Government Reports Elimination Act of 2014

Floor Speech

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Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

As a member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, I rise in support of this important legislation. I am pleased to join my colleagues and Chairman Issa today in support of H.R. 4194, the Government Reports Elimination Act, as amended.

Congress often requires reports from executive branch agencies, and these reports can be a valuable tool to scrutinize performance and assess agency goals. However, with the passage of time, reporting requirements can become outdated and unnecessary.

Congress and the executive branch recognized in the Government Performance and Results Modernization Act of 2010 that improved coordination across the Federal Government benefits the taxpayer and government alike.

Pursuant to that act, the Office of Management and Budget publishes a list of plans or reports that are produced by the executive branch pursuant to congressional mandate. The act requires the administration to identify potentially outdated or duplicative plans and reports and provide views for their elimination.

In January 2013, the Office of Management and Budget produced a list that identified over 300 congressionally-mandated plans and reports as potentially outdated or duplicative. Majority and minority staffs of our committee worked together to identify specific reports that are currently produced, but should be eliminated.

H.R. 4194 would eliminate the statutory requirements to prepare reports that are produced by 18 Federal agencies. Implementing H.R. 4194 would reduce the administrative costs to these agencies by reducing the number of reports that must be prepared and printed.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that implementing the bill reduces the costs that are subject to appropriation by about $1 million over the next 5 years. The bill contains no intergovernmental or private sector mandates and would impose no costs on State, local, and tribal governments.

H.R. 4194 provides for greater efficiency for a more effective Federal Government with the elimination of duplicative or unnecessary reports.

Madam Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill, and I am pleased to yield back the balance of my time.

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