of many kinds of social services at all levels of government;
(2) historically, Federal programs have addressed the Nation's problems by providing categorical assistance with detailed requirements relating to the use of funds which are often delivered by State and local governments;
(3) although the current approach is one method of service delivery, a number of problems exist in the current intergovernmental structure that impede effective delivery of vital services by State and local governments;
(4) it is more important than ever to provide programs that respond flexibly to the needs of the Nation's States and communities, reduce the barriers between programs that impede Federal, State and local governments' ability to effectively deliver services, encourage the Nation's Federal, State and local governments to be innovative in creating programs that meet the unique needs of the people in their communities while continuing to address national goals, and improve the accountability of all levels of government by better measuring government performance and better meeting the needs of service recipients;
(5) the State and local governments of Oregon have begun a pilot project, called the Oregon Option, that will utilize strategic planning and performance-based management that may provide new models for intergovernmental social service delivery;
(6) the Oregon Option is a prototype of a new intergovernmental relations system, and it has the potential to completely transform the relationships among Federal, State and local governments by creating a system of intergovernmental service delivery and funding that is based on measurable performance, customer satisfaction, prevention, flexibility, and service integration; and
(7) the Oregon Option has the potential to dramatically improve the quality of Federal, State and local services to Oregonians.
(b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate that the Oregon Option project has the potential to improve intergovernmental service delivery by shifting accountability from compliance to performance results and that the Federal Government should continue in its partnership with the State and local governments of Oregon to fully implement the Oregon Option.
On page 58, line 3, strike out ``SEC. 3.'' and insert in lieu thereof ``SEC. 5.''.
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McCAIN AMENDMENT NO. 318
Mr. McCAIN proposed an amendment to the bill, S. 244, supra; as follows:
At the end of the pending measure, add the following new section:
[[Page S3541]] SEC. . TERMINATION OF REPORTING
REQUIREMENTS.
(a) Termination.--
(1) In general.--Subject to the provisions of paragraph
(2), each provision of law requiring the submittal to Congress (or any committee of the Congress) of any report specified on the list described under subsection (c) shall cease to be effective, with respect to that requirement, 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(2) Exception.--The provisions of paragraph (1) shall not apply to any report required under--
(A) the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.; Public Law 95-452); or
(B) the Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-576).
(b) Identification of Wasteful Reports.--The President shall include in the first annual budget submitted pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, United States Code, after the date of enactment of this Act a list of reports that the President has determined are unnecessary or wasteful and the reasons for such determination.
(c) List of Reports.--The list referred to under subsection
(a) is the list prepared by the Clerk of the House of Representatives for the first session of the 103d Congress under clause 2 of rule III of the Rules of the House of Representatives.
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