SEC. 2. PURPOSE. 
The purpose of this Act is to improve the Federal 
Government’s effectiveness and accountability to the pub-
lic by promoting clear communication that the public can 
understand and use. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) AGENCY.—The term ‘‘agency’’ means an 
Executive agency, as that term is defined in section 
105 of title 5, United States Code. 
(2) PLAIN LANGUAGE.—The term ‘‘plain lan-
guage’’ means language that the intended audience 
can readily understand and use because it is clear, 
concise, well-organized, and follows other best prac-
tices of plain language writing. 
SEC. 4. RESPONSIBILITIES OF FEDERAL AGENCIES. 
(a) REQUIREMENT TO USE PLAIN LANGUAGE IN 
NEW DOCUMENTS.—Within one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, each agency— 
(1) shall use plain language in any covered doc-
ument of the agency issued or substantially revised 
after the date of the enactment of this Act; and 
(2) may use plain language in any revision of 
a covered document issued on or before such date. 
(b) GUIDANCE.—In implementing subsection (a), an 
agency may follow either the guidance of the Plain English 
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Handbook, published by the Securities and Exchange 
Commission, or the Federal Plain Language Guidelines. 
If any agency has its own plain language guidance, the 
agency may use that guidance, as long as it is consistent 
with the Federal Plain Language Guidelines. 
(c) COVERED DOCUMENT.—In this section, the term 
‘‘covered document’’— 
(1) means any document that explains how to 
obtain a benefit or service or that is relevant to ob-
taining that benefit or service; and 
(2) includes a letter, publication, form, notice, 
or instruction but does not include a regulation. 
SEC. 5. REPORTS TO CONGRESS. 
(a) INITIAL REPORT.—Within six months after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the head of each agency 
shall submit to the Committee on Oversight and Govern-
ment Reform of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Af-
fairs of the Senate a report that describes how the agency 
intends to meet the following objectives: 
(1) Communicating the requirements of this 
Act to agency employees. 
(2) Training agency employees to write in plain 
language. 
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(3) Meeting the deadline set forth in section 
4(a). 
(4) Ensuring ongoing compliance with the re-
quirements of this Act. 
(5) Designating a senior official to be respon-
sible for implementing the requirements of this Act. 
(b) ANNUAL AND OTHER REPORTS.—The head of 
each agency shall submit to the Committee on Oversight 
and Government Reform of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Homeland Security and Govern-
mental Affairs of the Senate a report on compliance with 
this Act— 
(1) annually for the first two years after the 
date of the enactment of this Act; and 
(2) once every three years thereafter. 
Æ 
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