David Cay Johnston: “today I am introducing the DOE Reports Elimination and Streamlining Act of 1996, to implement a number of…”

“today I am introducing the DOE Reports Elimination and Streamlining Act of 1996, to implement a number of recommendations that have been received from the administration for the repeal of requirements for unnecessary or obsolete reports to Congress from the Department of Energy. A number of my colleagues, particularly Senators Levin, McCain, and Cohen, have devoted considerable effort over the past few years to relieving executive branch agencies from the unnecessary burden of reporting requirements that have outlived their usefulness. It has been a difficult task, and these colleagues and their staff deserve our thanks for what they have been able to accomplish in terms of crafting a long-term solution to the problem. I believe that it remains incumbent, though, on authorizing committees to review statutory reports required of agencies within their jurisdiction and to act to modify or repeal such requirements, where needed. That is what the present bill does. This bill also repeals legislative authorization for two now-defunct offices in the Department of Energy.”