INTERIM REPORT OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS UNITED STATES SENATE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP72-00450R000100090015-7
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 49
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 15, 2002
• Sequence Number: 15
• Publication Date: October 8, 1968
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For R6Iease'2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-004!fOFR006100090015-7
90TH CONGRESS
2d Session
1 REPORT
No. 1616
GOVERNMENT REPORTS AND STATISTICS
INTERIM REPORT
SELECT COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS
UNITED STATES SENATE
THE GROWING PROBLEMS OF SMALL BUSINESS
IN MEETING FEDERAL PAPERWORK REQUIREMENTS
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
98-016 WASHINGTON : 1968
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Refase 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP721'0d45OR000100090015-7
SELECT COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS
(Created pursuant to S. Res. 58, 81st Cong.)
GEORGE A. SMATHERS, Florida, Chairman
JOHN SPARKMAN, Alabama
RUSSELL B. LONG, Louisiana
WAYNE MORSE, Oregon
ALAN BIBLE, Nevada
JENNINGS RANDOLPH, West Virginia
E. L. BARTLETT, Alaska
HARRISON A. WILLIAMS, JR., New Jersey
GAYLORD NELSON, Wisconsin
JOSEPH M. MONTOYA, New Mexico
FRED R. HARRIS, Oklahoma
JACOB K. JAVITS, New York
HUGH SCOTT, Pennsylvania
NORRIS COTTON, New Hampshire
PETER H. DOMINICK, Colorado
HOWARD H. BAKER, JR., Tennessee
MARK 0. HATFIELD, Oregon
WILLIAM T. MCIrrARNAY, Staff Director and General Counsel
ERNEST P. EVANS, Jr., Professional Staff Member
ELIZABETH A. BYRNE, Chief Clerk
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
U.S. SENATE,
SELECT COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS,
Hon. HUBERT H. HUMPHREY,
President of the Senate,
U. S. Senate, Washington, D. C.
September 9, 1968.
DEAR MR. PRESIDENT: I have the honor to transmit to you an
interim report by the Senate Select Committee on Small Business on
the subject of "Government Reports and Statistics."
This report, prepared with the assistance of Mr. Thomas F. Cor-
coran, former staff director of the House Subcommittee on Census
and Statistics, summarizes the studies and investigations of the
committee on the problems of small business compliance with the
increasing demand and complexity of Federal reporting and paper-
work requirements, and sets forth certain interim findings and
recommendations with respect to these problems.
Sincerely yours,
GEORGE A. SMATHERS,
Chairman, Select Committee on Small Business.
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
CONTENTS
Page
I. Introduction-------------------------------------------------- 1
A. Highlights of this report--------------------------------- 1
B. The Federal Reports Act-------------------------------- 2
C. The volume of paperwork------------------------------- 3
D. Federal-State cooperation------------------------------- 4
II. The paperwork agencies---------------------------------------- 7
A. Bureau of the Budget----------------------------------- 7
1. Kaysen committee report------------------------- 11
2. National Data Center---------------------------- 12
3. Confidentiality---------------------------------- 12
4. Other proposals---------------------------------- 13
B. Bureau of the Census----------------------------------- 15
1. Reducing the burden----------------------------- 15
2. State and local government cooperation------------ 17
C. Social Security Administration--------------------------- 17
1. Earnings reports--------------------------------- 18
2. Statistical uses---------------------------------- 19
D. Department of Labor----------------------------------- 22
1. Interagency cooperation-------------------------- 22
2. Federal-State cooperation------------------------- 24
3. Needed improvements---------------------------- 24
4. Unemployment insurance reports------------------ 25
E. Internal Revenue Service-------------------------------- 30
1. Tax purposes only------------------------------- 31
2. Needed reforms---------------------------------- 32
3. Federal-State cooperation------------------------- 33
F. National Archives and Records Service------------------- 33
1. Federal paperwork and automation---------------- 33
2. The cost of paperwork---------------------------- 34
3. Paperwork management-------------------------- 34
III. Summary and conclusions-------------------------------------- 37
Appendices:
A. The Federal Reports Act of 1942 and Executive Order 10253 of
1951---------------------------------------------------- 41
B. Table 1. Obligations for principal statistical programs, by subject
areas, 1959-69------------------------------------------- 46
Table 2. Obligations for principal statistical programs, by selected
agencies, 1959-69----------------------------------------- 48
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
90TH CONGRESS l SENATE REPORT
2d Session No. 1616
Mr. SMATHERS, from the Select Committee on Small Business,
submitted the following
INTERIM REPORT
1. INTRODUCTION
A. HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS REPORT
? The small business community. is justly concerned about the
proliferation of Federal, State, and local government reports and
paperwork (p. 8).
? For the "mom and pop" store and similar small business enter-
prises, the cost of government paperwork may make the difference
between a profit and a loss (p.. 25).
? The Federal Reports Act, sponsored by the Senate Special Committee
To Study Problems of American Small Business in 1942, has not been
effective in implementing the policy of the Congress directed toward
reducing the reporting burden of small business enterprises (p. 3).
? Federal reporting and statistical programs over the past 10 years
have increased at a rate of 50 percent greater than the Federal budget
itself (p. 9), .
? The cost of Federal paperwork (forms, correspondence, reports,
records filing and storage, etc.) exceeded $8 billion in 1967. In 1 year,
the Federal Government files 4.5 million cubic feet of records, the
equivalent of 10 billion pieces of typing paper (p. 34).
? Most of the complaints to the Congress from small businessmen
concern three Federal reporting systems: tax returns, census reports,
and wage and earnings reports (p. 3).
? The committee believes that the present system of Federal tax
reporting can be greatly simplified, especially for small businessmen
and individuals. Tax reform programs now under study should include
specific proposals for simplified tax reporting (p. 32)..
? The committee also believes that census and wage-earnings reporting
can be substantially improved. It questions the need for quarterly
wage and earnings reporting under both the unemployment com-
pensation and social security programs (p. 4).
(1) .
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
2
? The committee concurs with the findings of the Kaysen Committee
that a new organizational approach is needed to the Federal statistical
system. It recommends that the General Services Administration and
the Bureau of the Census be given more responsibility in the monitoring
and integration of Federal reports and statistics (p. 39).
? Only one-fourth of all Federal reports and records are now auto-
mated. Any proposals for a National Data Center or similar facility
must be evaluated in terms of the enormous initial costs of computeriz-
ing the remaining 75 percent (p. 33).
? Such proposals must also be carefully studied to insure that the
confidentiality of records and the privacy of business firms and
individuals shall be fully safeguarded (p. 13).
? More than 50 percent of the Nation's public paperwork burden is
imposed by State and local governments. With some exceptions, for
every Federal report there is a similar or comparable report at the
State and local level (p. 4).
? The committee commends those Federal agencies which have
undertaken programs to reduce the reporting burden of small business-
men through greater use of administrative records for statistical
purposes and through greater exchanges of information with State
and local government agencies (p. 39).
B. THE FEDERAL REPORTS ACT
There can be little doubt that the reporting burden placed upon
small business by the Federal agencies represents a continuing source
of irritation and frustration to the small entrepreneur. Not only
are Government tax and statistical reports time consuming and
costly to prepare but, in many instances, a real question arises
as to the genuine need for and useful purpose to be served by an
inquiry or survey. Further, some small businessmen who make
little or no use of officially compiled information, themselves, suspect
that there exists an unholy alliance between Government and big
business in these matters and that the information supplied by them
to the Government is often used by market researchers, location
specialists, and sales analysts of the large companies to the detriment
of small business.
These fears, frustrations and irritations of the small business
community are well known to Members of Congress. The Congress
has increasingly concerned itself with the rising volume of Federal
tax and statistical forms and time and again has called the Federal
departments and agencies to account for inefficient paperwork
management practices.
Earlier attempts to reduce the flood of Government paperwork have
been well summarized elsewhere.' Briefly, since 1942, the Federal
Reports Act (5 U.S.C. 139) passed by the War Congress in 1942, has
become the basic Federal statistical or "reports" law. It was based
largely on recommendations made by the Senate Special Committee
To Study Problems of American Small Business in 1941 that there
was need for coordinating the statistical programs of the Federal
agencies in order "to eliminate duplication and reduce the cost of such
services and to minimize the burdens of furnishing reports and in-
I See especially "First (1949) and Second (1955) Hoover Commission Reports and also the Federal Paper
Work Jungle," H. Rept. 52, 89th Cong., 1965.
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/19 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
formation to governmental agencies." 2 Under the act, the Director of
the Budget has authority to "order a single Federal agency to collect
statistics if more than one is doing so, to determine whether or not the
collection of data is necessary, to require an agency to make its
statistics available to other agencies under certain conditions, and to
approve or disapprove new plans to collect data from 10 or more
persons." 3 However, the Internal Revenue Service (the largest paper-
work agency), and other Bureaus of the Treasury Department
(Bureau of Accounts, Bureau of Public Debt, Comptroller of the
Currency, and Division of Foreign Funds Control), and the Federal
banking agencies are specifically exempt from the act.4
Thus, with such clear and unmistakable authority [with noted ex-
ceptions] on the statute books, the small businessman today might
well wonder why
It will take a miracle to stop the outburst of forms, ink,
paper and questionnaires as well as directives which the
Government now uses to confound the citizenry and make
the bureaucrat happy.5
Recent developments in the paperwork story and the effectiveness
of Federal controls are summarized below.
C. THE VOLUME OF PAPERWORK
From time to time, attempts have been made to quantify the
enormous mass of forms, schedules, notices, directives, supplements,
and other information gathering materials which are sent out to the
public by the Federal agencies in Washington. According to one
estimate, over 2 billion public use forms (some 10 forms for every
person in the United States) are printed by the Government Printing
Office each year for the Federal agencies.' According to another source,
there are only about 775 statistical reports with business respondents
and of these only "one-sixth to one-fifth are mandatory in the more
restrictive and ordinary sense, i.e., nonresponse is subject to stated
penalties."' Moreover, a large segment of Federal reporting is con-
cerned with program administration and is termed "administrative"
since it principally involves beneficiaries of or participants in Federal
programs. Such reporting may be mandatory or voluntary in accord-
ance with agency statutes and enforcement practices. In any case,
defenders of the present Federal statistical system argue that such
reporting systems do not greatly involve the average small business-
man (except as an occasional bidder or contractor) and such paper-
work may be considered as a necessary cost of doing business.8
Thus, in discussing the volume of Federal reports, for our purposes
here we can limit our concern to those reports which all small business-
men find particularly onerous. Most complaints received by this and
other committees of Congress relate to three broad reporting systems:
tax returns (especially income, excise, Federal Insurance Contribu-
2 See "Small Business Problems", S. Rept. 479, 77th Cong., 1st soss., 1941.
3 See The Federal Paperwork Jungle," p. 9.
4 The FederalReports Act was later strengthened by provisions of the Budget and Accounting Procedures
Act of 1950 and Executive Order No. 10253 of June 11, 1951. goo app. A.
5 See Hearings before House Subcommittee on Census and Statistics. p. 119.
3 From testimony before House Census and Statistics Subcommittee hearings, p. 22.
7 Bureau of the Budget letter to Chairman Smathors, dated Feb. 15, 1968.
3 See "Government Procurement" hearings before this committee, January 1966, p. 258.
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : QA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
tions Act (FICA) tax schedules); census reports (especially census of
manufactures and census of business schedules) ; and employment and
earnings reports (especially the quarterly reports on employment and
earnings required for administering the unemployment compensa-
tion and social security programs). gome idea of the volume of paper-
work involved in these three broad reporting systems may be gathered
from the following data:
? In 1966, over 22 million employment tax returns (IRS forms 940,
941, 942, and 943) were filed with the Internal Revenue Service.
? In 1967, the earnings of 80 million persons were reported to the
Social Security Administration and the wages of over 48 million
workers were reported under the State unemployment insurance
programs.
? Over 4 million business firms are covered in the 1967 Economic
Censuses (now in preparation). Of these 99 percent are expected to
have less than 100 employees, but not all of these will be canvassed.'
D. FEDERAL-STATE COOPERATION
Although the enormous dimensions of the Federal tax and reporting
systems are difficult to encompass, they represent only about one-
half of the volume of reports, inquiries, directives, and other paper
mailed to business establishments. With some exceptions, for every
Federal report there exists a similar or comparable report at the
State and local government levels. The Hoover Commission task force
in 1955 estimated that more than 50 percent of the Nation's paperwork
burden was imposed by State and local governments. In recent years,
this percentage may have risen because of increased computerization
in State and local government offices (especially of property and in-
come tax records). Moreover, since no restraint comparable to the
Federal Reports Act exists at the State and local government levels,
and, for the most part, the reports and statistics of the State and local
agencies are admittedly less scientific and sophisticated than the
Federal, with but little use of probability sampling and standardized
questionnaire design, it is understandable why a small businessman
says:
The real problem seems to us to be on the State level
where confusion, duplication, and the accent on seemingly
purposeless information is truly alarming.lo
It is obvious that greater cooperation between Federal and State
tax and data collecting agencies offers broad opportunities in a large
number of reporting areas. In the past, Federal-State cooperation has
been largely restricted to joint efforts in such fields as crop and live-
stock reporting, vital statistics records and certain specialized labor,
health, education, and welfare reporting services. Most of the programs
were either federally funded or conducted on a matching of funds
basis.
But, for the most part, Federal-State-local cooperative tax and
statistical reporting arrangements have been and are limited to
specialized activities involving one Federal and one State or local
agency, without any guidance or direction from either the Federal or
6 See below, discussion about use of tax records in the 1067 Economic Censuses, p. 16.
ID From survey report of "National Federation of Independent Businessmen," p. 85.
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/10: CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
State administrations. Recent developments in Federal-State-local
cooperative endeavors are discussed below under agency programs.
