Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 56 Part 1.djvu/1106

 [56 STAT. PUBLIC LAWS-CH. 811-DEC. 24, 1942 [CHAPTER 8111 AN ACT December 24, 1042 [DeS.16] 9 To coordinate Federal reporting services, to eliminate duplication and reduce the [Public Law 831] cost of such services, and to minimize the burdens of furnishing information to Federal agencies. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the FederalReports Act United States of America in Congress assembled, That this Act may be cited as the "Federal Reports Act of 1942". Policy of ongress SEC. 2. It is hereby declared to be the policy of the Congress that regarding information ollec by Federal information which may be needed by the various Federal agencies %gencies. should be obtained with a minimum burden upon business enterprises (especially small business enterprises) and other persons required to furnish such information, and at a minimum cost to the Government, that all unnecessary duplication of efforts in obtaining such informa- tion through the use of reports, questionnaires, and other such methods should be eliminated as rapidly as practicable; and that information collected and tabulated by any Federal agency should insofar as is expedient be tabulated in a manner to maximize the use- fulness of the information to other Federal agencies and the public. Investigations by SEC. 3. (a) With a view to carrying out the policy of this Act, the irector of Bureau oft Budget. Director of the Bureau of the Budget (hereinafter referred to as the "Director") is directed from time to time (1) to investigate the needs of the various Federal agencies for information from business enter- prises, from other persons, and from other Federal agencies; (2) to investigate the methods used by such agencies in obtaining such eoordination of information; and (3) to coordinate as rapidly as possible the informa- tion-collecting services of all such agencies with a view to reducing the cost to the Government of obtaining such information and mini- mizing the burden upon business enterprises and other persons, and utilizing, as far as practicable, the continuing organization, files of information and existing facilities of the established Federal depart- ments and independent agencies. Use ofsinglecollect- (b) If, after any such investigation, the Director is of the opinion Hearing. that the needs of two or more Federal agencies for information from business enterprises and other persons will be adequately served by a single collecting agency, he shall fix a time and place for a hearing at which the agencies concerned and any other interested gDesignation o persons shall have an opportunity to present their views. After such hearing, the Director may issue an order designating a collect- ing agency to obtain such information for any two or more of the agencies concerned, and prescribing (with reference to the collection of such information) the duties and functions of the collecting agency so designated and the Federal agencies for which it is to act as agent. Any such order may be modified from time to time by the Director as circumstances may require, but no such modification shall be made except after investigation and hearing as hereinbefore provided. pliation. fd n (c) While any such order or modified order is in effect, no Federal agency covered by such order shall obtain for itself any information which it is the duty of the collecting agency designated by such order to obtain. Determination of (d) Upon the request of any party having a substantial interest, or upon his own motion, the Director is authorized within his discretion to make a determination as to whether or not the collection of any infor- mation by any Federal agency is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of such agency or for any other proper purpose. Before making any such determination, the Director may, within his discretion, give to such agency and to other interested persons an ade- quate opportunity to be heard or to submit statements in writing. To the extent, if any, that the Director determines the collection of 1078

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