A4SAFE Data Subject Matter Experts briefed the NIEM PMO and NIEM Business Architecture Committee (multiple Federal agencies and State and Local representations) on the impacts of upcoming GREAT Act Legislation and the data management changes required to ensure compliance.

The GREAT Act will involve over 23 Federal agencies and 50 States, whom issue grants funding to many recipients. The GREAT Act will transform federal grant reporting from disconnected documents into open data by directing the executive branch to adopt a standardized data structure for the information grantees must report to agencies. By replacing outdated documents with open data, the GREAT Act will deliver transparency for grant making agencies and the public. It will also allow grantees to automate their reporting processes and reduce compliance costs.

• (External Link): Summary of Grant Reporting Efficiency and Agreements Transparency (GREAT) Act of 2019

January 14, 2019: President Signs Government-wide Open Data Bill

President Trump signed into law the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking (FEBP) Act, which includes the Open, Public, Electronic and Necessary (OPEN) Government Data Act (Title II). The Law (P.L. 115-435) will go into effect Monday, July 8, 2019, and we anticipate a large part of the implementation work being merged with the Administration’s ongoing Federal Data Strategy.

• (External Link): Data Coalition Submits Ideas to Inform the New Federal Data Strategy

January 17, 2019: GREAT Act Passes the House of Representatives

The House unanimously passed the bipartisan Grant Reporting Efficiency and Agreements Transparency (GREAT) Act (H.R. 150) as re-introduced by Representatives Virginia Foxx (NC-5-R) and Jimmy Gomez (CA-34-D).

• (External Link): C-SPAN – Watch GREAT Act (H.R. 150) unanimously passed the House of Representatives