Some ray of hope in the complex Federal-State-local government
reporting systems has emerged in recent months through the National
Conference on Comparative Statistics cosponsored by the National
Governors' Conference, the Council of State Governments, the
National Association of Counties, the U.S. Conference of Mayors,
the National League of Cities, the Municipal Finance Officers'
Association, the Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Rela-
tions and the U.S. Bureau of the Budget. The Second National
Conference on Comparative Statistics, held in Washington, in April
1968, was attended by key Federal, State, and local officials with
statistical and reporting responsibilities, and dealt with a broad
spectrum of information and data problems, including experience in
attempts to coordinate statistical activities at the State level, and
efforts to make more effective use of available Federal-State and local
data sources and materials. Since the conference was principally
concerned with "comparative" statistics for such uses as budgets and
finance, population and housing estimates, socioeconomic problems
in employment, crime, welfare, and poverty and the like, little atten-
tion was accorded to the reporting problems of the business com-
munity which must supply much of the information to these Federal-
State-local reporting systems. It would be hoped that the business
reporting burden at the State level where "the accent on seemingly
purposeless information is truly alarming" would be included in the
conference's future agendas."
It must be recognized that although the quality of State and local
government services is improving gradually, for the most part, State
and local governments are poorly staffed and equipped to meet the
growing demands placed upon them today. The fact that Federal
funds are supporting an ever-increasing share of State and local gov-
ernment programs in health, welfare, poverty, education, job train-
ing, economic development, highways, and all the rest, no longer
allows us to dismiss the State and local data problems as not being
a Federal responsibility. It is in the Federal Government's self-interest
to assist the State and local governments in improving the efficiency
of their reporting and data collecting services. Surely, if the Federal
Government can furnish technicians and support to improve the sta-
tistical programs of foreign nations in every continent, we can also
give "aid" to our States in improving their services.l2
This committee, whose earlier recommendations paved the way for
the Federal Reports Act of 1942, plans to pursue the above matters,
including recommendations for new legislation, if needed, with a view
to making the Federal statistical and reporting systems more respon-
sive to Federal-State-local government needs for data, on the one hand,
and the ever-increasing public reporting burden, on the other.
It See note 10.
22 See below, p. 17, concerning the now intergovernmental services program of the Census Bureau.
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
H. THE PAPERWORK AGENCIES
In an effort to evaluate recent progress in Federal reporting pro-
grams, with special attention directed toward the reporting systems
discussed above, a paperwork conference was arranged on November
9, 1967, by the staff of the Small Business Committee. Participatin
in the conference were representatives of most of the principal Feder
tax and data collection agencies along with representatives of two
private groups: the Advisory Council on Federal Reports and the
Federal Statistics Users' Conference. Recent reporting and paperwork
developments in the key Federal agencies based on information ex-
changed during the conference and materials subsequently submitted
to the committee by the agencies, are summarized briefly below under
agency headings.' We begin with the Bureau of the Budget, which as
stated above, has overall responsibility for Federal reports and
statistics under the Federal Reports Act.
A. BUREAU OF TIIR BUDGET
Representatives of the BOB told the committee that, in their
opinion, their overall responsibility for supervising and monitoring
the Federal reporting system does not include "responsibility for every
detailed aspect of each form, either in terms of content or design."
Rather they understand their responsibility under the act-
to examine reporting plans from the point of view of their
essentiality and appropriateness within the context of the
Government programs; to give particular attention to cost
including the reporting burden imposed on the public; to
insure that any project is designed for maximum usefulness
to the Government as a whole and when appropriate, to users
among the public; to consider issues of public policy, includ-
ing problems of propriety and invasion of privacy; and to
satisfy ourselves that the plans have been competently
designed from a technical point of view.
When questioned as to whether the Bureau of the Budget was
adequately staffed to "provide necessary supervision as required by
the Federal Reports Act," BOB officials replied that, although they
"would welcome some marginal addition to their resources," they did
not believe it realistic to consider any substantial increase in staff
nor are they prepared to propose such an increase.'
In February 1965, a report of the House Post Office and Civil
Service Committee stated that "the continued deficiencies in the
Federal reporting and statistical system are matters of grave concern"
and went on to point out major shortcomings in the administration
of the Federal reporting system in such problem areas as: unauthorized
' Not included in this interim report are the statistical programs of the Department of Agriculture, and the
activities of the regulatory agencies, ICC FTC, SEC, FAA, etc.
2 Letter to Senator Smathors from Mr. Walter Ryan, Deputy Director, Office of Statistical Standards,
D013, dated Feb. 15, 1968.
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
8
questionnaires, the lack of any supervision over the regulatory
agencies, the need for new "reports" legislation to clarify the status of
the regulatory agencies, the faulty statistical budgetary process, and
the ineffective Federal-State cooperative mechanism in this field.
Since the House report of 1965, there has been a considerable ex-
pansion in the Federal reporting system. The number of approved
Federal administrative and statistical reports has increased by some
1,200, over the 3-year period (an increase of over 30 percent) and the
system continues to expand at a rapid rate. Of particular interest to
the businessman (and the object of numerous complaints to Congress)
is the recent reporting program of the Equal Employment Oppor-
tunity Commission requiring data concerning minority groups from
some 80,000 employers under the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Since
most employment records have not in the past specified racial and
nationality characteristics, this single report has been exceedingly
troublesome and costly to businessmen. According to one estimate
reaching the committee, this report can require up to 10 hours to
complete and the total cost to the business community for this single
report (EEO-1 below) may be as high as $4 million annually.
At the request of the committee, the following summary of the Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission's reporting system was pre-
pared by the Bureau of the Budget:
Summary of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Statistical Programs
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has
instituted no new statistical programs in 1968. Their on-
going statistical program provides for the annual collection of
data on three major reports, summarized below:
1. Employer Information Report, EEO-1.-The filing of
this form is required of (a) all employers subject to title VII
of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with 100 or more employees
and (b) holders of Federal Government contracts and sub-
contracts, and depositories of Federal funds, subject to
Executive Order 11246, with 50 or more employees. Approxi-
mately 150,000 reports were filed in 1968. Although coverage
under title VII has been successively lowered each year by
law and now, as of July 1, 1968, covers employers with 25 or
more employees, the EEOC has not required employers with
fewer than 100 employees to file EEO-1, and the number of
reports required has not increased significantly since the
inception of EEO-1 in January of 1966. Basic data reported
on EEO-1 include statistics on all employees by job cate-
gories broken according to sex and minority group status
(Negro, Oriental, American Indian, and Spanish-surnamed
American). Similar data are required on apprentices. Illus-
trative of special studies based on analysis of these data are
"1966 Employment Survey in the Textile Industry of the
Carolinas," "Employment Patterns in the Drug Industry,
1966," "White Collar Employment Opportunities for Minori-
ties in New York City," etc.
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
2. Apprenticeship Information Report, EEO-22.-This
report is required to be filed by joint labor-management
apprenticeship committees, where at least one sponsoring
employer has 50 or more employees and at least one spon-
soring local union operates a hiring hall or has 50 or more
members. In 1967, the first year this survey was in use,
2,000 joint committees filed the report. Basic data reported
are statistics on minority group status and sex of apprentices
by their number of years in the program, and background
information on numbers of applicants, standards and selec-
tion procedures, etc.
3. Local Union Equal Employment Opportunity Report
EEO-3.-This report is required of all local unions subject
to title VII of the Civil Rights Act which have 100 or more
members. Instituted in late 1967, some 22,000 unions com-
pleted the report. The data is still being processed and no
statistical results have been obtained to date. EEO-3
collects basic information on union practices and statistics
by sex and minority group of members and applicants for
membership in referral unions.
The large increase in Federal reporting and statistical activities is
attested to by the steadily expanding budgets for statistical programs.
Over the past 10 years, the total obligations for the "principal"
statistical program went from $56.7 million in 1959 to $158.4 million
in 1969. If the census and similar programs are excluded from these
figures, expenditures for "current" or regular programs increased
from $43.1 million in 1959 to $133.7 million this fiscal year. Thus,
in 1969 the current statistical programs were budgeted at over three
times the 1959 level.' All Federal expenditures have less than doubled
over the 1959-69 period.
The mushrooming of Federal research and statistical programs in
recent years was brought out by representatives of the Federal
Statistics Users' Conference in statements before the Joint Economic
Committee:
The point we are making here is that in terms of numbers,
if nothing else, the vast proliferation of research and statistical
programs and projects now being undertaken is so overwhelm-
ing that we wonder how any agency or organization can keep
abreast of these many programs in order to discover probable
areas of duplication and to determine where coordination
might be required.
We, as an organization, and our individual members,
consider ourselves fairly sophisticated and knowledgeable
about the sources and availability of Federal statistical
data. But, it is not easy to keep fully informed except in
specific subject areas of major interest. Think what this
task must be for the less sophisticated user or for the occa-
sional or potential user. What is lacking and is sorely needed
is a comprehensive and uniform inventory of research and
statistical data and an indexing system.'
3 Soo appendix, table I, p. 46.
4 See hearings, before the Subcommittee on Economic Statistics, May-June 1967, p. 43.
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : IA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
10
In 1965, the House Post Office and Civil Service Committee stated
that:
Central management responsibility for effective control,
coordination and administration of Federal reporting rests
upon the Bureau of the Budget.
Whether Federal reporting is to well-serve or to burden the
Government and the public depends heavily upon the per-
formance of this responsibility and the adequacy. of the
organizational and staffing facilities provided for its per-
formance within the Bureau. In the judgment of the sub-
committee, a major strengthening of such facilities is the
first requisite for correction of the highly unsatisfactory
condition of Federal reporting activities demonstrated in
this report.'
As indicated above, when BOB officials were questioned by this
committee as to whether they were adequately staffed to carry out
their responsibilities under the Federal Reports Act, they stated that
they "did not believe it realistic to consider any substantial increase
in staff, nor are we prepared to propose such an increase."
Yet, BOB officials when questioned by the Joint Economic Com-
mittee in 1967 as to "attempts to measure the burden to respondents"
of Federal reports and statistics, stated:
Since 1964 the Office of Statistical Standards has routinely
required that any proposal for a new or revised report shall
include an estimate in man-hours of the time required by
respondents to complete the report. For repetitive reports this
estimate is expressed in man-hours per year. During 1965
similar estimates were entered into the records for the entire
existing inventory of repetitive reports.
These estimates are used, first, in weighing the costs of a
proposed report against its benefits, and also in statistical
compilations showing the distribution of the reporting effort
required by Federal reports by types of reports, types of re-
spondents, and agencies. They lend themselves to additional
types of analysis which we have not yet had time or resources
to develop.
The fact that the BOB officers have not had "time or resources" to
undertake studies and analyses of the statutory controls 6 placed
upon the reporting agencies to keep the paperwork burden in check
along with a valuable byproduct relating to the cost to respondents
in man-hours of all approved Federal reports, suggests to this coin-
mittee an indifference toward their basic responsibilities in this mat-
ter. The fact that they do not "propose" to staff themselves adequately
to discharge their responsibilities in this area, indicates an attitude
which this committee, whose first responsibility is to the small busi-
nessman, cannot accept, in spite of current employment ceilings.
Business firms and individuals spend over 100 million man-hours each
year preparing reports for the Federal Government.' This figure,
See "Federal Paperwork Jungle," op. cit. p. 104.
e See see. 3(a) Federal Reports Act, app. A:
Bureau of the Budget estimate.
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/110, : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
impressive as it is, applies only to reports approved under the Federal
Reports Act and does not include tax and financial returns nor reports
required by regulatory agencies. Also excluded, of course, are State
and local government reports.8
1. Kayser Committee report
That the Federal reporting and statistical system is in need of
major restructuring, as the House committee stated in 1965, was
borne out by the report of the Kaysen Committee in October 1966.9
The Committee, headed by Dr. Carl Kaysen of the Institute for
Advanced Study, Princeton, N.J., was called in by the Bureau of the
Budget to review and appraise the problem of "storage of and access
to" Government statistics and to evaluate proposals for a National
Data Center.1? The Committee, understandably, broadened its in-
vestigation to the entire Federal statistical system and how it can
best be organized and operated so as to (1) meet the accelerating
needs for statistical information; (2) develop safeguards to preserve
the right of the individual to privacy; (3) to make best use of existing
information and information-generating methods; and (4) to meet
these needs with a minimum burden of reporting on individuals,
businesses, and other reporting units.
The Committee reported:
As it is presently operated, the statistical system is both
inadequate in the sense of failing to do things that should and
could be done, and inefficient-in the sense of not doing what
it does at minimum cost, or getting less for what it spends
than might be possible.
The Kaysen report goes on to describe three areas of inadequacy
in the present system: (1) the lag between receipt of information by
the Federal agencies and its availability in published or usable form;
(2) the widespread "suppression" of microinformation, because of
orientation toward aggregated or summarized data as a major goal;
and (3) the lack of any uniform policy or standard in the agencies for
protecting the privacy of information reported by individuals and
businesses.
The report also details three "major elements of inefficiency" in
the system: (1) duplication in the collection of information; (2) the
failure to use all of the information potentially available in the data
collected; and (3) the failure of some of the smaller agencies to make
use of modern techniques, professional specialists,, and automatic
data processing equipment.
We have detailed the conclusions of the Kaysen Committee at
some length, because of the special concern of this Committee for
the small businessman who furnishes over 95 percent of the business
reports used in the Federal statistical system. Of particular interest
to this committee are the charges of inadequacy and inefficiency in
the system, especially as concerns duplication in the collection of
e For total paperwork costs, see below, p. 34.
e "Report of the Task Force on the Storage of and Access to Government Statistics," Bureau of the Budg-
et, October 1966. The other members of the Committee were: Charles C. Holt, University of Wisconsin;
Richard Holton University of California at Berkeley; George Kozmetsky, University of Texas; H, Russell
Morrison, Standard Statistics Co.; and Richard Ruggles, Yale University.
10 An earlier report to the Bureau of the Budget in 1965, the "Ruggles Report," prepared by a committee
of the Social Science Research Council, had recommended the establishmentof a 'Federal Data Center."
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : t2A-RDP72-00450R000100090015-7
information, the failure to use all of the information collected; and
the lack of any uniform policy for protecting the privacy of information
reported by individuals and businesses. To some extent, these defects
and others mentioned above might be excused as byproducts of the
highly decentralized and loosely coordinated statistical collection and
processing system which we have had now for over 25 years. Yet we
cannot overlook the fact that during this period very few operating
programs of the Government have been more studied and evaluated
by both Congress and the executive branch, and by task forces of
professionals and academicians, than the Federal statistical system
and yet today the system remains "both inadequate and inefficient.'
