Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 87.djvu/625

 87 STAT. ]

PUBLIC LAW 93-153-NOV. 16, 1973

593

GENERAL ACCOUNTHSTG OFFICE AUTHORITY

SEC. 409. (a) Section 3502 of title 44, United States Code, is amended 82 Stat. 1302. by inserting in the first paragraph defining "Federal agency" after the words "the General Accounting Office" and before the words "nor the governments" the words "independent Federal regulatory agencies,". (b) Chapter 35 of title 44,_United States Code, is amended by adding sj J'^^^- ^^^i. after section 3511 the following new section: "§ 3512. Information for independent regulatory agencies " (a) The Comptroller General of the United States shall review the co^mp1rone''/G"encollection of information required by independent Federal regulatory erai. agencies described in section 3502 of this chapter to assure that information required by such agencies is obtained with a minimum burden upon business enterprises, especially small business enterprises, and other pereons required to furnish the information. LTnnecessary duplication of efforts in obtaining information already filed with other Federal agencies or departments through the use of reports, questionnaires, and other methods shall be eliminated as rapidly as practicable. Information collected and tabulated by an independent regulatory agency shall, as far as is expedient, be tabulated in a manner to maximize the usefulness of the infonnation to other Federal agencies and the public. "(b) I n carrying out the policy of this section, the Comptroller General shall review all existing information gathering practices of independent regulatory agencies as well as requests for additional information with a view toward— "(1) avoiding duplication of effort by independent regulatory agencies, and " (2) minimizing the compliance burden on business enterprises and other persons. "(c) I n complying with this section, an independent regulatory agency shall not conduct or sponsor the collection of information upon an identical item from ten or more persons, other than Federal eml)loyees, unless, in advance of adoption or revision of any plans or forms to be used in the collection— " (1) the agency submitted to the Comptroller General the plans or fonns, together with the copies of pertinent regulations and of other related materials as the Comptroller General has specified; and "(2) the Comptroller General has advised that the information is not presently available to the independent agency from another « > source within the Federal Government and has determined that the proposed plans or forms are consistent with the provision of this section. The Comptroller General shall maintain facilities for carrying out the purposes of this section and shall render such advice to the requestive independent regulatory agency within forty-five days. " (d) While the Comptroller General shall determine the availability ^^^5,^^311^0? °^ from other Federal sources of the information sought and the appro- a'^e°n^y^ dererminapi-iateness of the forms for the collection of such information, the 'i°"independent regulatory agency shall make the final determination as to the necessity of the information in carrying out its statutory responsibilities and whether to collect such information. If no advice is received from the Comptroller General within forty-five days, the independent regulatory agency may immediately proceed to obtain such information.

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