II 
Calendar No. 321 
111TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 946 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
MARCH 18, 2010 
Received; read twice and placed on the calendar 
AN ACT 
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. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) AGENCY.—The term ‘‘agency’’ means an 
Executive agency, as defined under section 105 of 
title 5, United States Code. 
(2) COVERED DOCUMENT.—The term ‘‘covered 
document’’— 
(A) means any document that— 
(i) is relevant to obtaining any Fed-
eral Government benefit or service or filing 
taxes; 
(ii) provides information about any 
Federal Government benefit or service; or 
(iii) explains to the public how to com-
ply with a requirement the Federal Gov-
ernment administers or enforces; 
(B) includes (whether in paper or elec-
tronic form) a letter, publication, form, notice, 
or instruction; and 
(C) does not include a regulation. 
(3) PLAIN WRITING.—The term ‘‘plain writing’’ 
means writing that the intended audience can read-
ily understand and use because that writing is clear, 
concise, well-organized, and follows other best prac-
tices of plain writing. 
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SEC. 4. RESPONSIBILITIES OF FEDERAL AGENCIES. 
(a) PREPARATION FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF PLAIN 
WRITING REQUIREMENTS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 9 months 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the head of 
each agency shall— 
(A) designate 1 or more senior officials 
within the agency to oversee the agency imple-
mentation of this Act; 
(B) communicate the requirements of this 
Act to the employees of the agency; 
(C) train employees of the agency in plain 
writing; 
(D) establish a process for overseeing the 
ongoing compliance of the agency with the re-
quirements of this Act; 
(E) create and maintain a plain writing 
section of the agency’s website that is accessible 
from the homepage of the agency’s website; and 
(F) designate 1 or more agency points-of- 
contact to receive and respond to public input 
on— 
(i) agency implementation of this Act; 
and 
(ii) the agency reports required under 
section 5. 
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(2) WEBSITE.—The plain writing section de-
scribed under paragraph (1)(E) shall— 
(A) inform the public of agency compliance 
with the requirements of this Act; and 
(B) provide a mechanism for the agency to 
receive and respond to public input on— 
(i) agency implementation of this Act; 
and 
(ii) the agency reports required under 
section 5. 
(b) REQUIREMENT TO USE PLAIN WRITING IN NEW 
DOCUMENTS.—Beginning not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, each agency shall use plain 
writing in every covered document of the agency that the 
agency issues or substantially revises. 
(c) GUIDANCE.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 6 months 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director 
of the Office of Management and Budget shall de-
velop and issue guidance on implementing the re-
quirements of this section. The Director may des-
ignate a lead agency, and may use interagency work-
ing groups to assist in developing and issuing the 
guidance. 
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