Plain Language in Government Communications Act of 2008

Plain Language in Government Communications Act of 2008 - (Sec. 4) Requires each executive agency, within one year, to: (1) use plain language in any covered document issued or substantially revised after the date of the enactment of this Act; and (2) use the English language in covered documents when appropriate. Authorizes agencies to: (1) use plain language in any revision of a covered document issued on or before such date; and (2) follow the guidance of the Plain English Handbook published by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Federal Plain Language Guidelines, or their own plain language guidance as long as it is consistent with such Handbook, Guidelines, and the Comptroller General's recommendations.

Declares that nothing in this Act shall be construed to: (1) prohibit the use of a language other than English; (2) limit the preservation or use of Native Alaskan or Native American languages; (3) disparage any language or discourage any person from learning or using a language; (4) affect protections regarding language access; or (5) be inconsistent with the Constitution.

Defines "covered document" to include: (1) any document relevant to obtaining a benefit or service or filing taxes; and (2) a letter, publication, form, notice, or instruction, in paper or electronic form, but not a regulation.

Requires agencies to use plain language in any collection of information.

Requires the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), acting through the Plain Language Action and Information Network, and the SEC to report to specified congressional committees on whether the Comptroller General's recommendations about plain language guidelines and best practices have been incorporated into the Federal Plain Language Guidelines and the Plain English Handbook and, if not, why.

(Sec. 5) Requires each agency head to report to specified congressional committees on how it intends to: (1) communicate the requirements of this Act to employees; (2) train employees to write in plain language; (3) meet the one year deadline; (4) ensure ongoing compliance with this Act; (5) designate a senior official to be responsible for implementing this Act; and (6) use plain language in promulgated regulations. Requires agency heads to report on efforts to meet such objectives and on compliance with this Act.

Requires the Comptroller General to evaluate existing guidance for agencies on writing in plain language and report to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and specified congressional committees on plain language guidelines and best practices.

[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3548 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3548

  To enhance citizen access to Government information and services by 
   establishing plain language as the standard style for Government 
        documents issued to the public, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 17, 2007

 Mr. Braley of Iowa (for himself, Mr. Akin, Mr. Burton of Indiana, Mr. 
  McGovern, and Mrs. Boyda of Kansas) introduced the following bill; 
 which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To enhance citizen access to Government information and services by 
   establishing plain language as the standard style for Government 
        documents issued to the public, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Plain Language in Government 
Communications Act of 2007''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to improve the Federal Government's 
effectiveness and accountability to the public 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 language'' means 
        language that the intended audience can readily understand and 
        use because it is clear, concise, well-organized, and follows 
        other best practices 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 document 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 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 obtaining 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 Government Reform of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs 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.
            (3) Meeting the deadline set forth in section 4(a).
            (4) Ensuring ongoing compliance with the requirements of 
        this Act.
            (5) Designating a senior official to be responsible 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 Governmental 
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.
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