To amend title 5, United States Code, to include guidance documents in the congressional review process of agency rulemaking.

Summary: This bill requires guidance documents of federal agencies to be considered rules that are subject to the congressional review process, which Congress can use to overturn certain agency actions through a joint resolution of disapproval. &quot;Guidance document&quot; is defined as a statement of general applicability and future effect, other than a regulatory action, issued by a federal agency that sets forth: (1) a policy on a statutory, regulatory, or technical issue; or (2) an interpretation of a statutory or regulatory issue. Significant guidance documents are subject to review as major rules, which delays their effective date and requires the Government Accountability Office to review the agency's compliance with the regulatory process. A &quot;significant guidance document&quot; is a guidance document disseminated to regulated entities or the general public that may reasonably be anticipated to: (1) lead to an annual effect of at least $100 million or adversely affect in a material way the economy, a sector of the economy, productivity, competition, employment, the environment, public health or safety, or state, local, or tribal governments or communities; (2) create a serious inconsistency, or otherwise interfere, with an action taken or planned by another federal agency; (3) materially alter the budgetary impact of any entitlement, grant, user fees, or loan programs or the rights or obligations of recipients; or (4) raise novel legal or policy issues arising out of legal mandates.  A guidance document is not considered to be significant if it: (1) concerns regulations issued in accordance with administrative procedures for rules required by statute to be made on record after opportunity for an agency hearing; (2) pertains to a U.S. military or foreign affairs function other than procurement regulations and regulations involving the import or export of non-defense articles and services; (3) concerns regulations that are limited to the organization, management, or personnel matters of a federal agency; or (4) belongs to a category of guidance documents exempted by the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.

SECTION 1. CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW OF AGENCY RULEMAKING.

    (a) Guidance Documents.--Paragraph (3) of section 804 of title 5, 
United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
            ``(3) The term `rule'--
                    ``(A) has the meaning given such term in section 
                551, except that such term does not include (except as 
                otherwise provided in subparagraph (B))--
                            ``(i) any rule of particular applicability, 
                        including a rule that approves or prescribes 
                        for the future rates, wages, prices, services, 
                        or allowances therefor, corporate or financial 
                        structures, reorganizations, mergers, or 
                        acquisitions thereof, or accounting practices 
                        or disclosures bearing on any of the foregoing;
                            ``(ii) any rule relating to agency 
                        management or personnel; or
                            ``(iii) any rule of agency organization, 
                        procedure, or practice that does not 
                        substantially affect the rights or obligations 
                        of non-agency parties; and
                    ``(B) includes guidance documents.''.
    (b) Significant Guidance Documents.--Paragraph (2) of section 804 
of such title is amended to read as follows:
            ``(2) The term `major rule'--
                    ``(A) means any rule that the Administrator of the 
                Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs of the 
                Office of Management and Budget finds has resulted in 
                or is likely to result in--
                            ``(i) an annual effect on the economy of 
                        $100,000,000 or more;
                            ``(ii) a major increase in costs or prices 
                        for consumers, individual industries, Federal, 
                        State, or local government agencies, or 
                        geographic regions; or
                            ``(iii) significant adverse effects on 
                        competition, employment, investment, 
                        productivity, innovation, or on the ability of 
                        United States-based enterprises to compete with 
                        foreign-based enterprises in domestic and 
                        export markets; and
                    ``(B) includes significant guidance documents.
        The term does not include any rule promulgated under the 
        Telecommunications Act of 1996 and the amendments made by that 
        Act.''.
    (c) Definitions.--Section 804 of such title is amended by adding at 
the end the following new paragraphs:
            ``(4) The term `guidance document' means a statement of 
        general applicability and future effect, other than a 
        regulatory action, issued by a Federal agency that sets forth--
                    ``(A) a policy on a statutory, regulatory, or 
                technical issue; or
                    ``(B) an interpretation of a statutory or 
                regulatory issue.
            ``(5) The term `significant guidance document'--
                    ``(A) means a guidance document disseminated to 
                regulated entities or the general public that may 
                reasonably be anticipated to--
                            ``(i) lead to an annual effect of 
                        $100,000,000 or more, or adversely affect in a 
                        material way the economy, a sector of the 
                        economy, productivity, competition, employment, 
                        the environment, public health or safety, or 
                        State, local, or tribal governments or 
                        communities;
                            ``(ii) create a serious inconsistency, or 
                        otherwise interfere, with an action taken or 
                        planned by another Federal agency;
                            ``(iii) materially alter the budgetary 
                        impact of any entitlement, grant, user fees, or 
                        loan programs, or the rights or obligations of 
                        recipients thereof; or
                            ``(iv) raise novel legal or policy issues 
                        arising out of legal mandates; and
                    ``(B) does not include any guidance document--
                            ``(i) on regulations issued in accordance 
                        with section 556 or 557 of title 5, United 
                        States Code;
                            ``(ii) that pertains to a military or 
                        foreign affairs function of the United States, 
                        other than procurement regulations and 
                        regulations involving the import or export of 
                        non-defense articles and services;
                            ``(iii) on regulations that are limited to 
                        the organization, management, or personnel 
                        matters of a Federal agency; or
                            ``(iv) belonging to a category of guidance 
                        documents exempted by the Administrator of the 
                        Office of Information and Regulatory 
                        Affairs.''.