Statement on Signing the
Congressional Reports Elimination Act of 1986
I
have signed S. 992, the Congressional Reports
Elimination Act of 1986. This act eliminates or modifies a number of statutory
reporting requirements. Federal agencies are required by law to report to
Congress on a wide variety of subjects at specified intervals. These reporting
requirements impose a considerable workload on the executive branch. S. 992
represents congressional action on an administration proposal to repeal or
modify reporting requirements if they no longer serve a useful purpose, the
information required is available from other sources, or the cost and time
required to prepare a report outweigh any benefit to the public or the
Congress.
While
I am disappointed the great majority of the repeals or modifications of
reporting requirements proposed by the administration were not adopted by the
Congress, the passage of S. 992 does demonstrate congressional recognition of
the problem of burdensome reporting requirements. We will continue to work with
the Congress to eliminate other unnecessary, redundant, or otherwise
inappropriate reporting requirements.
Note: S. 992, approved August
22, was assigned Public Law No. 99 - 386.