2. NationalData Center
As a solution to at least some of the shortcomings in the present
data collection and integration difficulties, the Kaysen Committee
supported the creation of a National Data Center. The Center
would be responsible "for (1) assembling in a single facility all large-
scale systematic bodies of demographic, economic, and social data
generated by the present data collection of administrative processes of
the Federal Government, (2) integrating the data to the maximum
feasible extent, and in such a way as to preserve as much as possible
of the original information content of the whole body of records,
and (3) providing ready access to the information, within the laws
governing disclosure, to all users in the Government and, where
appropriate, to qualified users outside the Government on suitably
compensating terms." In addition, the Center would serve as a
focal point for Federal-State-local government cooperation in such
matters as uniformity in data bases and data flows to the Center from
State and local agencies.
The Committee also recommended that the proposed National
Data Center be placed in the Executive Office of the President under
a to-be-created Director of the Federal statistical system who would
be appointed by the President. The Bureau of the Budget's Office of
Statistical Standards would become a staff office of the new Director
and the Bureau of the Census, the largest statistical collecting and
processing agency, would be transferred from the Department of
Commerce to become a "coordinate" agency of the proposed National
Data Center under the Director, Federal statistical system. The
report also proposes two advisory councils, a Federal Statistical
Council, representing the major data producing and user agencies,
and a Public Advisory Council, with members representing the public
in general and representatives of business, labor, State and local
governments, and others.
Although the proposal for a National Data Center contains much
merit and possibly might be implemented in part on an experimental
or "pilot" basis, in and of itself, it would not resolve the basic prob-
lems in the Federal reporting and statistical system. The fact is that
the data center could create more problems than it resolves,
especially in such matters as confidentiality, cooperation of respond-
ents, competentstatistical analysis and timeliness of published results.
3. Confidentiality
The Special Subcommittee on Invasion of Privacy of the House
Committee on Government Operations held a series of hearings
relating to threats to invade the privacy of individuals and business
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/19 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
firms in 1965 and 1966 and has continued its investigations in these
matters." The subject has also been examined from time to time by
committees of the subject
notably the Subcommittee on Constitutional
Rights of the Judiciary Committee and the Post Office and Civil
Service Committee, the latter specifically relating to the confidentiality
of census reports.
So far as the business community is concerned, on the whole,
Federal agencies have zealously observed the confidentiality of informa-
tion entrusted to them in both compulsory and voluntary reporting
systems. Federal administrators well understand that without con-
fidentiality and privacy safeguards, an entire reporting system could
be jeopardized. For this reason, in the past, statistical agencies have
gone to the courts to defend themselves against demands made by
regulatory agencies for individual firm data.l2 On the other hand, when
confidential information is transferred from one agency to a second or
third agency, there is always the possibility that leaks will occur some-
where along the line. This problem, as the Kaysen Committee pointed
out, could be one deterrent to the establishment of a National Data
Center and must be resolved satisfactorily before any concentration
or integration of agency data should be permitted.l3
4. Other proposals
In testimony before the Joint Economic Committee, Dr. Frederick
E. Stephan of Princeton University, a highly qualified expert in
Federal statistical program administration stated:
We anticipate both advantages and disadvantages in
concentrating dispersed statistical operations, as is evident
in business and government experience with other types of
operations. The appropriate pattern and degree of concentra-
tion should be determined by system studies and cost-
benefit analyses developed progressively over such period of
time as may be necessary to accomplish them soundly. My
guess, therefore, is that a limited and more deliberate pro-
gram of combining data from diverse sources would be more
productive than abrupt establishment of a central agency
with functions not fully tested.14
This committee supports the argument that a "more deliberate
program of combining data from diverse sources would be more
productive than abrupt establishment of a central agency with func-
tions not fully tested or widely accepted." With the reporting burden
in mind, this committee would prefer to see a consolidation of general
purpose reporting systems and vastly increased use of administrative
records for statistical and analytical purposes.
Under the "consolidation" approach:
? The monthly employment and payroll reports survey of the Bureau
of Labor Statistics would be combined with monthly retail trade and
manufactures sample surveys of the Census Bureau.
n Hearings, "Special Inquiry on Invasion of Privacy," June-September 1965 and May 1966, Committee
on Government Operations House of Representatives, 89th Cong. See also "Privacy and the National
Data Bank Concept," H. Itept. 1842, Aug. 2, 1968.
12 Soo especially: Federal Trade Commission v. Duper, C.A. I11., 1960, 276 F. 2d, 739; certiorari denied,
364, U.S.882.
W According to one source, "the erosion to privacy which would result is readily apparent." See "The
National Public Accountant," August 1968, p. 24. ,May 1967, p. 84.
It Hearings, Subcommittee on Economi
Statistics,
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : ql4 -RDP72-00450R000100090015-7
a Every fifth year, the Internal Revenue Service would add census-
type questions to its business income schedule for small businesses,
thereby eliminating all small business firms from the economic
censuses.
? The quarterly earnings reports of the Social Security Administration
would be converted to an annual reporting system with increased use
of SSA data (employer identification, employee earnings, occupations,
etc.) as Census Bureau and Department of Labor sources.
? The consolidation of all retail and wholesale price surveys, farm
and nonfarm, domestic and foreign, in one agency.
? The consolidation of all economic reporting analyses programs
(economic indicators, business cycles, national and personal income
and GNP estimation, productivity studies, etc.) in one agency. This
activity could be organized as a staff facility directly under or co-
ordinate with the Council of Economic Advisers.
From the above, it will be understood that this committee feels
that the time has come to correct the institutional and bureaucratic
postures which, in the past, have characterized the Federal statistical
system and resulted in the hodge-podge of concepts, definitions, and
inconsistencies, in the raw and published data now available. The
word "employment" may be defined one way by the Department of
Labor, another by the Department of Commerce, a third by the
Department of Agriculture, and a fourth by the Social Security Ad-
ministration. The term "small business" means sole proprietors and
partnerships and some small corporations to the Internal Revenue
Service, firms with under $10 million in assets to the Secretary of Com-
merce, and firms of varying size classes to the Bureau of Census, while
the Small Business Administration's statutory definition (sixth revi-
sion) of small business runs for 19 printed pages.15
Such inconsistencies and lack of uniformity in agency concepts,
definitions, classifications, and published results, raise serious doubts
about the effectiveness of the entire Federal statistical and reporting
system. As stated 3 years ago by Prof. Wassily Leontief of Harvard
University:
The postwar revolution in economic programing and
management techniques reinforced by unprecedented ad-
vances in data processing technology has made the tradi-
tional approach to collection, organization, and dissemination
of facts and figures describing the operation of the American
economy and the social conditions of the public and private
life of the 180 million of American citizens completely
obsolete.16
It must be apparent to the Kaysen Committee and to other pro-
ponents of the National Data Center that little would be gained by
the centralization and integration of microdata collected by various
agencies employing specialized concepts and definitions developed for
single agency purposes. It must also be recognized that if the National
Data Center were to undertake costly editing or adjustment programs
for microdata transferred to it from collecting agencies, the cost of
such massive computerization would be prohibitive." Similarly, if
is There is great need for the agencies to agree upon.a "statistical" definition for small business irrespective
of the "legal' definition employed by SBA.
18 "Improved Statistics for Economic Growth," Subcommittee on Economic Statistics,. Joint Economic
Committee, July 1965, p. 90.
17 For cost estimates, see below, p. 34 (footnote).
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/1R: CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
the National Data Center were to attempt to collect data directly
from individuals and business concerns, assuming it were given the
legal authority to do so, it might well place in jeopardy the entire
reporting system, especially if the confidentiality of reports and the
privacy of individuals were not adequately protected. Yet, if the
Federal statistical and reporting programs continue to grow at a rate
of 50 percent greater than the Federal budget itself, the National
Data Center may well offer the best (if not the only) long-term
solution to our expanding national data requirements. But, as stated
above by Dr. Frederick Stephan, the proposal merits a great deal
more study than it has received to date.18
B. BUREAU OF THE CENSUS
As stated earlier, small business men are especially critical of
demands for information made during the quinquennial censuses of
manufacturers, wholesale and retail trade, and services. Complaints
to the committee from business firms often question the Govern-
ment's need for the detailed information requested on census schedules
and point out that their accounting and bookkeeping records do not
readily furnish some of the information requested.. When they are
permitted to submit estimates, in lieu of sales records, respondents
question the usefulness of this information to the Government.
This criticism applies especially to merchandise line statistics which
were reported in the 1963 .economic censuses and are currently in-
cluded in the 1967 census schedules.
Census officials reported to the committee that:
In planning the inquiries to be included in individual
surveys as well as in such a large and important under-
taking as the quinquennial economic censuses, a great
many points must be taken into account. For example,
the inquiries must be selected with great care so as to
provide information pertinent to contemporary problems
and to be as comparable as })ossible to the information
obtained for past periods. The ability of companies
to respond. to the inquiries must also be considered. These
matters involve extensive consultation with both users and
suppliers of information.
In fact, one of the most difficult tasks of the Census
Bureau is to strike a balance between the needs of the
country for information and the cost, taking account of
costs in the Bureau of the Census and the ability of business
concerns and the costs to them of supplying the information
with reasonable accuracy. We have also tried to keep before
respondents an awareness that they too have an obligation
to contribute information which will make for better eco-
nomic decisions in Government and business.
1. Reducing the burden
To its credit, over the years, the Census Bureau has been developing
and improving techniques designed to reduce the burden on business
census respondents. Although these techniques fall short of eliminating
criticism of census reports, they have resulted in substantial savings
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : cj -RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
to both the Government and business. The major improvements are
summarized briefly as follows:
(1) Increased use of sampling
Scientific sampling is used widely by Census in current surveys
and for some items in the census. In most sample designs for business
establishments, all of the very large companies or units are included
in the survey and only a small fraction (even less than 1 percent) of
small business firms may be canvassed. For instance, the monthly
retail trade survey includes a sample of only about 25,000 establish-
ments each month out of a total of more than 1% million establishments.
In its report to the committee, the Census Bureau's sampling policy
was described as follows.
The manner in which sample companies are selected and
the size of the sample varies with the purpose of the survey,
the precision required, and elements of cost that are involved.
The basic principle is that of satisfying the statistical needs
at minimum cost and within the limits of feasibility and
administrative requirements.10
(2) Use of administrative records
The increasing use of administrative records for statistical purposes
represents a methodological advance which will greatly alleviate the
reporting burden of the small business community. The program in-
volves utilizing, for census purposes, data collected by other agencies
(principally the Internal Revenue Service and the Social Security
Administration) for tax and other purposes. These administrative rec-
ords are made to serve for census purposes and no reports are required
for the covered firms, at least as far as the items of information
reported in the administrative records. In all transfers of data between
agencies, individual records are treated in strictest confidence in order
to give full protection of the law to the privacy of business firms and
individuals.
In the 1963 economic censuses the use of administrative records
resulted in some 1 million small firms not being required to file a
census report. In the 1967 economic censuses, some 2 million small
firms, mostly in retail trade and services, will not be required to file
a report. The resultant savings to Government and to business by this
one program alone are already significant and future developments
point to even greater economies.
(8) Delayed reporting
Substantial improvements and savings in census reporting have
also been brought about by special arrangements with reporting com-
panies. Since about one-half of all business firms depend on pro-
fessional accountants for preparing Government reports, the timing
of census reports in relationship to tax and earnings reports can be
extremely important to the seasonal workload of accountants. In
an effort to ease this workload, the Census Bureau, on request, makes
arrangements with accountants for filing late or "delayed" reports,
adjusting processing procedures to include the delayed reports in the
final census counts.
1 Letter to Chairman Smathers from Director, Bureau of the Census, Dec. 22, 1967.
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/17: CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
(4) Use of short forms
When feasible, the Census Bureau makes use of short or simplified
forms to collect information from smaller establishments. In the
1969 Census of Agriculture, for example, about 1 million farms
(one-third of all farms) will receive the short form, thereby reducing
the reporting burden for the small farmer.
2. State and local government cooperation
The Census Bureau, in cooperation with other Federal agencies,
has made a significant contribution toward breaking down the infor-
mation barriers which have existed in the past etween Federal,
State, and local government officials. Although the census of govern-
ments over the years has depended upon State and local officials for
supplying information concerning their jurisdictions (employment,
revenues, expenditures, taxes, etc.), in 1966 the Bureau established
its intergovernmental services program to improve the exchanges of
information between the Federal and the State and local o'overnments
and to promote intergovernmental cooperation in fulfilling data
requirements at all levels.
To date, Census has held six seminars for State and local officials
in Washington, D.C. Some 44 States and 50 cities have sent repre-
sentatives to the seminars, usually key technical staff members with
general responsibility in the State or city for developing and coordi-
nating statistical programs and officials directly involved in the State
or city planning organizations. At the seminar sessions, State and
local government officials are acquainted with the current statistical
plans, programs, and services of the Federal agencies and Federal
officials, in turn, are informed concerning the data resources and
needs of the States and cities. In connection with this program, the
Census Bureau has undertaken the publication of several statistical
"guides" developed. especially for use of State and local officials.2?
In addition to seminars and publications, the intergovernmental
services program will include technical assistance to the statistical or
data processing offices of States and local governments, principally
by providing technical information and "special tabulations" of
unpublished data and similar services.
This committee commends the Census Bureau and the cooperating
Federal agencies for this long step forward because it must and will
result in broad-scale improvement in the available data and data
sources. In the longer term, we would expect to see a substantial re-
duction in the overall reporting burden on business firms and
individuals.
C. THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
Large masses of data are collected and compiled by the Social
Security Administration reflecting the Nation's increasing involve-
ment with social programs of all kinds. In the last decade, coverage
under these programs has expanded to include all wage earners (with
some exceptions) along with the new service benefits in the health
area for persons over 65, resulting in one of the largest paperwork
operations in history.
20 The publications to date: "Census Bureau Programs and Publications: Area and Subject Guide,"
"Directory of Federal Statistics for Local Areas," and "Directory of Federal Statistics for States."
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
Is
The massive social security reporting system may be viewed in
terms of the kinds of information generated from the various adminis-
trative programs, as follows: (1) demographic and economic data for
individuals, (2) economic data for business establishments, (3) health
service data for individuals, and (4) data on characteristics of hospitals
and other providers of health services.21 Of these, the interest of this
committee lies especially in economic data compiled by the SSA for
business firms and individuals, although there is also special interest
in the reports of hospitals, clinics, and private convalescent and
nursing homes.
