November 6, 1998
M-99-01
MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES
| FROM: |
Jacob J. Lew
Director |
| SUBJECT: |
New Statutory Language on Paperwork Reduction FY 1999 ICB |
Last month, I issued OMB Bulletin 98-09, "Fiscal Year 1999 Information
Collection Budget," asking you to submit, by December 15, 1998, the information
necessary for OMB to develop the FY 1999 Information Collection Budget (ICB).
Since then, in the FY 99 omnibus appropriations bill, Congress directed OMB
to submit by March 31, 1999, a report that "identifies specific paperwork
reduction accomplishments expected, constituting annual five percent
reductions in paperwork expected in fiscal year 1999 and fiscal year 2000."
I am writing to emphasize the need for you to make a concerted effort,
during your ongoing work on the FY 1999 ICB submission, to identify paperwork
reductions that can be accomplished in FY 1999 and in FY 2000. As you know,
there has been continued Congressional interest in this area, and it is
likely that progress towards meeting these requirements will receive
particular scrutiny in the future.
Specifically, as part of your response to Bulletin 98-09, I am asking
you to do the following:
- Set an agency goal of reducing paperwork by at least 5% in both FY 1999
and FY 2000 (in Bulletin 98-09, OMB set a government-wide goal of 5% for
FY 1999).
- Describe in detail, in the section of your FY 1999 ICB submission
entitled Burden Reduction Effort and Goals, what program actions your
agency—in planning for the "maximum practicable" paperwork reduction—will
take to reduce paperwork by 5% in FY 1999 and in FY 2000.
- Add to your FY 1999 ICB submission a new section entitled
Significant Changes in Information Collection Burden Planned for FY 2000,
describing specific program changes planned for FY 2000 that will
contribute to paperwork reduction.
Finally, to ensure that OMB can complete its report to Congress by
March 31, 1999, I want to stress the importance of submitting to OMB the
information required by OMB Bulletin 98-09 and this memorandum by December 15,
1998.
Should your staff have any questions regarding this memorandum, they
may contact David Rostker in the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs
at the Office of Management and Budget at (202) 395-3897.
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