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105TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. 1002

To require Federal agencies to assess the impact of policies and regulations

on families, and for other purposes.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

JULY 10, 1997

Mr. ABRAHAM (for himself, Mr. FAIRCLOTH, Mr. SESSIONS, Mr. HUTCHINSON, Mr. DEWINE, Mr. COATS, Mr. ASHCROFT, Mr. COVERDELL, Mr.

SMITH of New Hampshire, Mr. NICKLES, and Mr. HELMS) introduced

the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee

on Governmental Affairs

A BILL

To require Federal agencies to assess the impact of policies

and regulations on families, and for other purposes.

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

3 SECTION 1. PURPOSES.

4 The purposes of this Act are to—

5 (1) require agencies to assess the impact of pro6 posed agency actions on family well-being; and

7 (2) improve the management of executive

8 branch agencies.
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1 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

2 In this Act—

3 (1) the term ‘‘agency’’ has the meaning given

4 the term ‘‘Executive agency’’ by section 105 of title

5 5, United States Code, except such term does not in6 clude the General Accounting Office; and

7 (2) the term ‘‘family’’ means—

8 (A) a group of individuals related by blood,

9 marriage, or adoption who live together as a

10 single household; and

11 (B) any individual who is not a member of

12 such group, but who is related by blood, mar13 riage, or adoption to a member of such group,

14 and over half of whose support in a calendar

15 year is received from such group.

16 SEC. 3. FAMILY POLICYMAKING ASSESSMENT.

17 Before implementing policies and regulations that

18 may affect family well-being, each agency shall assess such

19 actions with respect to whether—

20 (1) the action strengthens or erodes the stabil21 ity of the family and, particularly, the marital com22 mitment;

23 (2) the action strengthens or erodes the author24 ity and rights of parents in the education, nurture,

25 and supervision of their children;
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1 (3) the action helps the family perform its func2 tions, or substitutes governmental activity for the

3 function;

4 (4) the action increases or decreases disposable

5 family income;

6 (5) the proposed benefits of the action justify

7 the financial impact on the family;

8 (6) the action may be carried out by State or

9 local government or by the family; and

10 (7) the action establishes an implicit or explicit

11 policy—

12 (A) concerning the status of the family;

13 and

14 (B) concerning the relationship between

15 the behavior and personal responsibility of

16 youth, and the norms of society.

17 SEC. 4. GOVERNMENTWIDE FAMILY POLICY COORDINA18 TION AND REVIEW.

19 (a) CERTIFICATION AND RATIONALE.—With respect

20 to each proposed policy or regulation that may affect fam21 ily well-being, the head of each agency shall—

22 (1) submit a written certification to the Direc23 tor of the Office of Management and Budget and to

24 Congress that such policy or regulation has been as25 sessed in accordance with this Act; and
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1 (2) provide an adequate rationale for implemen2 tation of each policy or regulation that may nega3 tively affect family well-being.

4 (b) OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET.—The

5 Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall—

6 (1) ensure that policies and regulations pro7 posed by agencies are implemented consistent with

8 this Act; and

9 (2) compile, index, and submit annually to the

10 Congress the written certifications received pursuant

11 to subsection (a)(1).

12 (c) OFFICE OF POLICY DEVELOPMENT.—The Office

13 of Policy Development shall—

14 (1) assess proposed policies and regulations in

15 accordance with this Act;

16 (2) provide evaluations of policies and regula17 tions that may affect family well-being to the Direc18 tor of the Office of Management and Budget; and

19 (3) advise the President on policy and regu20 latory actions that may be taken to strengthen the

21 institutions of marriage and family in the United

22 States.
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1 SEC. 5. ASSESSMENTS UPON REQUEST BY MEMBERS OF

2 CONGRESS.

3 Upon request by a Member of Congress relating to

4 a proposed policy or regulation, an agency shall conduct

5 an assessment in accordance with section 3, and shall pro6 vide a certification and rationale in accordance with sec7 tion 4.

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