1. Earnings reports
Currently, the Social Security Administration maintains earnings
records on some 80 million persons. Every employer with covered
workers is required to obtain an employer identification (EI) number,
using Internal Revenue Service Form SS-4. A copy of this form is used
by the SSA for administrative and statistical purposes. Similarily
every covered worker in the system is assigned a social security num-
ber, his "account" record being based on information contained in
his application form (SS-5).22 As the covered worker earns income, his
employer reports his wages quarterly (IRS--941A) against the worker's
social security number, if the employment is nonagricultural. For
agricultural workers data are reported annually on IRS-943. Similarly,
domestic employment is reported quarterly on IRS-942 and self-
employed persons report their earnings annually on Schedule S.E. of
IRS-1040.
In the brief summary of earnings reports above, it will be noted
that earnings in agriculture are reported annually whereas nonagri-
cultural earnings are reported quarterly, It is specifically here that
much of the criticism of the SSA reporting system has arisen since
the small businessman finds the quarterly reporting system particu-
larly onerous. In the small business paperwork survey mentioned
above,23 IRS-941 (and its attachment 941-A) was the most fre-
quently criticized of all required Federal reports. More recently, it
witness told this committee that:
Any inroads into reducing this unfortunate situation that
could be initiated by this committee would be a tremendous
service to American small business.24
The quarterly earnings reporting system is estimated to cost the
business community some $60 to $70 million each year. Moreover the
burden falls most heavily upon the medium-size and smaller companies
which have not computerized their payroll operations. General
Motors, United States Steel, Sears, and the other industry giants
send computer tapes with the required earnings data for each ein-
ployee in the several States directly to the Social Security Admin-
istration-the tapes are byproducts of the company's payrolling
program requiring but little adjustment for reporting purposes. The
small firm with say 100 employees, on the other hand, must maintain
24 See "Social Security Data, Social Science Research, and Confidentiality," Social Security Bulletin,
October 1967.
22 For a time, IRS Form 3227, Application for Account Number, was used for this purpose. Other forms
of the Civil Service Commission and Railroad Retirement Board have also been used.
28 See p. 4 (footnote).
24 See 1967 Hearings, Status and Future of Small Business, p. 204.
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/19g CIA-RDP72-00450R000100090015-7
cumulative earnings and withholding payment records for each em-
ployee and manually prepare these quarterly summaries for reporting
purposes.
It is interesting to note that although the quarterly IRS-941 and.
941-A forms have been the subject of a number of studies and reports
over the years by both Congress and the executive branch, all attempts
to convert the 941-A from a quarterly to an annual reporting system
have failed. To date, none of the principal agencies involved, the
Bureau of the Budget (which has overall responsibility) the Internal
Revenue Service (whose depositary receipts would not be affected)
nor the Social Security Administration (which would see a substantial
reduction in its paperwork load) have been able to justify to congres-
sional committees the continuance of this reporting system.
2. Statistical uses
Some of the statistical uses made by other agencies of SSA's quar-
terly earnings reports are described as follows:
A number of Federal and State agencies have made use of
tabulations of sample records containing information on the
personal characteristics and earnings of workers under
social security and the location and industry of their em-
ployment. Among the more significant uses are those by the
Office of Business Economics, the Bureau of Labor Statistics
and the Bureau of Employment Security. The concern of
the OBE for which the data are useful is regional analysis.
The BLS interest relates to average earnings in selected
industries. The BES makes available to State unemployment
insurance agencies data on wages and worker characteristics
from the social security sample. The data help to fill gaps
in State unemployment insurance agency sources, especially
in States that do not require regular wage reports from
employers, and are useful in studies of proposals to extend
unemployment insurance coverage to groups of workers and
employers now excluded. It is not possible to estimate the
extent of the reporting burden that would be imposed on
employers by the needs of these various agencies in the
absence of the social security data. It is highly likely that
studies of legislative proposals would require surveys in-
volving special reporting by employers were not the SSA
data available.26
At the request of the committee the following supplemental state-
ments on the current status on the IRS-SSA quarterly reporting
system were prepared by the Bureau of the Budget and by the Social
Security Administration. After giving due consideration to all the
"justifications" presented by both agencies for the continuance of
this report, the committee concludes that no significant damage will
be done to the administration of the social security system if business
firms furnish 4 million annual earnings reports, by quarters, instead
of the 16 million quarterly reports now required. The savings to both
the Government and the business community from annual reporting
must be apparent to all.
25 Lotter to Chairman Smathers from the commissioner of Social Security, Jan. 3, 1968.
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-00450R000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/10 :2qIA-RDP72-00450R000100090015-7
Status of Review of Feasibility of Eliminating Quarterly Wage
Reporting on IRS Form 941A
(Prepared by the Bureau of the Budget)
The interdepartmental effort to determine feasible alter-
natives to quarterly reporting by employers on schedule A,
form 941, "Report of Wages Taxable Under the Federal
Insurance Contributions Act," resulted in a centering of
attention on the possible use of form W-2, "Withholding
Tax Statement," as a substitute for form 941A. Form W-2
is a report from an employer to the Internal Revenue Service
setting forth the amount of wages paid by him to a particular
employee during the year and does, therefore, provide a basis
for determining the annual total of wages received by an
employee (from one or several employers). Its use, without
change, as a substitute for form 941A would require a change
in existing social security legislation so as to permit annual
rather than the presently required quarterly posting of wage
credits to an employee's social security account. A variant
of this use would involve the reporting on form W-2 of a
quarterly breakdown of the annual total of wages paid an
employee. The latter would avoid the need for change in
social security legislation since it would provide quarterly
data on wages paid, although at annual intervals.
The prospective costs of processing annual wage data in
terms of peakload personnel requirements and the loss of
accuracy and currency in employee accounts inherent in a
system of annual wage reporting, as well as the problems
involved in a transition from quarterly to annual employer
reporting of wages paid have led the Bureau of the Budget
to conclude that it would be unwise at this time to effect a
changeover to annual wage reporting by employers for social
security purposes. The Bureau will continue its surveillance
of the problem, with particular attention to the expanding
use of magnetic tapes as the medium for reporting, but plans
no action in the immediate future.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH,
EDUCATION, AND WELFARE,
SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION,
Baltimore, Md., August 20, 1968.
Hon. GEORGE A. SMATHERS,
U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C.
DEAR SENATOR SMATHERS: This is in further reference
to your letter of July 10, 1968, regarding the continuation
of the 941-A quarterly earnings reporting system for social
security.
First, I would like to clear up a misunderstanding con-
cerning our 1 percent sample data which is used for inter-
agency statistical purposes. This is strictly a byproduct of our
processing of the earnings records for social security purposes
and is in no way a justification for continuing quarterly re-
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/1 Qj CIA-RDP72-00450R000100090015-7
porting. The quarterly reporting of earnings is based upon
the substantive provisions of the Social Security Act and the
processes necessary to act on claims promptly and to pay
benefits accurately.
As you may know, considerable study has been given in
the past to the proposal for amending the Social Security
Act so as to make possible eliminating the 941-A quarterly
system and substituting a system of annual reporting using
the W-2's. Our main concerns about such a course have
been with the effects of the change on the accuracy and
currency of the social security earnings records. It is im-
portant, of course, that these records be both accurate
and current because they are used as a basis for determining
benefit rights and amounts of benefits to which individuals
are entitled. In addition, the receipt of quarterly reports
of earnings enables us to do an effective job of assuring
that when individuals in benefit status return to work
their benefit payments are reduced or suspended as required
by the retirement test provisions of the law.
It is our belief that annual reporting as compared with
quarterly reporting would result in less accurate records,
particularly for employees of small businesses. Employers
on occasion fail to get account numbers of employees,
report incorrect account numbers of earnings, and in some
instances go out of business without filing the necessary
earnings reports. If these errors are not known or detected
until after the end of the year in which they occur, the
problem of going back and obtaining correct information
is made much more difficult.
There are also significant processing problems connected
with the proposal for annual reporting. The receipt of
annual reports at one time after the close of the year would
impose very large peak workloads on the recordkeeping
operation and necessitate the costly and inefficient practice
of hiring and terminating temporary employees so that the
annual reports could be processed within a reasonable time
period. Stretching out this processing over a full year, in
order to level the workloads and obviate such an undesirable
and costly process, would not only adversely affect our ad-
ministration of the retirement test, but, because of the delay
in bringing up to date the individual earnings records, would
adversely affect our benefit computation operations and
introduce significant additional costs and extra handling of
claims.
It is not at all clear that savings to the business com-
munity from such a change in social security reporting would
be large enough to compensate for the additional cost to the
Government and for the increased inaccuracy in the records.
About three-fourths of the States still require quarterly report-
ing for unemployment compensation proposes and in many
instances the employers are able to use a carbon copy of the
941-A as a basis for the unemployment compensation report-
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-00450R000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/10 ~21A-RDP72-00450R000100090015-7
ing. Unless these States revise their unemployment compen-
sation programs, there probably will be very little savings to
the employers involved.
Moreover, the elimination of the form 941-A will not re-
duce the need for employers to account periodically within
the year for the Federal income tax and social security con-
tributions withheld from employee wages. Since doing this
would require the employer to analyze his payroll, the addi-
tional work involved in listing his employees' earnings would
be rather small. Most large employers use some kind of
mechanized equipment in their payroll operations and the
listing of the 941-A's is a byproduct of their regular payroll
processes.
In summary, we believe that the savings to the business
community from such a change in social security reporting
will not be as large as has been suggested by advocates of the
proposal and that there are significant disadvantages to the
Government in making a change to annual reporting.
Sincerely yours,
ROBERT M. BALL,
Commissioner of Social Security.
D. THE DEPARTMENT Or LABOR
The principal reporting systems of the Department of Labor may
be classified administratively under four primary agencies: the Bureau
of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Manpower Administration which
includes the Bureau of Employment Security (BES), the Labor-
Management Services Administration (LMSA) and the Wage and
Hour and Public Contracts Divisions (WHPC).
The small businessman confronts the Department of Labor report-
ing systems in any number of ways, principally through: the large-
scale unemployment compensation wage reporting system which the
BES administers in cooperation with most of the 50 States; the
voluntary reporting systems for employment, payrolls, man-hours,
turnover, occupations, wages, and accidents, and the wholesale-retail
prices and consumer expenditure surveys of the Bureau of Labor
Statistics; the employee welfare or pension benefit reports of LMSA;
and the minimum wage and hours of work inquiries conducted by
the WHPC. Most of the Department of Labor's reporting depends
upon the voluntary cooperation of businessmen but some of the
reports (notably pension plans and some wage and hour reports)
are compulsory.
1. Interagency cooperation
Department of Labor representatives reported to the committee
that largely as a result of the House inquiry in 1965, a comprehensive
review of all reporting systems in the Department had been under-
taken. Since the Department relies heavily upon voluntary coopera-
tion to obtain much of its information, special efforts have been made,
through public advisory committees and direct contacts, to acquaint
business firms with the purposes of and need for the various reporting
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/1: CIA-RDP72-00450R000100090015-7
systems. They also reported that, increasingly the BLS has depended
upon other agencies for basic statistical data, as follows:
1. The Bureau of the Census regularly conducts the
monthly current population survey of households which pro-
vides BLS with employment, unemployment, and related.
labor force information for the United States as a whole,
and for the major regions.
2. In the labor productivity program no original data
collection is performed. Instead, use is made of statistics
compiled by the Bureau of the Census, Office of Business
Economics, Bureau of Mines, Bureau of Public Roads, and
by other agencies, particularly with regard to production and
national product.
3. The system of weights for the Wholesale Price Index
comes from other Government sources-Bureau of Census,
Bureau of Mines, Department of Agriculture, and others.
Decennial censuses of population provide the foundation for
the city weights in the Consumer Price Index. The regular
censuses of retail trade provide the sampling frame and the
weighting system for the retail outlet sample for pricing.
The monthly prices for some important areas in the two
indexes are collected regularly by other agencies, the De-
partment of Agriculture, Federal Power Commission, Federal
Home Loan Bank Board, Federal Housing Administration,
etc.26
It was also pointed out to the Committee that there was an increasing
outflow of information from the Department to other agencies:
1. BLS retail food prices are the basis for the Department
of Agriculture margin studies. BLS also regularly collects
retail prices for the Department of Agriculture for additional
foods not regularly priced by BLS.
2. The monthly employment, hours, and earnings statis-
tics published by BLS are used by the Federal Reserve
Board in the computation of the current FRB index of
industrial production, and by the Office of Business Eco-
nomics in computing the current national income accounts
statistics. The local area employment statistics are used by
State agencies in estimating the size of the labor force in each
metropolitan area, for use in computing the unemployment
rate. The earnings statistics are used by the Navy Depart-
ment to escalate labor costs in long-term purchase contracts.
3. Several States utilize BLS data on work stoppages in
lieu of conducting their own surveys.
4. The BLS performs various surveys under contract,
including special scientific manpower studies for the Na-
tional Science Foundation and special price, wage, and
manpower studies for the Defense agencies. Surveys are
also performed for other bureaus of the Department of
Labor, including, for example, studies for wage and hour
and public contracts on the impact of new minimum wage
standards.
26 Letter to Chairman Smather6, from Assistant Seerotary of Labor for Administration, Jan. 17, 1968.
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-00450R000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : RA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
The Bureau of Employment Security in the Manpower
Administration provides employment and payroll data to
the Office of Business Economics, Department of Commerce,
for use in making their personal income estimates and to the
Council of Economic Advisers for use in their series on
economic indicators. They also provide benefit payment
data to the Council of Economic Advisers and to HEW
for inclusion in their statistics on social insurance pay-
ments.27
2. Federal-State cooperation
The Department of Labor has played a commendable part in the
development of Federal-State cooperative programs principally in the
BLS employment, hours, and earnings reports and the BES' unem-
ployment compensation collection system. As reported to the com-
mittee :
1. BLS
BLS has sponsored joint local-Federal sharing of statistical
information for many years. In a cooperative employment
statistics program, each State collects monthly information
on employment, hours, earnings, and labor turnover from
establishments in its State and transmits this information
to BLS. BLS does not duplicate the data collection activity,
but works very closely with the States in setting standards
and by surveillance, checks observance of these standards.
Fifteen States cooperate with BLS in collecting information
on work injury statistics and transmit the data to BLS. If
new States wish to establish such programs, they have been
invited to participate with BLS in a joint program. Joint
collection programs have been established, in a few instances,
for price and wage data.
