H.R. 3548 — 110th Congress
Plain Language in Government Communications Act of 2008
Sponsor
More bills from this sponsor
110th CongressLatest action
Aug 1, 2008Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 929.
CRS summary
As of Apr 14, 2008Passed House amended
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 Research Service, via api.congress.gov (public domain)
Roll-call votes
1 on recordApr 14, 2008 · On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended
Full roll call191 of 431 recorded votes are not yet matched to a member profile.
Yea — 376: 113 D · 101 R
| Member | State |
|---|---|
| PORTER, Jon C. | NV |
| RAMSTAD, James | MN |
| DAVIS, David | TN |
| DICKS, Norman DeValois | WA |
| CASTLE, Michael Newbold | DE |
| WELLER, Gerald C. | IL |
| SHADEGG, John B. | AZ |
| BARTLETT, Roscoe Gardner | MD |
| BOREN, Daniel David | OK |
| CARDOZA, Dennis A. | CA |
| MOLLOHAN, Alan Bowlby | WV |
| WATT, Melvin L. | NC |
| LEWIS, Charles Jeremy | CA |
| DRAKE, Thelma D. | VA |
| PUTNAM, Adam | FL |
| FOSSELLA, Vito John | NY |
| MCCRERY, James O., III | LA |
| LAHOOD, Ray H. | IL |
| LaTOURETTE, Steven C. | OH |
| SESTAK, Joe | PA |
| FALLIN, Mary | OK |
| ALEXANDER, Rodney | LA |
| BERMAN, Howard Lawrence | CA |
| EHLERS, Vernon James | MI |
| STARK, Fortney Hillman (Pete), Jr. | CA |
| AKIN, W. Todd | MO |
| GORDON, Barton Jennings | TN |
| LINDER, John Elmer | GA |
| KLEIN, Ron | FL |
| JACKSON, Jesse L., Jr. | IL |
| MOORE, Dennis | KS |
| ROTHMAN, Steven | NJ |
| KILPATRICK, Carolyn Cheeks | MI |
| SHULER, Heath | NC |
| HARE, Phil | IL |
| WEXLER, Robert | FL |
| REYES, Silvestre | TX |
| BILBRAY, Brian P. | CA |
| JOHNSON, Timothy V. | IL |
| FRANK, Barney | MA |
| DOOLITTLE, John Taylor | CA |
| BROWN-WAITE, Virginia | FL |
| HOBSON, David Lee | OH |
| MAHONEY, Tim | FL |
| OBEY, David Ross | WI |
| HALL, John | NY |
| WATSON, Diane Edith | CA |
| WILSON, Charlie | OH |
| KUHL, John R. (Randy), Jr. | NY |
| KAGEN, Steven | WI |
| TAUSCHER, Ellen O'Kane | CA |
| ELLSWORTH, Brad | IN |
| SALI, William | ID |
| TANCREDO, Thomas G. | CO |
| SOUDER, Mark Edward | IN |
| TANNER, John S. | TN |
| DAVIS, Thomas M., III | VA |
| KELLER, Richard | FL |
| MANZULLO, Donald A. | IL |
| REYNOLDS, Thomas M. | NY |
| BROWN, Henry Edward, Jr. | SC |
| INGLIS, Robert Durden | SC |
| KUCINICH, Dennis | OH |
| BIGGERT, Judy Borg | IL |
| HOOLEY, Darlene | OR |
| McCOTTER, Thaddeus George | MI |
| MUSGRAVE, Marilyn N | CO |
| MILLER, Brad | NC |
| FERGUSON, Michael | NJ |
| TAYLOR, Gary Eugene | MS |
| SULLIVAN, John | OK |
| ORTIZ, Solomon P. | TX |
| BOUCHER, Frederick C. | VA |
| KNOLLENBERG, Joseph | MI |
| RODRIGUEZ, Ciro D. | TX |
| OBERSTAR, James Louis | MN |
| BEAN, Melissa L. | IL |
| BOYD, F. Allen, Jr. | FL |
| TOWNS, Edolphus | NY |
| SALAZAR, John | CO |
| SCHMIDT, Jean | OH |
| McHUGH, John Michael | NY |
| DREIER, David Timothy | CA |
| HINCHEY, Maurice Dunlea | NY |
| BERKLEY, Shelley | NV |
| HARMAN, Jane L. | CA |
| WOOLSEY, Lynn C. | CA |
