IB 

Union Calendar No. 393 

109TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4809 

[Report No. 109–660] 

To amend the provisions of chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code, 

commonly referred to as the Paperwork Reduction Act, to ensure 

usability and clarity of information disseminated by Federal agencies, 

and to facilitate compliance with Federal paperwork requirements. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 28, 2006 

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan (for herself and Mr. LYNCH) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Government Reform 

SEPTEMBER 14, 2006 

Additional sponsors: Mr. TIBERI, Mr. AKIN, and Mr. CANNON

SEPTEMBER 14, 2006 

Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union 

and ordered to be printed 

A BILL 

To amend the provisions of chapter 35 of title 44, United 

States Code, commonly referred to as the Paperwork 

Reduction Act, to ensure usability and clarity of information disseminated by Federal agencies, and to facilitate 

compliance with Federal paperwork requirements. 


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1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Regulation in Plain 

5 Language Act of 2006’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act: 

8 (1) AGENCY.—The term ‘‘agency’’ means an 

9 Executive agency, as that term is defined in section 

10 105 of title 5, United States Code. 

11 (2) REGULATION.—The term ‘‘regulation’’ 

12 means a rule, as that term is defined in section 

13 551(4) of title 5, United States Code, that is issued 

14 by an agency. 

15 SEC. 3. PROCEDURES FOR ENSURING USABILITY AND 

16 CLARITY IN RULEMAKING. 

17 (a) DEFINITION OF PLAIN LANGUAGE.—Section 

18 3502 of title 44, United States Code, is amended— 

19 (1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph 

20 (13); 

21 (2) by striking the period and inserting ‘‘; and’’ 

22 at the end of paragraph (14); and 

23 (3) by adding at the end the following new 

24 paragraph: 


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1 ‘‘(15) the term ‘plain language’ means language 

2 that is clear and readily understandable to the in3 tended reader and complies with the following stand4 ards: 

5 ‘‘(A) Uses short words, sentences, and 

6 paragraphs. 

7 ‘‘(B) Uses active verbs. 

8 ‘‘(C) Contains explanations of legal, for9 eign, and technical terms, unless the terms are 

10 commonly understood. 

11 ‘‘(D) Avoids defining terms that are com12 monly understood. 

13 ‘‘(E) Uses personal pronouns to refer to 

14 affected persons and the responsible agency if 

15 helpful to improve clarity. 

16 ‘‘(F) Minimizes cross-references. 

17 ‘‘(G) Avoids sentences with double nega18 tives or exceptions to exceptions. 

19 ‘‘(H) Uses tables, diagrams, pictures, 

20 maps, and vertical lists to improve clarity. 

21 ‘‘(I) Demonstrates logical organization. 

22 ‘‘(J) Addresses separate audiences sepa23 rately. 

24 ‘‘(K) Places general material before excep25 tions and specialized information. 


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1 ‘‘(L) Addresses processes covered by a rule 

2 in chronological order. 

3 ‘‘(M) Follows other best practices of plain 

4 language writing.’’. 

5 (b) RESPONSIBILITY OF FEDERAL AGENCIES TO

6 PROMOTE PLAIN LANGUAGE.—Section 3506(d) of title 

7 44, United States Code, is amended— 

8 (1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph 

9 (3); 

10 (2) by striking the period at the end of para11 graph (4) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

12 (3) by adding at the end the following new 

13 paragraph: 

14 ‘‘(5) ensure that regulations are written in 

15 plain, understandable language consistent with the 

16 definition of ‘plain language’ in section 3502(15) of 

17 this title, through— 

18 ‘‘(A) designating an agency official as 

19 plain language coordinator; 

20 ‘‘(B) establishing a process for reviewing 

21 each regulation to ensure its compliance with 

22 this paragraph before publishing it in the Fed23 eral Register; 

24 ‘‘(C) publishing guidelines to implement 

25 this paragraph— 


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1 ‘‘(i) not later than 120 days after the 

2 date of the enactment of this paragraph; 

3 ‘‘(ii) after consulting with other Fed4 eral agencies and the Interagency Com5 mittee on Government Information to pro6 mote consistency of application between 

7 agencies; and 

8 ‘‘(iii) after consulting with affected 

9 stakeholders; 

10 ‘‘(D) training employees who write regula11 tions to write in plain language; 

12 ‘‘(E) reporting to the Committee on Gov13 ernment Reform of the House of Representa14 tives and the Committee on Homeland Security 

15 and Governmental Affairs of the Senate annu16 ally for the first 2 years after the date of the 

17 enactment of this paragraph and once every 3 

18 years thereafter on compliance with this para19 graph, including— 

20 ‘‘(i) agency implementation of its 

21 guidelines; 

22 ‘‘(ii) agency actions to ensure consist23 ency with other Federal agency guidelines; 

24 and 


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1 ‘‘(iii) examples of some of the changes 

2 made to draft regulations in the previous 

3 year to conform with this paragraph.’’. 


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Union Calendar No. 393 

109TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4809 

[Report No. 109

–660] 

A BILL 

To amend the provisions of chapter 35 of title 44, 

Federal paperwork requirements. eral agencies, and to facilitate compliance with and clarity of information disseminated by FedPaperwork Reduction Act, to ensure usability United States Code, commonly referred to as the 

SEPTEMBER 14, 2006 

Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 

State of the Union and ordered to be printed 


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