2. Manpower administration
Federal-State relationships within the Manpower Admin-
istration have been so developed that as a general rule a single
reporting system serves local, State, and National purposes.
This is especially true for most activities of the Employment
nrenticeship and Training. For
Service and the Bureau of -11
some of the newly develope work and training programs
under the Economic Opportunity Act, arrangements are
being made for more widespread distribution to State and
local agencies for centrally tabulated data which are of local
and State interest for management and information
purposes. 28
3. Needed improvements
Although the Department of Labor appears to have made com-
mendable progress in a number of reporting programs, as detailed
above, this committee feels that there is room for considerable
improvement. It must be remembered that although Federal programs
may be organized under various titles, authorities, and administra-
tions, and, to a considerable extent, operate independently of each
Y7 Ibid.
28 According to one "hard-core" unemployment contractor: "The reporting requirements paper work,
audit requirements, periodic visit requirements under contracts with the Government are horrendous."
U.B. News & World Report, Aug. 12, 1968, p. 61.
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/115: CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
other, the business community is the sole supplier of data for most of
them. Thus, the small businessman may report monthly to the Bureau
of Labor Statistics concerning his employees, payrolls, and man-hours;
quarterly to the State unemployment compensation commission con-
cerning his employment, wages, and contributions, under the Federal
Bureau of Employment Security System, and quarterly to the Social
Security Administration for employment, occupation, earnings, and
withholdings under the old-age and survivors insurance program. In
addition to these periodic reports, he may also be required to furnish
special reports about pension plans under the Labor-Management
Services (LMSA) program and special minimum wage and hours of
work reports to the Wage and Hour and Public Contracts (WHPC)
Division. He may also be requested to report to both Federal and
State agencies on such matters as labor turnover, work injuries, hours
of work, occupational earnings, and related information.
It will be noted that all of the above reporting systems are con-
cerned with the wage earner and the characteristics and conditions
of his employment. It will be noted also that business firms (not the
employee) furnish all of the required or requested information to
the Federal or State government agency. The fact that only some of
the reporting is required by law while other reports are voluntary
is often cited in defense of the present system. But small businessmen
have told congressional committees that when a Federal questionnaire
arrives in the mail, they feel that they "had better report" in any
case. Moreover, failure to report, even in a voluntary survey, usually
results in several followup requests by mail and sometimes, by tele-
gram.
There is no doubt that the Federal and State agencies have been
"mining" the records of business firms with but little concern about
the cost involved or inconveniences caused by their many requests.
Although, as stated elsewhere,29 the large business firm can easily
live with the present situation, a real hardship is worked upon the
small "mom and pop" store and similar enterprises. As stated to one
committee:
We can't hire a boy to come in and sweep the floor under
the present "registration" system because it involves so much
[paper] work that it doesn't warrant the assistance we would
get.10
4. Unemployment insurance reports
As indicated above, the largest paperwork activity by far, of the
Department of Labor is the BES quarterly wage reporting system for
unemployment insurance. Although this reporting program is ad-
ministered by the States, it is funded by the Federal Government
"as necessary for the proper and efficient administration of the State's
law." At present, 37 States require the quarterly wage report from
employers, whereas 11 (eleven) States have gone over to a much
simpler "request reporting" system which requires wage records only
when unemployment compensation claims are filed. Two States,
Maine and Washington, are on an annual reporting basis.
29 See above, p. 18.
30 Soo 1964 hearings, House Subcommittee on Census and Statistics, p. 78.
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : RJA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
The pros and cons of wage reporting as against "request" reporting
are set forth in excellent detail in the following letters exchanged
recently between Chairman Smathers of the Committee and the
Assistant Secretary for Administration, Department of Labor:
JULY 18, 1968.
Mr. LEO R. WERTS,
Assistant Secretary for Administration, U.S. Department of Labor,
Washington, D.C.
DEAR MR. SECRETARY: This will refer to earlier exchanges between
the Department and this committee concerning reports and statistics
and particularly the information contained in Mr. Arthur Braver's
letter of January 17 last. We are most grateful for the information
supplied to us.
In completing the committee's record for the 90th Congress, we find
that we require additional information concerning the following:
According to our information, 13 States no longer require quarterly
UI wage records and their experience to date shows that benefits are
usually paid as promptly as in those States under the wage-record
system.
(1) Why, then, does the Manpower Administration continue to fund
the costly quarterly wage-record system in 37 States, especially since
it is not required by Federal statute?
(2) Is Department policy directed toward maintaining the quarterly
wage-record system; if so why? And why not annually?
(3) If these quarterly data are used for statistical purposes only
(labor market surveys, etc.) I am sure you would agree that informa-
tion could be obtained at much less cost than the present costly and
cumbersome system. Has the Department looked into this possibility?
(4) The Social Security Administration now supplies quarterly
employment and earnings data (from a 1 percent sample) to both
BLS and BES. What use do they make of these data? What would
be the effect on their programs if the IRS-SSA quarterly earnings
reporting system were converted to an annual basis?
Our interest in the above matters, as you know, arises from the
fact that the small business community is more critical of the Federal
IRS-SSA quarterly earnings and the State UI quarterly wage reports
than of any other reporting systems. Both of these reports are not
only time consuming and costly to prepare, but, to date, we have
not been able to assure small businessmen that both or either of
these quarterly reports is absolutely essential.
I shall appreciate your looking into the above matters for us.
Knowing of your fine record in the Department of Labor in adminis-
trative management, I am sure you will want to give this situation
your personal attention. Could we have your comments before
August 1, next.
With kindest personal regards, I am,
Sincerely yours,
GEORGE A. SMATHERS,
Chairman.
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
27
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF I.IABOR,
OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATION,
Washington, August 1, 1968.
Hon. GEORGE A. SMATHERS,
Chairman, Select Committee on Small Business,
U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C.
DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: As you requested in your letter of July 18,
1968, I am pleased to comment further on the pros and cons of quar-
terly wage reporting as compared with alternative methods of ob-
taining data for administering unemployment insurance. The States
have tried a number of alternatives, and while most of them have
settled on the quarterly wage reporting system, there is much to be
said on both sides of the question.
Your first question asks "Why the Manpower Administration
continues to fund the costly quarterly wage-record system in 37
States, especially since it is not required by Federal statute?"
As I see it, we are governed in this matter by the Federal require-
ment to grant funds as necessary for the proper and efficient admin-
istration of the State's law. The States have complete discretion as
to the content of the law and the methods of administration except
where Federal requirements or controls are applicable. We find no
basis for denying grants to a State for the operation of a quarterly
reporting system.
The main alternative to quarterly reporting is to request reports
from employers when claims are filed. This involves individual handling
at a far higher unit cost than the mass quarterly wage reports. Cost
comparisons between the two methods are inconclusive. With the
present low volume of claims, most of the States which use request
reporting can apparently procure the required data and determine
benefit entitlement at less than the average cost. (With the variety
of differing cost influences among States, however, we cannot assert
that this result is due to the request reporting method.) If unemploy-
ment were to rise appreciably, this apparent cost advantage could
quickly be reversed. Costs
proportionate to the volume of claims, and there is little prospect for
large volume economies through automation of procedures.Processing
of quarterly mass wage reports on the other hand involves a relatively
constant cost which will not increase with a rise in claims. The method
lends itself readily to automatic data-processing systems. Great
progress has been made by the States, and will continue to be made,
in the automation of wage reporting.
We recognize that this does not take account of the costs to the
employer in preparing quarterly wage reports. It appears, however
that employers are susceptible to some of the same cost factors as are
the State agencies. That is to say, reports prepared on an individual
request basis will represent a much higher unit cost than reports pre-
pared on a quarterly routine. With many employers using data-
processing equipment (including many small employers who patronize
centralized service agencies), the employers' costs of preparing
quarterly wag lists may be expected to decline. There is a current
trend for the small businessman to contract out his data-processing
and reporting requirements.
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/10 28CCIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
In answer to the second question, the Department of Labor does
not have a policy favoring quarterly reporting over request reporting.
The State's choice of systems involves considerations of program
objectives as well as administrative costs.
Generally speaking, the timelag between the computation of an
individual's benefits and the base period experience used for that com-
putation should be as short as possible to avoid awarding or denying
benefits, based on some remote past experience. On this point, the
request reporting systems hold an advantage in virtually eliminating
this timelag. The annual reporting system that some States formerly
used caused an excessive timelag which ranged up to 15 months. The
quarterly reporting system involves a more tolerable timelag, usually
between 3 and 6 months.
Request reporting systems have some apparent advantages in the
scope of information procurable. For purposes of determining unem-
ployment insurance benefits, weeks of employment and weekly earn-
ings are generally a better measure of a man's weekly earning power
than quarterly wages, and, of course, quarterly wages are a better
measure than annual wages. Weekly measures are commonly used in
the request reporting States. Only two States-Florida and Oregon-
have undertaken to obtain data on weeks of employment through the
mass quarterly wage reporting method.
As you pointed out, the States using request reporting systems
generally pay as promptly as those using the wage record system. In
order to achieve such prompt payment, however, these States must
often determine benefits on the basis of the worker's affidavit as to
his past employment and earnings. This may be necessary when his
former employer has gone out of business or is simply dilatory or
negligent in complying with the reporting requirements. There is
some evidence of an increase in frequency of the use of claimants'
statements. This is an undesirable but necessary expedient under the
request reporting system.
The quarterly reporting system has some value for the validation
of the employer's report of wages and payroll taxes. That is to say,
the quarterly tax returns are supported by a list of individuals' wages
making up the employer's total payroll. Thus, an employer who
incorrectly reports wages which were not actually paid would sustain
an added tax liability. Conversely, if the employer underreports
wages earned by his employees, the omission will subsequently come
to light if the employee becomes unemployed and initiates a claim.
Under the request reporting system, there is no relation between
wages reported by the employer for individual unemployed workers
and the total wages reported for tax purposes. Studies conducted by
some of the request reporting States have shown a rate of error in
employers' wage reports that has prompted them to enlarge their
auditing program.
In view of all these considerations, we find no compelling advantage
of one method over the other and our policy is to assist each State
in the effective operation of the method of its choice.
With reference to the third question, the quarterly reports are
indeed useful for statistical purposes, but we have never tried to
dissuade a State from going to request reporting for the sake of statisti-
cal values in quarterly wage reports. However, quarterly reports are
not used for statistical purposes only.
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/10 CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
29
With reference to the fourth question, the Department of Labor
furnishes each State a copy of the 1-percent sample pertaining to that
State for research and statistical analysis, including comparisons
between State unemployment insurance and Social Security Act
coverage and studies of individual employment and earnings records
in relation to unemployment benefits received.
The substitution of an annual IRS-SSA report in place of the present
quarterly system would probably encourage the States to amend their
laws to permit annual reporting or, preferably, to shift to a request
reporting basis. State unemployment insurance benefit formulas based
only on total annual wages would be an undesirable development,
however, and Federal legislation might become necessary to insure
the determination of equitable benefit amounts.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics has used quarterly social security
data in its analytical work on special projects, particularly for seasonal
industries such as construction. However, this specific type of analysis
does not constitute a large part of its activities. Although it is desirable
to have the quarterly social security data available, it is not crucial
to this program.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics also uses the information on quarters
of earnings of individuals, contained in the Social Security Adminis-
tration's 1-percent continuous work history sample, as one of the few
available sources of information on annual earnings by industry from
wage and salary data. The quarterly data provides a measure of the
attachment of an individual to the work force and. the degree of
attachment to the worker's major industry. For this program the
frequency of reporting is immaterial provided that the reporting
scheme continues to produce data on annual earnings by quarters
worked.
Finally, we appreciate the fact that the unemployment insurance
program places a reporting burden on employers, whatever method
the State may choose. The quarterly report is not absolutely essential
for unemployment insurance administration, but we have not yet
come up with a satisfactory alternative.
The Department of Labor does not, of course, have direct contacts
with employers in this program, but we know that some of the States
have encountered significant reactions from their employers on the
questions at issue here. In the State of Maine, which has had request
reporting procedures in recent years, the legislature provided last
April that employers be given an option to furnish wage data on
quarterly reports in lieu of having to respond to individual wage
requests. Almost immediately, about 700 employers representing 80
percent of total covered employment in the State accepted the option
to report quarterly. This was undoubtedly influenced by the contin-
uing requirement to report to IRS-SSA.
The Florida agency recently concluded an extensive survey of
employers' preferences regarding quarterly reporting or request
reporting. From this survey the agency determined that its present
quarterly reporting system should be maintained. Some of the larger
employers pointed out that during mass layoffs, seasonal shutdowns,
or strike situations, they would need to maintain an office staff to
complete the requested wage reports, but under the quarterly report-
ing system, this is not necessary.
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/10 30CCIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
The issues here are indeed complex, and it is regrettable that the
Federal Government has not made any significant progress in reducing
the reporting burden on small businessmen. Various attempts have
been made to improve the administration of our unemployment
insurance programs since the initial recommendations of the Hoover
Commission, and it is hoped that your committee may be able to
shed some additional light in an area that most administrators
acknowledge requires betterment.
Sincerely yours,
LEO R. WERTS,
Assistant Secretary for Administration.
E. INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE
It has been estimated that about 35 percent of all Federal reports
and paperwork involving the general public is generated by the
Internal Revenue Service alone. Although the form IRS-1040 (over
60 million annual returns) is probably the best known of all Federal
reports, it is dwarfed by the familiar IRS-W2 (withholding state-
ment) and the U.S. information return (form 1099) each of which
involves more than 100 million responses annually. For our purposes,
to these must be added the IRS-941-the employer's quarterly
Federal tax return-which now involves some 16 million reports
annually and its attachment, the controversial IRS-941A, discussed
above under the reporting system of the Social Security Administra-
tion. Of special interest to small businessmen, particularly to the
operators of supermarkets, drugstores, and jewelry shops, are the
burdensome and costly IRS-720 forms for reporting quarterly excise
taxes.
As stated above, the Internal Revenue Service reporting system
is specifically exempted from the Federal Reports Act of 1942 and,
as a result, the Bureau of the Budget exercises neither control over
nor restraint on this, the largest source of all Federal paperwork. It
is not clear, at this date, why Congress in 1942 excluded the tax and
banking agencies from coverage under the Federal Reports Act.