| HERSETH SANDLIN, Stephanie | SD |
| MARSHALL, Jim | GA |
| DAVIS, Artur | AL |
| CANTOR, Eric | VA |
| REHBERG, Denny | MT |
| BARRETT, James Gresham | SC |
| SPACE, Zack | OH |
| BACA, Joe | CA |
| MURPHY, Patrick | PA |
| BOSWELL, Leonard L. | IA |
| INSLEE, Jay Robert | WA |
| PLATTS, Todd | PA |
| STEARNS, Clifford Bundy | FL |
| SKELTON, Isaac Newton, IV | MO |
| WU, David | OR |
| CANNON, Christopher B. | UT |
| ABERCROMBIE, Neil | HI |
| BOYDA, Nancy | KS |
| CUBIN, Barbara L. | WY |
| REGULA, Ralph Straus | OH |
| GOODE, Virgil H., Jr. | VA |
| KILDEE, Dale Edward | MI |
| COSTELLO, Jerry Francis | IL |
| ACKERMAN, Gary Leonard | NY |
| SPRATT, John McKee, Jr. | SC |
| SUTTON, Betty | OH |
| EVERETT, Robert Terry | AL |
| LEWIS, Ron | KY |
| CRAMER, Robert E. (Bud), Jr. | AL |
| HOLDEN, Thomas Timothy | PA |
| ROSS, Michael Avery | AR |
| WAMP, Zachary Paul | TN |
| CARNAHAN, Russ | MO |
| POMEROY, Earl Ralph, III | ND |
| ALTMIRE, Jason | PA |
| HOEKSTRA, Peter | MI |
| ETHERIDGE, Bobby R. | NC |
| STUPAK, Bart T. | MI |
| FEENEY, Tom | FL |
| KENNEDY, Patrick Joseph | RI |
| EMERSON, Jo Ann | MO |
| KANJORSKI, Paul E. | PA |
| SNYDER, Victor F. | AR |
| MYRICK, Sue | NC |
| LUNGREN, Daniel Edward | CA |
| DEAL, John Nathan | GA |
| MITCHELL, Harry E. | AZ |
| BURTON, Danny Lee | IN |
| ARCURI, Michael | NY |
| HODES, Paul | NH |
| JONES, Stephanie Tubbs | OH |
| FILNER, Bob | CA |
| EDWARDS, Thomas Chester | TX |
| BERRY, Robert Marion | AR |
| DIAZ-BALART, Lincoln | FL |
| WALSH, James T. | NY |
| GIFFORDS, Gabrielle | AZ |
| EMANUEL, Rahm | IL |
| BONO, Mary | CA |
| DAVIS, Geoffrey C. | KY |
| HERGER, Walter William | CA |
| McNULTY, Michael Robert | NY |
| GALLEGLY, Elton W. | CA |
| MELANCON, Charles J. | LA |
| HILL, Baron P. | IN |
| WYNN, Albert Russell | MD |
| PENCE, Mike | IN |
| OLVER, John Walter | MA |
| GONZALEZ, Charles A. | TX |
| BONNER, Jr., Josiah Robins | AL |
| HAYES, Robert Cannon | NC |
| SAXTON, Hugh James | NJ |
| BAIRD, Brian | WA |
| TIAHRT, Todd | KS |
| CARNEY, Chris | PA |
| Ed Pastor | AZ |
| Raúl M. Grijalva | AZ |
| Adam B. Schiff | CA |
| Anna G. Eshoo | CA |
| Barbara Lee | CA |
| Brad Sherman | CA |
| Doris O. Matsui | CA |
| George Miller | CA |
| Grace F. Napolitano | CA |
| Henry A. Waxman | CA |
| Jackie Speier | CA |
| Jerry McNerney | CA |
| Jim Costa | CA |
| Linda T. Sánchez | CA |
| Lois Capps | CA |
| Loretta Sanchez | CA |
| Lucille Roybal-Allard | CA |
| Maxine Waters | CA |
| Mike Thompson | CA |
| Sam Farr | CA |
| Susan A. Davis | CA |
| Zoe Lofgren | CA |
| Diana DeGette | CO |
| Ed Perlmutter | CO |
| Christopher Murphy | CT |
| Joe Courtney | CT |
| John B. Larson | CT |
| Rosa L. DeLauro | CT |
| Debbie Wasserman Schultz | FL |
| Kathy Castor | FL |
| David Scott | GA |
| Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr. | GA |
| John Barrow | GA |
| John Lewis | GA |
| Mazie K. Hirono | HI |
| Bruce L. Braley | IA |
| David Loebsack | IA |
| Bill Foster | IL |
| Daniel Lipinski | IL |
