(a) International electronic data system

The Secretary of State and the Commissioner of Immigration and Naturalization, in consultation with the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security, shall jointly conduct a study of the alternative approaches (including the costs of, and procedures necessary for, each alternative approach) for encouraging or requiring Canada, Mexico, and countries treated as visa waiver program countries under section 217 of the Immigration and Nationality Act [8 U.S.C. 1187] to develop an intergovernmental network of interoperable electronic data systems that—

(1) facilitates real-time access to that country's law enforcement and intelligence information that is needed by the Department of State and the Immigration and Naturalization Service to screen visa applicants and applicants for admission into the United States to identify aliens who are inadmissible or deportable under the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.);

(2) is interoperable with the electronic data system implemented under section 1722 of this title; and

(3) performs in accordance with implementation of the technology standard referred to in section 1722(a) of this title.

(b) Report

Not later than 1 year after May 14, 2002, the Secretary of State and the Attorney General shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report setting forth the findings of the study conducted under subsection (a) of this section.