Certainly, the development of an enormous and autonomous reporting
system was not foreseen, nor at that time, could the wealth of eco-
nomic and statistical data generated routinely in the administration
of the Federal tax laws have been fully appreciated.3' Now that the
Federal tax reporting system has been largely automated, the com-
puterized IRS business and individual income and earnings data can be
made to serve where formerly census and census-type inquiries were
needed in order to collect similar (and often, less satisfactory) infor-
mation. The increasing use of IRS administrative records in the 1963
and 1967 economic censuses was described above.32 It is worth repeat-
ing here, however, that every report that the Census Bureau or any
other statistical agency can eliminate by using administrative records
in fullest confidence means one less report for the small businessman
to file.
81 For the Treasury Department's position at the time, see "Small Business Problems," op. cit., p. 49.
89 See above, p. 16.
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/10g1CIA-RDP72-00450R000100090015-7
1. Tax purposes only
There is some reluctance on the part of IRS officials to lend their
support to increased statistical use of the tax reporting. system. Over
the years, the Internal Revenue Service has held that information
requested on the various income tax forms, "should be limited to that
needed for tax determination." The IRS position was explained to the
Committee, as follows: as
While recognizing the need for certain statistical data, the
Service has maintained that such data should be a byproduct
from returns and not the basis for additions to them.
Requests for information not germane to tax determina-
tion have indeed been a source of irritation to taxpayers.
Thus it is fair to say that our constant effort to keep com-
pliance burdens at a minimum has been a very substantial
factor in the consideration of proposals to require statistical
data per se in tax returns.
The question of increased costs of printing and handling
return forms, attributable to expanded statistical data re-
quirements, has not really been encountered. The limited
statistical or nontax related questions the Service has added
to certain returns in cooperation with other Government
agencies, principally the Bureau of the Census, have not been
significant from the standpoint of cost. However, since space
availability is a critical problem on almost all returns, cost
factors would be of the utmost importance if, for example, a
page or pages were to be added to returns for the entry of
statistical data.
Regarding the possible reporting of nontax business data
at the time returns are prepared, several difficulties are
apparent. One of these stems from the already tight schedules
which face tax practitioners during the period for filing
returns. Many practitioners are already pressed to complete
their client's returns by the filing date. Thus to add detail
to returns which would make preparation more burdensome
would only aggravate the situation.
Another possible difficulty if tax returns should be
expanded so as to serve as general statistical reports is that
many, if not a majority, of the statistical and informational
reports now used by the various agencies are voluntary as
far as the business enterprise is concerned. Thus any attempt-
ed fusion of this type of reporting would be troublesome and
awkward.
Overall Government cost savings through general statis-
tical reporting on tax returns seem doubtful. The preparation
of return forms containing statistical portions appropriate
to diverse industries and accounting methodologies would
present an almost impossible task. In any event, the varying
statistical needs of the various Government agencies would
require full participation by their personnel in the develop-
33 Lettor to Chairman Smathers from James N. Kenol, Chairman, Tax Forms Coordinating Committeo
IRS, Jan. 17, 1968.
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-00450R000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/10 CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
ment of forms. Likewise, Internal Revenue Service personnel
would lack the expertise necessary to assist taxpayers in
completing specialized statistical forms or schedules.
2. Needed reforms
While understanding of the internal IRS difficulties mentioned above,
this committee feels that, to some extent, the agency "doth protest too
much." It has been pointed out by other congressional committees
that, so far as tax reporting is concerned, the IRS may be overzealous
in the number of reports and infinite detail required of business firms
and individuals, especially since the computerization of the tax re-
porting system has permitted a greatly increased flow of paperwork in
the "self-assessment" income tax system. As remarked by a former
chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Treasury
Department:
You can spend more on a tax return than is necessary with
the result that the additional revenue added to the rolls does
not justify the expenditures or the efforts to discover it.34
Here again, as in the case of the Department of Labor, we see the
development of a large-scale and essentially autonomous reporting
system which is uniquely designed to meet the information require-
ments of a single agency, but again depends upon the business firm
and individuals to supply the information requested. The fact that
the IRS and the regulatory agencies are "outside" the regular reporting
universe as defined by the Federal Reports Act, may explain, to some
extent, why our tax reporting system has been permitted to develop
in a vacuum, and, surely, the same "practitioners" or accountants, who
laboriously file the income, earnings, withholdings, excise, and other
tax reports along with the numerous "statistical" reports of the other
Federal agencies, may well ask: "Why don't those agencies get to-
gether on what they need and want?"
The former Commissioner of Internal Revenue, Mortimer M.
Caplin, has proposed that the present income tax reporting system
be considerably simplified by the wholesale elimination of deductions,
exclusions, and various tax gadgets and gimmicks, with a compensa-
tory adjustment of rates. A similar proposal was put forward by
Senator Russell B. Long of this committee in an unsuccessful amend-
ment to the 1964 Revenue Act which would have provided an alter-
native means of computation for high-income taxpayers whereby
the top tax rates would have been reduced if most deductions and
exclusions were waived. Another proposal put forward calls for a
reduction and simplification of the IRS-1040 to "a post card or do-it-
yourself tabulated card" so that the form would become a "relatively
painless document." 11
Since a major tax reform study is now underway in the Treasury
Department and administration proposals for tax reform will be sent
to the 91st Congress, it is hoped that an overall simplification of
present burdensome tax reporting will result. This committee, on
behalf of the small business community, will continue its vigilance in
these matters and plans to make recommendations to the pertinent
legislative committees.
84 See Congressional Record, Feb. 6, 1984, p. 91855.
85 See hearings, op. cit., House Post Office and Civll~Service Committee, p. 252.
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 200210611Q3 CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
3. Federal-State: cooperation
The Internal Revenue Service is to be commended for what some
experts consider to be a real "breakthrough" in Federal-State coopera-
tion in income tax reporting. The IRS has vigorously pursued this
program which involves the exchange of tax information with authori-
ties in some 40 cooperating States. What began, largely from State-
agency initiative, as a program to provide more information con-
cerning taxable sources of income for State assessment officers, has
resulted in bringing the Federal-State tax reporting systems somewhat
closer together in terms of coverage, definitions, exemptions, etc. In
some States, the total income declared for Federal tax return purposes
is the starting point for the State tax returns, thereby saving the
taxpayer the man-hours involved in keeping two complete sets of
records. In effect, the State return "piggybacks" the Federal return
in the cooperating States.
A second cooperative program with the States involves the advance
notice from IRS concerning future changes to be made in the Federal
income tax form and instruction sheets so that the State forms and
enforcement programs can be adjusted to the Federal and adminis-
tered as a prototype of it.
F. THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS SERVICE (NARS)
Any discussion of Federal reports, statistics, and paperwork must
include the activities of the National Archives and Records Service
of the General Services Administration. The Federal Records Act
(44 U.S.C. 391-396) signed by President Truman on September 5,
1950, authorized a comprehensive paperwork management program
to be established for the purposes of controlling the "creation and
maintenance of records" as well as their "retirement and disposition."
Although, as indicated, the program is concerned principally with the
internal records and paperwork of the Federal agencies, it must be
clear that the paperwork management practices of the agencies are of
considerable concern to business firms and individuals who supply
information to them. Under the act, central staff responsibility for
the Federal records program is vested in the General Services Admin-
istration which is charged with developing and improving standards,
procedures and techniques for the creation of new records, the organ-
ization and maintenance of current records, and the disposition of
old and obsolete records. The GSA assigned responsibility to NARS
for the establishment and operation of the Federal records centers
(including the National Archives) and for surveys, audits, and studies
of paperwork management in the agencies, including a program of
technical assistance, as requested.
1. Federal paperwork and automation
Currently, some idea of the dimensions of the Federal paperwork
load may be gathered from the fact that 4.5 million cubic feet of records
are filed each year. According to a GSA estimate, this figure is equiva-
lent to about 10 billion pieces of 8- by 104-inch typing paper. Of this
total, some 20 percent or some 810,000 cubic feet are of "financial or
statistical nature," as defined by GSA, most of which are. now fully
automated. Overall, however, only one-fourth of. the Federal records
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/10 :3?IA-RDP72-00450R000100090015-7
have been automated, to date, a fact which must be given first con-
sideration in the proposals for a National Data Center.36
Until recently, most Federal automation applications have been in
the areas of finance, payrolls, property accounting and "high volume"
statistics. In the last year or so, efforts have been directed toward
bringing more of the administrative records within automation tech-
nology in such areas as health and communicable diseases, welfare
assistance, and police activities. But, three-fourths of the current
Federal records still remain to be automated and further progress will
probably be slow because of the great initial costs which automation
entails and the fact that employee dislocation becomes a more difficult
problem as the relative percentage of automation grows.37 Moreover,
it is estimated that some 10 to 15 percent of the records will never be
automated simply because it may not be economical to do so.
2. The cost of paperwork
It has been said that the cost of paperwork is greatest when meas-
ured in terms of irritations and frustrations and many a taxpayer will
agree. In dollars and cents, according to the GSA, the Government's
bill for creating, processing, filing, and storing Federal records of all
kinds, including correspondence, now exceeds $8 billion a year. This
figure refers to Government costs alone and does not include the costs
of businessmen and individuals who are on the receiving end of this
paper network. In 1965, a House committee estimated the "public"
cost of Federal paperwork at $20 billion. Since this figure represents
only 2;2 times the 1967 Federal costs, it may be on the conservative
side. A Federal tax or statistical form or letter may involve days and
even weeks of a respondent's time, especially if detailed recordkeeping
is required.
According to the General Services Administration, the $8 billion
annual Federal paperwork costs are detailed as follows: Billions
Total paperwork costs------------------------------------ $8.0405
Correspondence-------------------------------------
1. 500
1
00
----------------
Forms
------------------- --
.0
--------
Directives---------------------------------------
1.040
00
Reports--------- ---------------------
1.3
550
Input and ADP -------------------------------------
0.
28
Mail (mailroom, messenger, POD) 1--------------------
0.3
0005
Vital records----------------------------------------
0.
785
1
Filing and controlling records--------- ---------------
.
500
Paperwork procedures (other processing)---------------
0.
037
Records space (office and FRC) 2----------------------
0.
7 Post Office Department.
2 Federal Records Center.
3. Paperwork management
In a special report prepared at the request of the committee by the
National Archives and Record Service, the real benefits to be obtained
from improved paperwork management and research in the Govern-
ment's $8 billion paperwork "industry" were summarized briefly, as
Despite the efforts now being expended in simplifying
paperwork, much more could and should be done. For
example, no regular research program has ever been au-
2 See above, p. 12.
37 Cost could range from $5 to $15 billion, according to GSA.
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/1 %CIA-RDP72-00450R000100090015-7
thorized for paperwork management needs. Research
programs in the Federal Government cover a great many
things, some of which could be categorized as theoretical
probes of very little direct practical application. On the
other hand, such practical needs as standard technology
for reducing substantive processing steps to machine-
readable codes, to show managers the break-even points
when comparing manual applications with automation
applications in such significant fields as letterwriting,
statistical analysis, reviews of routine applications, etc.,
have no research effort authorized for them. Also, the more
substantive, though less routine needs of our Federal mana-
gers for data to be used in the management decision process,
have never been scientifically studied. There is an abundant
amount of data to be used, and situations suitable for
testing conclusions developed during research efforts, but
no resources for fundamental research are available. More
and more, as can be seen from the progress of the paper-
work management program to date, especially during the
last 2 years, a significant technology to control and improve
our paperwork has been developed. A cost of $8 billion is
worthy of our attention. The greater costs in delay and
frustation demand our most effective efforts. From such a
good beginning, much can be expected.38
38 From a report prepared for the committee by Dr. Chester L. Guthrie, acting assistant archivist for
Records Management, NARK, July 23, 1968.
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-00450R000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-00450R000100090015-7
III. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
The small businessman is deeply concerned about the ever-increasin
paperwork burden placed upon him by Federal, State, and local
government agencies. Not only does he resent the cost in dollars and
man-hours involved in supplying information to public agencies, but
he questions, and often with good reason, the need for the countless
official forms, schedules, and questionnaires which arrive with the
morning mail. He questions, for instance, why he must report similar
information to several Federal agencies and identical information
to a Federal and to a State agency. He wonders why his tax forms are
so difficult and complicated that he must hire an accountant or
practitioner to prepare his returns. He wonders, also, in some cases,
if all of this expense isn't slowly but relentlessly driving him to the
wall.
As pointed out in the pages of this interim report, this committee
has had a long-term interest in the reporting requirements placed
upon businessmen by the Federal agencies, going back to the Federal
Reports Act of 1942, which was largely based upon the recommenda-
tions of our parent committee. It is sad to have to report, therefore,
that the high hopes held out earlier for "the policy of the Congress
that information which may be needed by the various Federal agencies
should be obtained with a minimum burden upon business enter-
prises (especially small business enterprises) 71 have not been realized.
On the contrary, the past 25 years have seen the greatest paperwork
expansion in history reflecting the Nation's increasing involvement
with social programs of all kinds and the extension of our "self-
assessment" tax reporting system into almost every facet of our
viable existence. Much of this recordkeeping is necessary; in fact,
the Congress is often the first to request it, and this committee has
no argument with the essential reporting and statistics which Federal
agencies require to discharge their statutory obligations and conduct
their affairs. But, as pointed out in this report, highly qualified ex-
perts describe the present reporting system as "inadequate and
inefficient," thereby supporting the findings of this and other com-
mittees of Congress and validating, to a large degree, the thousands
of complaints received each year by Members of Congress from
business firms and individuals.
As for State and local government reporting, we can no longer
close our eyes to the fact that it has become equally burdensome
with the Federal system, as States and local governments collect
more and more data under programs funded totally or in part from
the Federal budget.2 Some of the Federal-State cooperative under-
I Federal Reports Act, sec. 2.
2 See "Federal-State-Local Cooperative Arrangements in Statistics," working paper prepared for the
National Conference on Comparative Statistics, Bureau of the Budget, February 1966.
(37)
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-00450R000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : qA-RDP72-00450R000100090015-7
takings in data collection and compilation have been highly successful,
as reported in these pages, but for the most part, these have been
single agency endeavors undertaken without the full weight and
resources of the Federal and State administrations behind them
and much remains to be done in broadening and strengthening
Federal-State-local government cooperative programs.
