S 1411 ISCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

112th CONGRESSCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

1st SessionCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

S. 1411CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To require the Public Printer to establish and maintain a website accessible to the public that allows the public to obtain electronic copies of all congressionally mandated reports in one place, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

July 25, 2011CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Mr. LIEBERMAN (for himself, Ms. COLLINS, and Mr. COBURN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and AdministrationCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

A BILLCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To require the Public Printer to establish and maintain a website accessible to the public that allows the public to obtain electronic copies of all congressionally mandated reports in one place, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF WEBSITE FOR CONGRESSIONALLY MANDATED REPORTS.

(a) Requirement To Establish Website- Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Public Printer shall establish and maintain a website accessible by the public that allows the public to obtain electronic copies of all congressionally mandated reports in one place. The Public Printer may publish other reports on such website.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Content and Function- The Public Printer shall ensure that the website required under subsection (a) includes the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) With respect to each congressionally mandated report, each of the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) A citation to the statute or conference report requiring the report.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) An electronic copy of the report, including any transmittal letter associated with the report, in an open format that is platform independent and that is available to the public without restrictions, including restrictions that would impede the re-use of the information in the report.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) The ability to retrieve a report, to the extent practicable, through searches based on each, and any combination, of the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(i) The title of the report.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(ii) The reporting Federal agency.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(iii) The date of publication.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(iv) Each congressional committee receiving the report, if applicable.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(v) Subject tags.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(vi) The serial number, Superintendent of Documents number, or other identification number for the report, if applicable.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(vii) The statute or conference report requiring the report.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(viii) Key words.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(ix) Full text search.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(x) Any other relevant information specified by the Public Printer.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) The time and date when the report was required to be submitted, and when the report was submitted, to the website.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(E) Access to the report not later than 30 calendar days after its submission to Congress.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(F) To the extent practicable, a permanent means of accessing the report electronically.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) A means for bulk download of all congressionally mandated reports or a selection of reports retrieved using a search.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) A means for the head of each Federal agency to publish on the website each congressionally mandated report of the agency, as required by section 3.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) A list form for all congressionally mandated reports that can be searched, sorted, and downloaded by--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) reports submitted within the required time;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) reports submitted after the date on which such reports were required to be submitted; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) reports not submitted.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Free Access- The Public Printer may not charge a fee, require registration, or impose any other limitation in exchange for access to the website required under subsection (a).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Upgrade Capability- The website required under subsection (a) shall be enhanced and updated as necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 3. FEDERAL AGENCY RESPONSIBILITIES.

(a) Submission of Electronic Copies of Reports- The head of each Federal agency shall publish congressionally mandated reports of the agency on the website required under section 2(a)--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) in an open format that is platform independent, machine readable, and available to the public without restrictions (except the redaction of information described under section 5), including restrictions that would impede the re-use of the information in the reports; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) in accordance with the guidance issued under subsection (c).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Submission of Additional Information- The head of each Federal agency shall submit to the Public Printer the information required under subparagraphs (A) through (D) of section 2(b)(1) with respect to each congressionally mandated report published pursuant to subsection (a).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Guidance- Not later than eight months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, in consultation with the Public Printer, shall issue guidance to agencies on the implementation of this Act.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 4. RELATIONSHIP TO REQUIREMENTS TO SUBMIT REPORTS TO CONGRESS.

(a) Compliance With Statutory Requirement To Submit Reports- Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a Federal agency is deemed to have complied with a statutory requirement to submit a report to Congress if the agency completes each of the following, with respect to such report:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) Publishes a complete and unredacted copy on the website required under section 2(a).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) Notifies the Clerk of the House of Representatives, the Secretary of the Senate, and each congressional committee to which a report must be submitted of the report’s availability on the website.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Removing and Altering Reports- A report submitted to be published to the website required under section 2(a) may only be changed or removed, with the exception of technical changes, by the Federal agency with the express, written consent of each congressional committee to which the report must be submitted.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 5. RELATIONSHIP TO FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.

Nothing in this Act shall be construed to require the disclosure of information or records that are exempt from public disclosure under section 552 of title 5, United States Code. If any information in a congressionally mandated report may not be publicly released under section 552(b) of title 5, United States Code, the Federal agency concerned shall redact from the report submitted to be published on the website established under section 2 only such information, shall indicate where such redactions were made in the report, and shall identify the exemption under which each such redaction is made.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) CONGRESSIONALLY MANDATED REPORT- The term ‘congressionally mandated report’ means a report that is required to be submitted to either House of Congress or any committee of Congress by statute or by a conference report that accompanies legislation enacted into law.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) FEDERAL AGENCY- The term ‘Federal agency’ has the meaning given that term under section 102 of title 40, United States Code, but does not include the Government Accountability Office.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 7. IMPLEMENTATION.

Except as provided in section 3(c), this Act shall be implemented not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act and shall apply with respect to congressionally mandated reports submitted to Congress on or after the date occurring one year after such date of enactment.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink