specifying the behavior or manner of compliance 
that regulated entities must adopt. 
‘‘(8) Each agency shall avoid regulations that 
are inconsistent, incompatible, or duplicative with its 
other regulations or those of other Federal agencies. 
‘‘(9) Each agency shall tailor its regulations to 
minimize the costs of the cumulative impact of regu-
lations. 
‘‘(10) Each agency shall draft its regulations to 
be simple and easy to understand, with the goal of 
minimizing the potential for uncertainty and litiga-
tion arising from such uncertainty. 
‘‘(b) REGULATORY ACTION DEFINED.—In this sec-
tion, the term ‘regulatory action’ means any substantive 
action by an agency (normally published in the Federal 
Register) that promulgates or is expected to lead to the 
promulgation of a final rule or regulation, including ad-
vance notices of proposed rulemaking and notices of pro-
posed rulemaking.’’. 
SEC. 9. EXPANDING THE SCOPE OF STATEMENTS TO AC-
COMPANY SIGNIFICANT REGULATORY AC-
TIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (a) of section 202 of 
the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 
1532) is amended to read as follows: 
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‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Unless otherwise expressly pro-
hibited by law, before promulgating any general notice of 
proposed rulemaking or any final rule, or within six 
months after promulgating any final rule that was not pre-
ceded by a general notice of proposed rulemaking, if the 
proposed rulemaking or final rule includes a Federal man-
date that may result in an annual effect on State, local, 
or tribal governments, or to the private sector, in the ag-
gregate of $100,000,000 or more in any 1 year, the agency 
shall prepare a written statement containing the following: 
‘‘(1) The text of the draft proposed rulemaking 
or final rule, together with a reasonably detailed de-
scription of the need for the proposed rulemaking or 
final rule and an explanation of how the proposed 
rulemaking or final rule will meet that need. 
‘‘(2) An assessment of the potential costs and 
benefits of the proposed rulemaking or final rule, in-
cluding an explanation of the manner in which the 
proposed rulemaking or final rule is consistent with 
a statutory requirement and avoids undue inter-
ference with State, local, and tribal governments in 
the exercise of their governmental functions. 
‘‘(3) A qualitative and quantitative assessment, 
including the underlying analysis, of benefits antici-
pated from the proposed rulemaking or final rule 
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(such as the promotion of the efficient functioning of 
the economy and private markets, the enhancement 
of health and safety, the protection of the natural 
environment, and the elimination or reduction of dis-
crimination or bias). 
‘‘(4) A qualitative and quantitative assessment, 
including the underlying analysis, of costs antici-
pated from the proposed rulemaking or final rule 
(such as the direct costs both to the Government in 
administering the final rule and to businesses and 
others in complying with the final rule, and any ad-
verse effects on the efficient functioning of the econ-
omy, private markets (including productivity, em-
ployment, and international competitiveness), health, 
safety, and the natural environment); 
‘‘(5) Estimates by the agency, if and to the ex-
tent that the agency determines that accurate esti-
mates are reasonably feasible, of— 
‘‘(A) the future compliance costs of the 
Federal mandate; and 
‘‘(B) any disproportionate budgetary ef-
fects of the Federal mandate upon any par-
ticular regions of the Nation or particular 
State, local, or tribal governments, urban or 
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rural or other types of communities, or par-
ticular segments of the private sector. 
‘‘(6)(A) A detailed description of the extent of 
the agency’s prior consultation with the private sec-
tor and elected representatives (under section 204) 
of the affected State, local, and tribal governments. 
‘‘(B) A detailed summary of the comments and 
concerns that were presented by the private sector 
and State, local, or tribal governments either orally 
or in writing to the agency. 
‘‘(C) A detailed summary of the agency’s eval-
uation of those comments and concerns. 
‘‘(7) A detailed summary of how the agency 
complied with each of the regulatory principles de-
scribed in section 201.’’. 
(b) REQUIREMENT FOR DETAILED SUMMARY.—Sub-
section (b) of section 202 of such Act is amended by in-
serting ‘‘detailed’’ before ‘‘summary’’. 
SEC. 10. ENHANCED STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION. 
Section 204 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act 
of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1534) is amended— 
(1) in the section heading, by inserting ‘‘AND 
PRIVATE SECTOR’’ before ‘‘INPUT’’; 
(2) in subsection (a)— 
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(A) by inserting ‘‘, and impacted parties 
within the private sector (including small busi-
ness),’’ after ‘‘on their behalf)’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘Federal intergovernmental 
mandates’’ and inserting ‘‘Federal mandates’’; 
and 
(3) by amending subsection (c) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(c) GUIDELINES.—For appropriate implementation 
of subsections (a) and (b) consistent with applicable laws 
and regulations, the following guidelines shall be followed: 
‘‘(1) Consultations shall take place as early as 
possible, before issuance of a notice of proposed rule-
making, continue through the final rule stage, and 
be integrated explicitly into the rulemaking process. 
