I 

109TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4809 

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 

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. 

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: 
2 

•HR 4809 IH 

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

2 Executive agency, as that term is defined in section 

3 105 of title 5, United States Code. 

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

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

6 551(4) of title 5, United States Code, that is issued 

7 by an agency. 

8 SEC. 3. PROCEDURES FOR ENSURING USABILITY AND 

9 CLARITY IN RULEMAKING. 

10 (a) DEFINITION OF PLAIN LANGUAGE.—Section 

11 3502 of title 44, United States Code, is amended— 

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

13 (13); 

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

15 at the end of paragraph (14); and 

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

17 paragraph: 

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

19 that is clear and readily understandable to the in20 tended reader and complies with the following stand21 ards: 

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

23 paragraphs. 

24 ‘‘(B) Uses active verbs. 
3 

•HR 4809 IH 

1 ‘‘(C) Contains explanations of legal, for2 eign, and technical terms, unless the terms are 

3 commonly understood. 

4 ‘‘(D) Avoids defining terms that are com5 monly understood. 

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

7 affected persons and the responsible agency if 

8 helpful to improve clarity. 

9 ‘‘(F) Minimizes cross-references. 

10 ‘‘(G) Avoids sentences with double nega11 tives or exceptions to exceptions. 

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

13 maps, and vertical lists to improve clarity. 

14 ‘‘(I) Demonstrates logical organization. 

15 ‘‘(J) Addresses separate audiences sepa16 rately. 

17 ‘‘(K) Places general material before excep18 tions and specialized information. 

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

20 in chronological order. 

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

22 language writing.’’. 

23 (b) RESPONSIBILITY OF FEDERAL AGENCIES TO

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

25 44, United States Code, is amended— 
4 

•HR 4809 IH 

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

2 (3); 

3 (2) by striking the period at the end of para4 graph (4) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

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

6 paragraph: 

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

8 plain, understandable language consistent with the 

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

10 this title, through— 

11 ‘‘(A) designating an agency official as 

12 plain language coordinator; 

13 ‘‘(B) establishing a process for reviewing 

14 each regulation to ensure its compliance with 

15 this paragraph before publishing it in the Fed16 eral Register; 

17 ‘‘(C) publishing guidelines to implement 

18 this paragraph— 

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

20 date of the enactment of this paragraph; 

21 ‘‘(ii) after consulting with other Fed22 eral agencies and the Interagency Com23 mittee on Government Information to pro24 mote consistency of application between 

25 agencies; and 
5 

•HR 4809 IH 

1 ‘‘(iii) after consulting with affected 

2 stakeholders; 

3 ‘‘(D) training employees who write regula4 tions to write in plain language; 

5 ‘‘(E) reporting to the Committee on Gov6 ernment Reform of the House of Representa7 tives and the Committee on Homeland Security 

8 and Governmental Affairs of the Senate annu9 ally for the first 2 years after the date of the 

10 enactment of this paragraph and once every 3 

11 years thereafter on compliance with this para12 graph, including— 

13 ‘‘(i) agency implementation of its 

14 guidelines; 

15 ‘‘(ii) agency actions to ensure consist16 ency with other Federal agency guidelines; 

17 and 

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

19 made to draft regulations in the previous 

20 year to conform with this paragraph.’’. 

Æ