SHARING OF BUSINESS DATA AMONG DESIGNATED STATISTICAL AGENCIES.

SEC. 524. SHARING OF BUSINESS DATA AMONG DESIGNATED STATISTICAL AGENCIES. (a) In General.—A Designated Statistical Agency may provide business data in an identifiable form to another Designated Statistical Agency under the terms of a written agreement among the agencies sharing the business data that specifies— (1) the business data to be shared; (2) the statistical purposes for which the business data are to be used; (3) the officers, employees, and agents authorized to examine the business data to be shared; and (4) appropriate security procedures to safeguard the confidentiality of the business data. (b) Responsibilities of Agencies Under Other Laws.—The provision of business data by an agency to a Designated Statistical 116 STAT. 2969Agency under this subtitle shall in no way alter the responsibility of the agency providing the data under other statutes (including section 552 of title 5, United States Code (popularly known as the Freedom of Information Act), and section 552b of title 5, United States Code (popularly known as the Privacy Act of 1974)) with respect to the provision or withholding of such information by the agency providing the data. (c) Responsibilities of Officers, Employees, and Agents.—Examination of business data in identifiable form shall be limited to the officers, employees, and agents authorized to examine the individual reports in accordance with written agreements pursuant to this section. Officers, employees, and agents of a Designated Statistical Agency who receive data pursuant to this subtitle shall be subject to all provisions of law, including penalties, that relate— (1) to the unlawful provision of the business data that would apply to the officers, employees, and agents of the agency that originally obtained the information; and (2) to the unlawful disclosure of the business data that would apply to officers, employees, and agents of the agency that originally obtained the information. (d) Notice.—Whenever a written agreement concerns data that respondents were required by law to report and the respondents were not informed that the data could be shared among the Designated Statistical Agencies, for exclusively statistical purposes, the terms of such agreement shall be described in a public notice issued by the agency that intends to provide the data. Such notice shall allow a minimum of 60 days for public comment.