Thus, we have come to the crossroads and in view of the wide con-
sensus from almost all sectors involved in the massive reporting and
statistical system, it is time for plotting new directions. That the
problem is urgent and critical is evidenced by the growing concern
of many both in and out of government relating to the protection
afforded confidential reports and the alleged invasions of privacy by
administrators charged with keeping public confidence. It is apparent
also in recent attacks upon the population census as reported in the
pages of the Congressional Record.'
The signposts are there for all, who will, to read and they tell us
that if we do not act soon to correct the abuses and evils in the pres-
ent system, we may find that we have no system at all-that our
traditional wellsprings of information, the business firm and the
individual, have begun to dry up on us. We could conceivably find
ourselves condemned to repeating the experience of some other na-
tions, where routinely two sets of records are kept, one for conducting
the business and the second for supplying information to the Govern-
ment.
CONCLUSIONS
What do we conclude from the findings of this interim report?
What can be said now that hasn't been said before in the numerous
studies, evaluations, hearings, speeches, reviews, and reports made by
both public and private groups and persons over the past 25 years?
The committee concludes that:
(1) We cannot afford to continue any longer under the present
"highly decentralized and loosely coordinated" reporting and statisti-
cal system with its institutional approaches and bureaucratic decision-
making processes which give but little consideration to the total
reporting burden placed upon respondents.
(2) Since our decentralized system has brought us to the present
crisis, it is evident that we must move now toward a greater concen-
tration and integration of data collecting and processing activities
especially those of the so-called general purpose statistical agencies.
Whether or not this concentration would lead eventually to a National
Data Center is a matter for considerably greater study and evaluation.
For the present, as stated earlier, this committee supports a "deliber-
ate program of combining data from diverse sources," both adminis-
trative records and statistical source materials, as a first step toward
integration.
(3) New legislation is needed to strengthen the intent and purposes
of the Federal Reports Act of 1942 and to bring all data collecting
and compiling agencies under its coverage. For too long, the fiscal,
banking, and regulatory agencies have been permitted to operate in-
independently of and often at cross purposes with, the rest of the re-
porting and statistical system.
e See "Limit Categories of Questions in Decennial Censuses," hearings before Subcommittee on Census
and Statistics, House Post Office and Civil Service Committee, Oct 24, 1967.
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/1] : CIA-RDP72-004508000100090015-7
(4) A new organizational approach to the administration of the
reporting and statistical services is badly needed. Responsibility for
control and supervision over $8 billion records and reports activity
of the Federal Government is too large and too important to be dele-
gated to an office in the Bureau of the Budget. In fact, the Office of
Statistical Standards of the Bureau of the Budget has directed most
of its efforts toward monitoring only a small segment of the Federal
reports and records activity-that segment relating to the collection
and compilation of statistics. Moreover, not all statistical programs
are monitored since fiscal, banking, and regulatory agencies are ex-
empted from coverage of the Federal Reports Act.' In view of this
extremely narrow and parochial interpretation of the agency's respon-
sibilities, it is understandable why the system has been described as
"inadequate and inefficient."
(5) This committee concurs with the findings of the Kaysen Com-
mittee that Congress must look elsewhere than to the Bureau of the
Budget for any overall improvement in the Federal reporting system.
Interimly, this committee feels that two agencies are best qualified,
on the record, to move ahead at the present time: the Bureau of the
Census for a program directed toward consolidating and integrating'
available statistical data at the national level, along lines suggested
in this report; and the General Services Administration for an ex-
tensive paperwork management research program directed toward
reducing and simplifying the flow of reports and records within the
Government and from Federal agencies out to the public.
(6) This committee feels that there is need also for consolidating
and integrating the many diverse and, to some extent, com eting
agencies and offices engaged in economic reporting, compilation,
analysis, research, model building, and so forth. As reported above,
it recommends bringing all these units into a central agency "under
or coordinate with" the Council of Economic Advisers.
(7) This committee strongly supports such activities as the Na-
tional Conference on Comparative Statistics and urges the sponsors
to continue their efforts to break down the information barriers which
exist between Federal, State and local government agencies and urges
the Conference to give special attention to the reporting burden placed
upon the small businessman by all of these agencies. Also, as stated
earlier, we commend the Federal agencies which have undertaken
intergovernmental cooperation programs designed to improve sta-
tistical information and data flows.
l Fiscal and banking agencies are specifically exempted under the Act. The regulator agencies hav.
claimed that the Act is not binding upon them.
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
APPENDIXES
APPENDIX A
FEDERAL REPORTS ACT OF 1942 AND EXECUTIVE ORDER 10253
OF 1951
[Public Law 831-77th Congress]
[Chapter 811-2d Session]
[S. 1666]
AN ACT
To coordinate Federal reporting services, to eliminate duplication and reduce the
cost of such services, and to minimize the burdens of furnishing information
to Federal agencies
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled, That this Act may be cited as
the "Federal Reports Act of 1942".
SEC. 2. It is hereby declared to be the policy of the Congress that
information which may be needed by the various Federal agencies
should be obtained with a minimum burden upon business enterprises
(especially small business enterprises) and other persons required to
furnish such information, and at a minimum cost to the Government,
that all unnecessary duplication of efforts in obtaining such informa-
tion through the use of reports, questionnaires, and other such methods
should be eliminated as rapidly as practicable; and that information
collected and tabulated by any Federal agency should insofar as is
expedient be tabulated in a manner to maximize the usefulness of the
information to other Federal agencies and the public.
SEC. 3. (a) With a view to carrying out the policy of this Act, the
Director of the Bureau of the Budget (hereinafter referred to as the
"Director") is directed from time to time (1) to investigate the needs
of the various Federal agencies for information from business enter-
prises, from other persons, and from other Federal agencies; (2) to
investigate the methods used by such agencies in obtaining such in-
formation; and (3) to coordinate as rapidly as possible the information-
collecting services of all such agencies with a view to reducing the cost
to the Government of obtaining such information and minimizing the
burden upon business enterprises and other persons, and utilizing, as
far as practicable, the continuing organization, files of information,
and existing facilities. of the established Federal departments and
independent agencies.
(b) If, after any such investigation, the Director is of the opinion
that the needs of two or more Federal agencies for information from
business enterprises and other persons will be adequately served by a
single collecting agency, he shall fix a time and place for a hearing at
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/10 :IA-RDP72-00450R000100090015-7
,vhich the agencies concerned and any other interested persons shall
have an opportunity to present their views. After such hearing, the
Director may issue an order designating a collecting agency to obtain
such information for any two or more of the agencies concerned, and
prescribing (with reference to the collection of such information) the
duties and functions of the collecting agency so designated and the
Federal agencies for which it is to act as agent. Any such order may
be modified from time to time by the Director as circumstances may
require, but no such modification shall be made except after investiga-
tion and hearing as hereinbefore provided.
(c) While any such order or modified order is in effect, no Federal
agency covered by such order shall obtain for itself any information
which it is the duty of the collecting agency designated by such order
to obtain.
(d) Upon the request of any party having a substantial interest,
or upon his own motion, the Director is authorized within his discre-
tion to make a determination as to whether or not the collection of any
information by any Federal agency is necessary for the proper perform-
ance of the functions of such agency or for any other proper purpose
Before making any such determination, the Director may, within his
discretion, give to such agency and to other interested persons an
adequate opportunity to be heard or to submit statements in writing.
To the extent, if any, that the Director determines the collection of
such information by such agency is unnecessary, either because it is
not needed for the proper performance of the functions of such agency
or because it can be obtained from another Federal agency or for any
other reason, such agency shall not thereafter engage in the collection
of such information.
(e) For the purposes of this Act, the Director is authorized to
require any Federal agency to make available to any other Federal
agency any information which it has obtained from any person after
the date of enactment of this Act, and all such agencies are directed
to cooperate to the fullest practicable extent at all times in making
such information available to other such agencies: Provided, That
the provisions of this Act shall not apply to the obtaining or releasing
of information by the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the Comptroller
of the Currency, the Bureau of the Public Debt, the Bureau of Ac-
counts, and the Division of Foreign Funds Control of the Treasury
Department: Provided further, That the provisions of this Act shall
not apply to the obtaining by any Federal banks supervisory agency
of reports and information from banks as provided or authorized by
law and in the proper performance of such agency's functions in its
supervisory capacity.
SEC. 4. (a) In the event that any information obtained in confidence
by a Federal agency is released by that agency to another Federal
agency, all the provisions of law (including penalties) which relate
to the unlawful disclosure of any such information shall apply to the
officers and employees of the agency to which such information is
released to the same extent and in the same manner as such provisions
apply to the officers and employees of the agency which originally
obtained such information; and the officers and employees of the agency
to which the information is released shall in addition be subject to the
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/10: CIA-RDP72-00450R000100090015-7
43
same provisions of law (including penalties) relating to the unlawful
disclosure of such information as if the information had been collected
directly by such agency.
(b) Information obtained by a Federal agency from any person or
persons may pursuant to this Act, be released to any other Federal
agency only if (1) the information shall be released in the form of
statistical totals or summaries; or (2) the information as supplied by
persons to a Federal agency shall not, at the time of collection, have
been declared by that agency or by any superior authority to be con-
fidential; or (3) the persons supplying the information shall consent to
the release of it to a second agency by the agency to which the infor-
mation was originally supplied; or (4) the Federal agency to which
another Federal agency shall release the information has authority
to collect the information itself and such authority is supported by
legal provision for criminal penalties against persons failing to supply
such information.
SEC. 5. No Federal agency shall conduct or sponsor the collection
of information, upon identical items, from ten or more persons (other
than Federal employees considered as such) unless, in advance of
adoption or revision of any plans or forms to be used in such collection,
(a) The agency shall have submitted to the Director such plans or
forms, together with copies of such pertinent regulations and other
related materials as the Director shall specify; and
(b) The Director shall have stated that he does not disapprove the
proposed collection of information.
SEC. 6. The Director is authorized to make such rules and regulations
as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act.
SEC. 7. As used in this Act-
(a) The term "Federal agency" means any executive department,
commission, independent establishment, corporation owned or con-
trolled by the United States, board, bureau, division, service, office,
authority, or administration in the executive branch of the Govern-
ment; but such terms shall not include the General Accounting Office
nor the governments of the District of Columbia and of the Ter-
ritories and possessions of the United States, and the various sub-
divisions of such governments.
(b) The term "person" means any individual, partnership, asso-
ciation, corporation, business trust, or legal representative, any
organized group of persons, any State or Territorial government or
branch thereof, or any political subdivision of any State or Territory
or any branch of any such political subdivision.
(c) The term "information" means facts obtained or solicited by
the use of written report forms, application forms, schedules, question-
naires, or other similar methods calling either (1) for answers to
identical questions from ten or more persons other than agencies,
instrumentalities, or employees of the United States or (2) for answers
to questions from agencies, instrumentalities, or employees of the
United States which are to be used for statistical compilations of
general public interest.
SEC. 8. Any person failing to furnish information required by any
such agency shall be subject to such penalties as are specifically pre-
scribed by law, and no other penalty shall be imposed either by way
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-00450R000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
44
of fine or imprisonment or by the withdrawal or denial of any right,
privilege, priority, allotment, or immunity, except When the right,
privilege, priority, allotment, or immunity, is legally conditioned on
facts which would be revealed by the information requested.
SEC. 9. There are hereby authorized to be appropriated annually,
out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, such
sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act.
Approved, December 24, 1942.
PROVIDING FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS OF THE WORK OF FEDERAL EXEC-
UTIVE AGENCIES WITH RESPECT TO STATISTICAL INFORMATION
By virtue of the authority vested in me by Section 103 of the Budget
and Accounting Procedures Act of 1950 (31 U.S.C. 18b), and as Presi-
dent. of the United States, and in order to carry out the purposes of
said section, it is hereby ordered as follows:
SECTION 1. The Director of the Bureau of the Budget (hereinafter
referred to as the Director) shall develop programs, and issue regula-
tions and orders, for the improved gathering, compiling, analyzing,
publishing, and disseminating of statistical information for any
purpose by the various agencies in the executive branch of the Federal
Government.
SEC. 2. In order to carry out the provisions of section 1 of this order,
the Director shall maintain a continuing study for the improvement of
the statistical work of the agencies in the executive branch of the Fed-
eral Government with a view to obtaining the maximum benefit. from
the funds and facilities available for such work, giving due considera-
tion to the constantly changing character of the various needs for
statistical information both within and without the Government,
and where the statistical work is primarily concerned with operating
programs, giving due consideration to administrative needs, statutory
requirements, and the needs involved in the development of adminis-
trative and legislative recommendations. The Director, either upon his
own initiative or upon the request of any such agency, shall (a)
provide for the interchange of information calculated to improve
statistical work, (b) make appropriate arrangements for improving
statistical work involving relationships between two or more agencies,
and (c) assist the agencies, by other means, to improve their statistical
work.
SEC. 3. The following shall be included among the objectives sought
in carrying out the provisions of section 1 hereof :
(a) To achieve an adequate program of statistical work-in the
agencies of the executive branch, in relation to over-all needs
for statistical information, including the filling of gaps and over-
coming of weaknesses in presently available statistical information.
(b) To achieve the most effective use of resources available for
statistical work by the agencies, in relation to over-all needs.
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-00450R000100090015-7
45
(c) To minimize the burden upon those furnishing statistical
data needed by the various Federal agencies.
(d) To improve the reliability and timeliness of statistical
information.
(e) To achieve maximum comparability among the several
statistical series and studies.
(f) To improve the presentation of statistical information and
of explanations regarding the sources and reliability of such
information, and regarding the limitations on the uses that can
appropriately be made of it.
SEC. 4. Regulations and orders issued pursuant to Section 1 hereof
shall be signed by the Director. When so signed, such regulations and
orders shall require no further approval and shall be adhered to by all
agencies in the executive branch. Any such regulation or order may
pertain to a single agency, a group of agencies, or all agencies in the
executive branch.
SEC. 5. In the development of programs and the preparation of
regulations and orders for issuance pursuant to Section 1 hereof, the
Director shall consult Federal agencies whose activities will be sub-
stantially affected, and may consult non-Federal groups to the extent
he finds it necessary to carry out the purposes of this order.
SEC. 6. The authority outlined in this order is in addition to and not
in substitution for the existing authority of the Director, or of the
Bureau of the Budget, with respect to statistical and reporting
activities. To the extent, however, that this order conflicts with any
previous Executive order affecting statistical or reporting activities,
the provisions of this order shall control.
