Commerce Department Termination and Government Reorganziation Act of 1995 (S. 929 (104th)) — United States

Summary

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Abolishment of Department of Commerce Title II: Disposition of Particular Programs, Functions, and Agencies of Department of Commerce Title III: Miscellaneous Provisions Department of Commerce Dismantling Act - Title I: Abolishment of Department of Commerce - Replaces the Department of Commerce (DOC) with the Commerce Programs Resolution Agency (CPRA), which is limited to three years to wind up and terminate the functions and obligations of the DOC before the CPRA itself is abolished. Directs the Comptroller General to report on the most efficient means of abolishing the DOC, and transferring or terminating its functions. Title II: Disposition of Particular Programs, Functions, and Agencies of Department of Commerce - Repeals the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 and transfers all financial obligations, liabilities, and related rights owned by DOC under such Act to the Department of the Treasury. Requires an audit by the Comptroller General of all DOC grants made under such Act in FY 1995. (Sec. 202) Transfers all export control functions of the DOC under the Export Administration Act to the Secretary of Defense, the President, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of State. Authorizes a limited number of specified DOC special agents to the Customs Service. Abolishes the Office of Foreign Availability and the Office of the Under Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration, and provides for the appointment of an Industries Board to advise the Secretary of State. (Sec. 203) Transfers specified national security functions: (1) granted by the Trade Expansion Act to the International Trade Commission; and (2) granted by the Defense Production Act to the Secretaries of Defense and of the Treasury. Directs the President to appoint committees of industry representatives to advise the National Security Council. (Sec. 204) Transfers to the United States Trade Representative (USTR) the functions of the DOC's International Trade Administration, and powers granted by the Uruguay Round Agreements Act. Makes the Secretary of the Treasury chairman and executive officer of the Foreign Trade Zones Board. Renames the United States and Foreign Commercial Service the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service (Commercial Service), abolishes specified functions, and transfers it to the USTR. Conveys all export promotion functions of the DOC to the USTR, authorizing the USTR to require private entities to pay for promotion services. Transfers the authority to collect and evaluate information on international investment and trade services to the Secretary of the Treasury. Abolishes the international economic policy analysis functions of the DOC. Terminates the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA), and divides CITA's tasks among the USTR, the Commercial Service, and the Secretary of the Treasury. Transfers all DOC functions under the Fair Trade in Auto Parts Act of 1988 to the International Trade Commission. Requires the appointment of industry boards to advise the Secretary of the Treasury and the USTR regarding their new powers. (Sec. 205) Transfers the Patent and Trademark Office to the Department of Justice, and requires that the activities of that Office be funded solely by fees. (Sec. 206) Terminates the Technology Administration and the Office of Technology Policy. Transfers the National Institute of Standards and Technology to the National Science Foundation, and transfers its laboratories to the CPRA to be sold. Eliminates funding for, and requires the sale of assets of, the National Technical Information Service. (Sec. 207) Transfers the Bureau of the Census to the Department of the Treasury. Declares it to be the sense of the Congress that such Bureau should: (1) implement the Census Address List Improvement Act of 1994 in a timely fashion; and (2) streamline census questionnaires to promote savings in the collection and tabulation of data. (Sec. 208) Transfers the Bureau of Economic Analysis to the Federal Reserve System, requiring the director of that Bureau to report to the Congress on: (1) the availability of private resources capable of handling a portion or all of the Bureau's assigned tasks; and (2) the feasibility of a fee system to defray costs. (Sec. 209) Terminates assistance to: (1) public telecommunications; (2) educational television programs; and (3) telecommunications demonstrations. Repeals establishment of the National Endowment for Children's Educational Television (thus abolishing it). (Sec. 210) Transfers specified functions under the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act to the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. (Sec. 211) Terminates: (1) funding of specified fishery assistance programs; (2) the fisheries trade promotion program; (3) the authority to guarantee obligations for fishing vessels and facilities; (4) future compensation for damage, loss, or destruction of fishing vessels or fishing gear; and (5) funding of specified Federal fishery research projects. Eliminates the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Corps and the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, and conveys specified functions of both to the National Weather Service. Transfers the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information System Data Centers in part to the CPRA to be sold, and in part to the National Weather Service. Terminates certain functions of the National Weather Service, and transfers it to the Department of the Interior. Reallocates various specified functions of the National Marine Fisheries Services to the Secretary of Transportation, the Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Secretary of Agriculture. Conveys specified functions of the National Ocean Service to the United States Geological Survey and the Secretary of the Interior. Transfers certain NOAA environmental research laboratories to the CPRA to be sold. (Sec. 212) Abolishes the following DOC agencies and programs: (1) Economic Development Administration; (2) Minority Business Development Administration; (3) United States Travel and Tourism Administration; (4) National Telecommunications and Information Administration; (5) Advanced Technology Program; and (6) Manufacturing Extension Programs. (Sec. 214) Declares the sense of the Congress that the head of each agency performing a function vested by this Act should, wherever feasible, explore and implement user fees for services provided in the performance of such function, to offset operating costs. Title III: Miscellaneous Provisions - Limits annual expenditures for any function not terminated by this Act to 75 percent of FY 1994 expenditures for the performance of such function.

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Timeline

15 June 1995
Introduced
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Governmental Affairs.
Source: IntroReferral
15 June 1995
Introduced
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8498-8501)
Source: IntroReferral
15 June 1995
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
Source: IntroReferral
25 July 1995
Committee
Committee on Governmental Affairs. Hearings held.
Source: Committee
27 July 1995
Committee
Committee on Governmental Affairs. Hearings concluded. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 104-650.
Source: Committee
7 September 1995
Reported
Committee on Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Source: Committee
20 October 1995
Calendars
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 214.
Source: Calendars
20 October 1995
Reported
Committee on Governmental Affairs. Reported to Senate by Senator Stevens with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 104-164. Additional and minority views filed.
Source: Committee
20 October 1995
Reported
Committee on Governmental Affairs. Reported to Senate by Senator Stevens with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 104-164. Additional and minority views filed.
Source: Committee

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

Reported to Senate · 20 October 1995 · Download file
Introduced in Senate · 15 June 1995 · Download file

Documents

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Reported to Senate (text)

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Reported to Senate (text)
Reported to Senate · EN · 20 October 1995
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Reported to Senate (PDF)
Reported to Senate · EN · 20 October 1995
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Reported to Senate with amendment(s)
summary · EN · 20 October 1995
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Introduced in Senate (text)
Introduced in Senate · EN · 15 June 1995
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Introduced in Senate (PDF)
Introduced in Senate · EN · 15 June 1995
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Introduced in Senate
summary · EN · 15 June 1995
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Related records

related to → Department of Commerce Dismantling Act

Sources

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Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/929
Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/104/s/929
us · 104-s-929 · source updated 7 April 2025

Commerce Department Termination and Government Reorganziation Act of 1995