| Danny K. Davis | IL |
| Janice D. Schakowsky | IL |
| André Carson | IN |
| Joe Donnelly | IN |
| Peter J. Visclosky | IN |
| John A. Yarmuth | KY |
| Edward J. Markey | MA |
| James P. McGovern | MA |
| John F. Tierney | MA |
| Stephen F. Lynch | MA |
| C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger | MD |
| Chris Van Hollen | MD |
| Elijah E. Cummings | MD |
| John P. Sarbanes | MD |
| Steny H. Hoyer | MD |
| Michael H. Michaud | ME |
| John Conyers, Jr. | MI |
| John D. Dingell | MI |
| Sander M. Levin | MI |
| Betty McCollum | MN |
| Collin C. Peterson | MN |
| Keith Ellison | MN |
| Timothy J. Walz | MN |
| Emanuel Cleaver | MO |
| Wm. Lacy Clay | MO |
| Bennie G. Thompson | MS |
| David E. Price | NC |
| Mike McIntyre | NC |
| Carol Shea-Porter | NH |
| Albio Sires | NJ |
| Frank Pallone, Jr. | NJ |
| Rush Holt | NJ |
| Tom Udall | NM |
| Brian Higgins | NY |
| Carolyn B. Maloney | NY |
| Carolyn McCarthy | NY |
| Charles B. Rangel | NY |
| Eliot L. Engel | NY |
| Gregory W. Meeks | NY |
| Jerrold Nadler | NY |
| José E. Serrano | NY |
| Joseph Crowley | NY |
| Kirsten E. Gillibrand | NY |
| Louise McIntosh Slaughter | NY |
| Nita M. Lowey | NY |
| Nydia M. Velázquez | NY |
| Steve Israel | NY |
| Timothy H. Bishop | NY |
| Yvette D. Clarke | NY |
| Marcy Kaptur | OH |
| Tim Ryan | OH |
| Earl Blumenauer | OR |
| Peter A. DeFazio | OR |
| Michael F. Doyle | PA |
| James R. Langevin | RI |
| James E. Clyburn | SC |
| Jim Cooper | TN |
| Steve Cohen | TN |
| Al Green | TX |
| Eddie Bernice Johnson | TX |
| Gene Green | TX |
| Henry Cuellar | TX |
| Lloyd Doggett | TX |
| Rubén Hinojosa | TX |
| Sheila Jackson Lee | TX |
| Jim Matheson | UT |
| Robert C. "Bobby" Scott | VA |
| Peter Welch | VT |
| Jim McDermott | WA |
| Rick Larsen | WA |
| Gwen Moore | WI |
| Ron Kind | WI |
| Tammy Baldwin | WI |
| Nick J. Rahall II | WV |
| Don Young | AK |
| Mike Rogers | AL |
| Robert B. Aderholt | AL |
| Spencer Bachus | AL |
| John Boozman | AR |
| Trent Franks | AZ |
| Darrell Issa | CA |
| Devin Nunes | CA |
| Edward R. Royce | CA |
| Gary G. Miller | CA |
| Howard P. "Buck" McKeon | CA |
| John Campbell | CA |
| Ken Calvert | CA |
| Kevin McCarthy | CA |
| Doug Lamborn | CO |
| Ander Crenshaw | FL |
| Gus M. Bilirakis | FL |
| Ileana Ros-Lehtinen | FL |
| Jeff Miller | FL |
| John L. Mica | FL |
| Mario Diaz-Balart | FL |
| Vern Buchanan | FL |
| Jack Kingston | GA |
| Lynn A. Westmoreland | GA |
| Paul C. Broun | GA |
| Phil Gingrey | GA |
| Tom Price | GA |
| Steve King | IA |
| Tom Latham | IA |
| Michael K. Simpson | ID |
| John Shimkus | IL |
| Mark Kirk | IL |
| Peter J. Roskam | IL |
| Jerry Moran | KS |
| Ed Whitfield | KY |
| Harold Rogers | KY |
| Charles W. Boustany Jr. | LA |
| Candice S. Miller | MI |
| Dave Camp | MI |
| Fred Upton | MI |
| Mike Rogers | MI |
| Tim Walberg | MI |
| John Kline | MN |
| Michele Bachmann | MN |
| Roy Blunt | MO |
| Sam Graves | MO |
| Howard Coble | NC |
| Patrick T. McHenry | NC |
| Virginia Foxx | NC |
| Walter B. Jones | NC |