‘‘(2) Agencies shall consult with a wide variety 
of State, local, and tribal officials and impacted par-
ties within the private sector (including small busi-
nesses). Geographic, political, and other factors that 
may differentiate varying points of view should be 
considered. 
‘‘(3) Agencies should estimate benefits and 
costs to assist with these consultations. The scope of 
the consultation should reflect the cost and signifi-
cance of the Federal mandate being considered. 
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‘‘(4) Agencies shall, to the extent practicable— 
‘‘(A) seek out the views of State, local, and 
tribal governments, and impacted parties within 
the private sector (including small business), on 
costs, benefits, and risks; and 
‘‘(B) solicit ideas about alternative meth-
ods of compliance and potential flexibilities, and 
input on whether the Federal regulation will 
harmonize with and not duplicate similar laws 
in other levels of government. 
‘‘(5) Consultations shall address the cumulative 
impact of regulations on the affected entities. 
‘‘(6) Agencies may accept electronic submis-
sions of comments by relevant parties but may not 
use those comments as the sole method of satisfying 
the guidelines in this subsection.’’. 
SEC. 11. NEW AUTHORITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR 
OFFICE OF INFORMATION AND REGULATORY 
AFFAIRS. 
Section 208 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act 
of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1538) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 208. OFFICE OF INFORMATION AND REGULATORY AF-
FAIRS RESPONSIBILITIES. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the Office 
of Information and Regulatory Affairs shall provide mean-
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an appendix detailing compliance by each agency with sec-
tion 204.’’. 
SEC. 12. RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF EXISTING FEDERAL 
REGULATIONS. 
The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (Public 
Law 104–4; 2 U.S.C. 1511 et seq.) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating section 209 as section 210; 
and 
(2) by inserting after section 208 the following 
new section 209: 
‘‘SEC. 209. RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF EXISTING FED-
ERAL REGULATIONS. 
‘‘(a) REQUIREMENT.—At the request of the chairman 
or ranking minority member of a standing or select com-
mittee of the House of Representatives or the Senate, an 
agency shall conduct a retrospective analysis of an existing 
Federal regulation promulgated by an agency. 
‘‘(b) REPORT.—Each agency conducting a retrospec-
tive analysis of existing Federal regulations pursuant to 
subsection (a) shall submit to the chairman of the relevant 
committee, Congress, and the Comptroller General a re-
port containing, with respect to each Federal regulation 
covered by the analysis— 
‘‘(1) a copy of the Federal regulation; 
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‘‘(2) the continued need for the Federal regula-
tion; 
‘‘(3) the nature of comments or complaints re-
ceived concerning the Federal regulation from the 
public since the Federal regulation was promulgated; 
‘‘(4) the extent to which the Federal regulation 
overlaps, duplicates, or conflicts with other Federal 
regulations, and, to the extent feasible, with State 
and local governmental rules; 
‘‘(5) the degree to which technology, economic 
conditions, or other factors have changed in the area 
affected by the Federal regulation; 
‘‘(6) a complete analysis of the retrospective di-
rect costs and benefits of the Federal regulation that 
considers studies done outside the Federal Govern-
ment (if any) estimating such costs or benefits; and 
‘‘(7) any litigation history challenging the Fed-
eral regulation.’’. 
SEC. 13. EXPANSION OF JUDICIAL REVIEW. 
Section 401(a) of the Unfunded Mandates Reform 
Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1571(a)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraphs (1) and (2)(A)— 
(A) 
by 
striking 
‘‘sections 
202 
and 
203(a)(1) and (2)’’ each place it appears and 
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inserting ‘‘sections 201, 202, 203(a)(1) and (2), 
and 205(a) and (b)’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘only’’ each place it ap-
pears; 
(2) in paragraph (2)(B), by striking ‘‘section 
202’’ and all that follows through the period at the 
end and inserting the following: ‘‘section 202, pre-
pare the written plan under section 203(a)(1) and 
(2), or comply with section 205(a) and (b), a court 
may compel the agency to prepare such written 
statement, prepare such written plan, or comply with 
such section.’’; and 
(3) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘written state-
ment or plan is required’’ and all that follows 
through ‘‘shall not’’ and inserting the following: 
‘‘written statement under section 202, a written plan 
under section 203(a)(1) and (2), or compliance with 
sections 201 and 205(a) and (b) is required, the in-
adequacy or failure to prepare such statement (in-
cluding the inadequacy or failure to prepare any es-
timate, analysis, statement, or description), to pre-
pare such written plan, or to comply with such sec-
tion may’’. 
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Union Calendar No. 260 
113TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 899 
[Report No. 113–352, Part I] 
A BILL 
To provide for additional safeguards with respect to 
imposing Federal mandates, and for other pur-
poses. 
FEBRUARY 14, 2014 
Reported from the Committee on Oversight and 
Government Reform 
FEBRUARY 14, 2014 
The Committees on the Budget, Rules, and the Judiciary 
discharged; committed to the Committee of the Whole 
House on the State of the Union and ordered to be 
printed 
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