SEC. 7. Nothing in this Executive order shall be construed to apply
to the obtaining or releasing of information by the Bureau of Internal
Revenue, the Comptroller of the Currency, the Bureau of the Public
Debt, the Bureau of Accounts, and the Division of Foreign Assets
Control of the Treasury Department, or to the obtaining by any
Federal bank supervisory agency of reports and information from
banks as provided or authorized by law and in the proper performance
of such agency's functions in its supervisory capacity.
HARRY S. TRUMAN.
THE WHITE HOUSE, June 11, 1951.
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
46
(Prepared by the Bureau of the Budget)
TABLE 1.-OBLIGATIONS FOR PRINCIPAL STATISTICAL PROGRAMS BY BROAD SUBJECT AREAS
(in millions of dollars]
Program 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959
estimated estimated
Grand total------- 158.4 140.7 122.7 107.5 110.0 93.5 82.4 68.0 72.6 141.2 56.7
Totalcurrent ----- 133.7 120.2 110.2 96.3 87.8 78.5 70.1 57.1 51.2 45.7 43.1
ERS--------------- .5 .4 .4 .3 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 2 .2
SRS--------------- .3 .3 .3 .2 .2 .2 .2 .2 .1
BES--------------- 3.5 3.3 3.1 3.0 2.5 1.7 1.7 1.5 1.3 1.3 1.2
BLS--------------- 17.7 16.7 16.7 16.6 14.9 13.2 11.8 10.3 8.7 8.3 5.7
OMPER (OMAT)-.-- 4.9 4.0 4.0 4.0 3.7 4.2 2.5 ----------------------------
Mines------------- .1 .1 .4 .4 .3 .4 .4 .4 .4 .3 .3
NSF--------------- 2.3 2.1 2.0 1.4 1.9 1.6 1.4 1.3 1.1 1.0 1.0
Census------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1.0
Demographic and social
statistics------------- 46.6
ERS--------------- 1.0
Census----.-.....- 2.6
NCHS-------------- 9.5
LACES-------------- 2.9
SSA--------------- 16.8
WA---------------- 2.2
NSF--------------- 2.6
OEO--------------- 9.0
ERS--------------- .7
SRS--------------- 1.8
BLS--------------- 5.1
Census ------------ .1
Production and distribu-
tion statistics--------- 33.5
ERS---------------
SRS---------------
Census-------.----
Engrs--------------
Mines-------------
ICC---------------
CAB--------_-----
Transportation --- -- -
2.1
12.5
11.7
1. 1
2.4
1.1
.8
1.8
.4 .4 .4 .3 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1
2.7 2.0 1.9 1.8 1.6 1.5 1.2 1.1 1.1 1.3
8.3 8.2 6.9 6.3 5.8 5.1 4.5 4.0 3.0 3.6
2.5 2.1 2.7 2.1 1.5 1.3 1.1 .9 .8 .7
14.8 10.0 6.0 4.6 4.3 4.1 t 2 8 2.6 2.4 2.3
2.0 1.9 1.7 1.5 1.2 1.0 f
2.4 2.4 2.3 1.6 1.4 1.2 1.0 1.0 .9 .8
7.4 5.9 2.4 -----------?-----?-----------------?------------
.7 .7 .6 .6 .6 .6 .6 .6 t 1.6 1.6
1.8 1.6 1.5 1.4 1.3 1.1 1.0 1.0
4.3 3.9 3.4 3.6 3.0 2.8 2.3 2.4 2.2 1.9
.1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 ----------------------------
2.1
12.1
11.2
1.1
2.5
1.7
.7
2.0 1.8 1.8 1.5 1.5 1.4 1.2 6.1 5.8
11.9 10.5 10.3 9.0 8.0 6.9 6.5
11.7 11.0 10.7 9.6 9.3 7.7 6.9 6.2 5.7
1.1 1.1 1.0 1.0 .9 .9 .9 .9 .9
2.2 2.3 2.0 2.0 1.7 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.6
1.1 .9 1.4 1.3 1.3 1.2 1.2 1.2
.6 .5 .4 .4 .4 .3 .3 .3
.1 ------------------------------------------------
Construction and hous-
ing statistics---------- 5.1 3.5 2.9 3.2 3.1 3.1 2.5 2.3 1.6 1.3 1.2
Census ------------ 3.0 2.4 1.9 2.0 2.0 1.8 1.6 1.5 1.3 1.0
.3
FHLBB------------ .8 .6
.6 .7 .7 .9 .5 .4 .3 .3 .3
HUD --?----------_ 1.3 .5 .4 .5 .4 .4 .4 .4 ....................
--------------------------- --?------ ---------- ?
BLS ------------- ----------------------------------- .4
BDSA............................................................................................ .2
National income and
business, financial
accounts------------- 11.5 11.0 10.3 8.7 9.9 8.2 7.5 6.2 5.6 4.9 4.7
.3 .3 .3 .3 .2 .2 .2 .2 .2
ERS--------------- .3 .3
Census ------------ .9 .8 .7 .7 .6 .5 .4 .4 .3
.3
OBE--------------- 3.3 3.0 2.8 2.5 2.3 2.1 2.0 1.6 1.5 1.4 1.2
IRS---------------- 6.2 6.2 5.8 4.5 6.1 4.6 4.3 3.4 3.1 2.6 2.6
FTC--------------- .4 .4 .4 .4 .3 .3 .3 .3 .3 .2 .2
SEC--------------- .4 .3 .3 .3 .3 .3 .3 .3 .2 .2 .2
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/1: CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
TABLE I.-OBLIGATIONS FOR PRINCIPAL STATISTICAL PROGRAMS BY BROAD SUBJECT AREAS-Continued
[In millions of dollars]
Program 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959
estimated estimated
Decennial censuses r____ 17.5 7.6 2.8 2.2 .9 .5 2.8 6.7 18.0 90.1 6.1
Economic censuses 2 6.9 7.5 3.0 .8 5.8 7. 1 2.9 1.2 2.0 5.1 7. 0
Censuses of agricul-
ture 3-------------------------- .4 1.9 5.1 15.5 1.5 .5 ----------------------------
Censuses of govern-
ments 4--------------- .3 1.0 1.3 .2 ________ .6 .8 .9 . 1 .1 .5
National housing invest-
ment--------------------------------
Registration and voting------------------------------ 1.2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
C P l revision -------------------------------------- .8 1.3 2.1 1.3 .2 ------
Computer equipment______________ 4.0 3.5 1.7 -------- 4.5 4.0 ____...--______--...____
r 1950, 17th decennial; 1958-63, 18th decennial; 1964-69, 19th decennial.
2 1950, 1948 Census of Business; 1956-58, 1954 economic censuses; 1957-62, 1958 economic censuses; 1962-67, 1963
economic censuses; 1966-69, 1967 economic censuses.
3 1956-57, 1954 Census of Agriculture; 1963-68, 1964 Census of Agriculture.
4 1957-60, 1957 Census of Governments; 1961-64, 1962 Census of Governments; 1966-69, 1967 Census of Governments.
EXPLANATORY NOTES
Figures represent obligations, actual for 1967 and earlier, estimated for 1968 and 1969.
Where possible, data are based on "Special Analysis for Principal Federal Statistical Programs" printed with the budget.
However, since agencies included have changed at times, principally by expansion in 1961, 1962, and 1963, estimates have
been made for certain agencies not shown in that document in earlier years in order to obtain a reasonably comparable
series for the entire period shown here. When now agencies have been organized to perform new functions, they have
been added-OMPER in 1963, OEO ($2,400,000) in 1966. When new agencies were organized to perform functions pre-
viously performed elsewhere, with or without new functions data are shown under the present name, but carried back to
be continuous. (For example, SRS and ERS in Department oI Agriculture are shown separately since 1961, but only a single
figure for these programs is shown for earlier years. NCHS was organized in 1960; figures for earlier years represent
work on vital statistics and public health reports.) In other cases, program content and budgeting has been changed
without reorganization. Most notable example is that in 1960 census took over construction and housing starts, most
of which had been in BLS; BLS took over the labor force portion of the CPS.
Abbreviations are as follows:
BDSA-Business and Defense Services Administration, I Commerce Department.
BES-Bureau of Employment Security,2 Labor Department.
BLS-Bureau of Labor Statistics, Labor Department.
Census-Bureau of the Census, Commerce Department.
CAB-Civil Aeronautics Board .2
Engineers-Corps of Engineers ,2 Department of Army.
ERS-Economic Research Service, Agriculture Department.
FHLBB-Federal Home Loan Bank Board2
FTC-Federal Trade Commission2
HUD-Department of Housing and Urban Development?
ICC-Interstate Commerce Commission2
IRS-Internal Revenue Service 2 Treasury Department.
Mines-Bureau of Mines 2 Interior Department.
NCES-National Center for Educational Statistics, HEW.
NCHS-National Center for Health Statistics, HEW.
NSF-National Science Foundation 2
OBE-Office of Business Economics, Commerce Department.
OEO-Office of Economic Opportunity.s
OMPER-Office of Manpower Policy, Evaluation and Research ,2 Labor Department.
SEC-Securities and Exchange Commission.2
SRS-Statistical Reporting Service, Agriculture Department.
SSA-Social Security Administration 2 HEW.
Transportation-Department of Transportation?
WA-Welfare Administration, became Social and Rehabilitation Service?
'Construction statistics only.
2 Statistical programs only.
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7
 Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : 4IA-RDP72-00450R000100090015-7
TABLE 2.-OBLIGATIONS FOR PRINCIPAL STATISTICAL PROGRAMS, TOTAL AND SELECTED AGENCIES
]In millions of dollars]
1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959
estimate estimate
Census________________ 18.2 17.1 16.4 15.7 15.2 13.6 12.8 10.7 9.6 8.6 8.6
OBE___________________ 3.3 2.9 2.8 2.5 2.3 2.1 2.0 1.6 1.5 1.4 1.2
BLS___________________ 22.7 21.0 20.6 20.0 18.5 16.3 14.6 12.7 11.1 10.5 8.0
BES___________________ 3.5 3.3 3.2 3.0 2.5 1.7 1.7 1.5 1.3 1.3 1.2
OMPER________________ 4.9 4.0 4.0 4.0 3.7 4.2 2.5 ---------_----------------
E RS 4.7 3.9 3.8 3.4 3.1 2.6 2.5 2.4 2.2 8.2 7.
SRS___________________ 14.7 14.2 13.7 12.3 11.9 10.5 9.3 8.1 7.6
NCHS__________________ 9.5 8.3 8.2 6.9 6.3 5.8 5.1 4.5 4.0 3.0 3.
NCES__________________ 2.9 2.4 2.1 2.7 2.1 1.5 1.3 1. 1 .9 .8 .7
SSA___________________ 16.8 14.8 10.0 6.0 4.6 4.3 4.1 2.8 2.6 2.4 2.3
WA____________________ 2.2 2.0 1.8 1.7 1.5 1.2 1.0
IRS____________________ 6.2 6.2 5.8 4.5 6.1 4.6 4.3 3.4 3.1 2.6 2.6
NSF___________________ 4.9 4.5 4.4 3.7 3.5 3.0 2.6 2.3 2.1 1.9 1.8
Mines_________________ 2.5 2.6 2.6 2.7 2.4 2.4 2.2 2.0 2.0 1.9 1.9
Other__________________ 16.7 13.0 10.8 7.2 4.1 4.7 4.0 4.0 3.2 3.1 3.3
PERIODIC PROGRAMS
Total periodic----- 24.7 20.5 12.5 11.2 22.2 15.0 12.3 10.9 21.4 95.5 13.6
Census________________ 24.7 20.5 10.9 9.5 22.2 14.2 10.9 8.8 20.1 95.3 13.6
All other----------------------------------- 1.6 1.7 -------- .8 1.4 2.1 1.3 .2 ------
EXPLANATORY NOTES FOR TABLE 2
Figures represent obligations, actual for 1967 and earlier estimated for 1968 and 1969.
Where possible, data are based on Special Analysis for Principal Federal Statistical Programs" printed with the
budget. However, since agencies included have changed at times, principally by expansion in 1961, 1962 and 1963, es-
timates have been made for certain agencies not shown in that document in ear ier years in order to obtain a reasonably
comparable series for the entire period shown here. When new agencies have been organized to perform new functions,
they have been added-OMPER in 1963, OEO ($2,400,000) in 1966. When new agencies were organized to perform func-
tions previously performed elsewhere, with or without new functions, data are shown under the present name, but carried
back to be continuous. For example, SRS and ERS in Department of Agriculture are shown separately since 1961, but only
a single figure for these programs is shown for earlier years. NCHS was organized in 1960; figures for earlier years repre-
sent work on vital statistics and public health reports; the latter is not in later years but the National Health Survey is.
In other cases, program content and budgeting has been changed without reorganization. Most notable example is that
in 1960 Census took over construction and housing starts, most of which had been in BLS; BLS took over the labor force
portion of the CPS. Although these changes could be, and were costed out for budgeting purposes at the time they occurred
it would have been very difficult to carry them back so this has not been done.
Census periodic includes funds for computers. Other periodic includes in 1966 and 1967 funds for computers for SRS
and NCHS; in 1960 through 1964, funds for last revision of the Consumer Price Index.
Abbreviations are as follows:
Census-Bureau of the Census.
OBE-Office of Business Economics.
BLS-Bureau of Labor Statistics.
BES-Bureau of Employment Security.'
OMPER-Office of Manpower Policy, Evaluation and Research.
ERS-Economic Research Service.
SRS-Statistical Reporting Service.
NCHS-National Center for Health Statistics.
NOES-National Center for Educational Statistics.
SSA-Social Security Administration'
WA-Welfare Administration.'
IRS-Internal Revenue Service.'
NSF-National Science Foundation.'
Mines-Bureau of Mines.'
Agencies included in "Other" current are as follows:
Department of Housing and Urban Development.'
Civil Aeronautics Board.'
Federal Home Loan Bank Board'
Federal Trade Commission.,
Interstate Commerce Commission.'
Office of Economic Opportunity.'
Corps of Engineers.,
Securities and Exchange Commission!
(Business and Defense Services Administration, construction statistics only included in total for years prior to 1960.)
Department of Transportation.'
WA-Welfare Administration-became Social and Rehabilitation Service.'
i Statistical programs only.
0
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100090015-7