| Adrian Smith | NE |
| Jeff Fortenberry | NE |
| Lee Terry | NE |
| Christopher H. Smith | NJ |
| Rodney P. Frelinghuysen | NJ |
| Scott Garrett | NJ |
| Stevan Pearce | NM |
| Dean Heller | NV |
| Peter T. King | NY |
| Jim Jordan | OH |
| John A. Boehner | OH |
| Patrick J. Tiberi | OH |
| Robert E. Latta | OH |
| Steve Chabot | OH |
| Frank D. Lucas | OK |
| Tom Cole | OK |
| Greg Walden | OR |
| Charles W. Dent | PA |
| Jim Gerlach | PA |
| Joseph R. Pitts | PA |
| Tim Murphy | PA |
| Joe Wilson | SC |
| John J. Duncan, Jr. | TN |
| Marsha Blackburn | TN |
| Jeb Hensarling | TX |
| Joe Barton | TX |
| John R. Carter | TX |
| K. Michael Conaway | TX |
| Kay Granger | TX |
| Kevin Brady | TX |
| Lamar Smith | TX |
| Mac Thornberry | TX |
| Michael C. Burgess | TX |
| Michael T. McCaul | TX |
| Pete Sessions | TX |
| Ralph M. Hall | TX |
| Randy Neugebauer | TX |
| Sam Johnson | TX |
| Ted Poe | TX |
| Rob Bishop | UT |
| Bob Goodlatte | VA |
| Frank R. Wolf | VA |
| J. Randy Forbes | VA |
| Robert J. Wittman | VA |
| Cathy McMorris Rodgers | WA |
| David G. Reichert | WA |
| Doc Hastings | WA |
| F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. | WI |
| Paul D. Ryan | WI |
| Thomas E. Petri | WI |
| Shelley Moore Capito | WV |
Nay — 1: 1 R
| Member | State |
|---|---|
| Jeff Flake | AZ |
Not Voting — 54: 18 D · 7 R
| Member | State |
|---|---|
| CHANDLER, A. B. | KY |
| ALLEN, Thomas H. | ME |
| PETERSON, John | PA |
| RENZI, Rick | AZ |
| BUYER, Stephen Earle | IN |
| RICHARDSON, Laura | CA |
| LAMPSON, Nicholas V. | TX |
| SHAYS, Christopher H. | CT |
| RADANOVICH, George P. | CA |
| WILSON, Heather | NM |
| SOLIS, Hilda L. | CA |
| MURTHA, John Patrick, Jr. | PA |
| DELAHUNT, Bill | MA |
| GILCHREST, Wayne Thomas | MD |
| YOUNG, Charles William | FL |
| PAUL, Ronald Ernest | TX |
| MACK, Connie, IV | FL |
| HULSHOF, Kenny | MO |
| PICKERING, Charles W. (Chip), Jr. | MS |
| DAVIS, Lincoln | TN |
| MEEK, Kendrick B. | FL |
| JEFFERSON, William Jennings | LA |
| WEINER, Anthony D. | NY |
| ENGLISH, Philip Sheridan | PA |
| ANDREWS, Robert Ernest | NJ |
| WELDON, David Joseph | FL |
| PAYNE, Donald Milford | NJ |
| HUNTER, Duncan Lee | CA |
| PRYCE, Deborah D. | OH |
| Michael M. Honda | CA |
| Xavier Becerra | CA |
| Mark Udall | CO |
| Alcee L. Hastings | FL |
| Corrine Brown | FL |
| Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. | GA |
| Bobby L. Rush | IL |
| Luis V. Gutiérrez | IL |
| Michael E. Capuano | MA |
| Niki Tsongas | MA |
| Richard E. Neal | MA |
| G. K. Butterfield | NC |
| Bill Pascrell, Jr. | NJ |
| Allyson Y. Schwartz | PA |
| Chaka Fattah | PA |
| Robert A. Brady | PA |
| James P. Moran | VA |
| Adam Smith | WA |
| Dana Rohrabacher | CA |
| Frank A. LoBiondo | NJ |
| Michael R. Turner | OH |
| Bill Shuster | PA |
| John Abney Culberson | TX |
| Kenny Marchant | TX |
| Louie Gohmert | TX |
Member pages currently show roll-call votes from the 119th Congress only. The “Member pages” column marks votes from that congress.