Rep. Chris Lee wants Congress to go paperless.

The East Amherst Republican convened a press conference at the Amherst Highway Department

today to announce legislation he has introduced to switch printing of multiple copies of paper

bills before Congress to electronic form.

The practice of delivering five printed bills to every legislator costs the government $2.2

million each year, he said, money he said could be saved if bills were delivered on-line.

"As the rest of society becomes paperless, the government needs to follow suit," Lee said.

"This bill will conserve resources."

In addition, Lee said he wrote to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi requesting she require the

Government Printing Office to end the paper printing as part of her "Green the Capitol"

initiative, which seeks new business practices and energy efficient technologies throughout

the United States Capitol complex.