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Union Calendar No. 248 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 946 

[Report No. 111–432] 

To enhance citizen access to Government information and services by establishing that Government documents issued to the public must be written 

clearly, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 10, 2009 

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 

MARCH 11, 2010 

Additional sponsors: Mr. BURTON of Indiana, Ms. FOXX, Mr. LOEBSACK, Mr. 

BOSWELL, Mr. WELCH, Mr. SIRES, Mr. MORAN of Virginia, Mr. WATT, 

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER, and Ms. NORTON

MARCH 11, 2010 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 

House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on February 10, 2009] 


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A BILL 

To enhance citizen access to Government information and 

services by establishing that Government documents 

issued to the public must be written clearly, and for 

other purposes. 


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•HR 946 RH

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 ‘‘Plain Writing Act of 

5 2010’’. 

6 SEC. 2. PURPOSE. 

7 The purpose of this Act is to improve the effectiveness 

8 and accountability of Federal agencies to the public by pro9 moting clear Government communication that the public 

10 can understand and use. 

11 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

12 In this Act: 

13 (1) AGENCY.—The term ‘‘agency’’ means an Ex14 ecutive agency, as defined under section 105 of title 

15 5, United States Code. 

16 (2) COVERED DOCUMENT.—The term ‘‘covered 

17 document’’— 

18 (A) means any document that— 

19 (i) is relevant to obtaining any Federal 

20 Government benefit or service or filing 

21 taxes; 

22 (ii) provides information about any 

23 Federal Government benefit or service; or 


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1 (iii) explains to the public how to com2 ply with a requirement the Federal Govern3 ment administers or enforces; 

4 (B) includes (whether in paper or electronic 

5 form) a letter, publication, form, notice, or in6 struction; and 

7 (C) does not include a regulation. 

8 (3) PLAIN WRITING.—The term ‘‘plain writing’’ 

9 means writing that the intended audience can readily 

10 understand and use because that writing is clear, con11 cise, well-organized, and follows other best practices of 

12 plain writing. 

13 SEC. 4. RESPONSIBILITIES OF FEDERAL AGENCIES. 

14 (a) PREPARATION FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF PLAIN

15 WRITING REQUIREMENTS.— 

16 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 9 months after 

17 the date of enactment of this Act, the head of each 

18 agency shall— 

19 (A) designate 1 or more senior officials 

20 within the agency to oversee the agency imple21 mentation of this Act; 

22 (B) communicate the requirements of this 

23 Act to the employees of the agency; 

24 (C) train employees of the agency in plain 

25 writing; 


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1 (D) establish a process for overseeing the on2 going compliance of the agency with the require3 ments of this Act; 

4 (E) create and maintain a plain writing 

5 section of the agency’s website that is accessible 

6 from the homepage of the agency’s website; and 

7 (F) designate 1 or more agency points-of8 contact to receive and respond to public input 

9 on— 

10 (i) agency implementation of this Act; 

11 and 

12 (ii) the agency reports required under 

13 section 5. 

14 (2) WEBSITE.—The plain writing section de15 scribed under paragraph (1)(E) shall— 

16 (A) inform the public of agency compliance 

17 with the requirements of this Act; and 

18 (B) provide a mechanism for the agency to 

19 receive and respond to public input on— 

20 (i) agency implementation of this Act; 

21 and 

22 (ii) the agency reports required under 

23 section 5. 

24 (b) REQUIREMENT TO USE PLAIN WRITING IN NEW

25 DOCUMENTS.—Beginning not later than 1 year after the 


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1 date of enactment of this Act, each agency shall use plain 

2 writing in every covered document of the agency that the 

3 agency issues or substantially revises. 

4 (c) GUIDANCE.— 

5 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 6 months after 

6 the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the 

7 Office of Management and Budget shall develop and 

8 issue guidance on implementing the requirements of 

9 this section. The Director may designate a lead agen10 cy, and may use interagency working groups to assist 

11 in developing and issuing the guidance. 

12 (2) INTERIM GUIDANCE.—Before the issuance of 

13 guidance under paragraph (1), agencies may follow 

14 the guidance of— 

15 (A) the writing guidelines developed by the 

16 Plain Language Action and Information Net17 work; or 

18 (B) guidance provided by the head of the 

19 agency that is consistent with the guidelines re20 ferred to in subparagraph (A). 

21 SEC. 5. REPORTS TO CONGRESS. 

22 (a) INITIAL REPORT.—Not later than 9 months after 

23 the date of enactment of this Act, the head of each agency 

24 shall publish on the plain writing section of the agency’s 


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1 website a report that describes the agency plan for compli2 ance with the requirements of this Act. 

3 (b) ANNUAL COMPLIANCE REPORT.—Not later than 18 

4 months after the date of enactment of this Act, and annu5 ally thereafter, the head of each agency shall publish on the 

6 plain writing section of the agency’s website a report on 

7 agency compliance with the requirements of this Act. 

8 SEC. 6. JUDICIAL REVIEW AND ENFORCEABILITY. 

9 (a) JUDICIAL REVIEW.—There shall be no judicial re10 view of compliance or noncompliance with any provision 

11 of this Act. 

12 (b) ENFORCEABILITY.—No provision of this Act shall 

13 be construed to create any right or benefit, substantive or 

14 procedural, enforceable by any administrative or judicial 

15 action. 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with BILLS
Union Calendar No. 248 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 946 

[Report No. 111–432] 

A BILL 

To enhance citizen access to Government informawritten clearly, and for other purposes. ment documents issued to the public must be tion and services by establishing that GovernMARCH 11, 2010 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Comand ordered to be printed mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with BILLS