Peter Torkildsen: “I want to applaud the gentlewoman's leadership in moving this bill through the full committee and to the House floor.…”

“I want to applaud the gentlewoman's leadership in moving this bill through the full committee and to the House floor. Mr. Chairman, the legislation before us, the Paperwork Elimination Act of 1996, will require the Federal Government to get smart about the information age we live in. It requires the executive branch to become computer user friendly and allow small business and individuals the option to file all information required by the Federal Government electronically. It also requires Federal agency to make documents and publications available electronically as well. Small business bears the disproportionate share of these reporting costs. The legislation today focuses on how the use of electronic submission, maintenance and disclosure of information demanded by the Federal Government can reduce the cost on small business. But State and local governments, government contractors, educational and nonprofit institutions, and the public at large will also benefit by the improvements in this bill. This legislation potentially eliminates billions of dollars of cost that small business and others face in meeting Federal information demands.”