Mr. John Spotila
Old Executive Office Building, Room 350
Office of Management and Budget
Administrator, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs
Washington, D.C. 20503

Dear Mr. Spotila:

    I am writing to inquire as to OMB's progress on issuance of regulations for Data Quality as urged by this Congress pursuant to the FY 1999 Omnibus Appropriations Act and conference report (referencing House Report 105-592).

    Through its obligations under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (P.L. 104-13) and its general oversight of federal agencies, OMB has been given responsibility for maintaining Data Quality, so as to encourage sound public policy and an appropriate allocation of resources. The FY ‘99 Omnibus Appropriations bill urged OMB to issue regulations which would ensure the "quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity" of governmental information and which would include a petition process through which the interested public could seek correction of information which does not meet the standard set forth by OMB. The House of Representatives requested that OMB draft these Data Quality regulations by September 30, 1999 and report back to Congress thereon. As this date has passed, I would appreciate an idea of when the Data Quality regulations might be issued and what assistance Congress might be able to provide OMB in completing this significant task. I would also like to obtain OMB's view on a report brought to my attention by the Center for Regulatory Effectiveness (CRE), which contains a draft Data Quality regulation.

    It is my intention to bring up the issue of OMB's Data Quality regulation and its reaction to the CRE report at the OMB budget hearing of the House Treasury Appropriations Subcommittee, which is currently scheduled for March 28 ^th.

    I look forward to your response.