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H.R. 3548, 110th Congress

Plain Language in Government Communications Act of 2008

Originated in the House · Introduced Sep 17, 2007 · Government Operations and Politics

Latest action

Aug 1, 2008

Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 929.

CRS summary

As of Apr 14, 2008

Passed 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 record

Apr 14, 2008 · On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended

Full roll call

Passed (376–1)

191 of 431 recorded votes are not yet matched to a member profile.

Yea: 376 (113 D · 101 R)

MemberPartyState
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 PastorDemocratAZ
Raúl M. GrijalvaDemocratAZ
Adam B. SchiffDemocratCA
Anna G. EshooDemocratCA
Barbara LeeDemocratCA
Brad ShermanDemocratCA
Doris O. MatsuiDemocratCA
George MillerDemocratCA
Grace F. NapolitanoDemocratCA
Henry A. WaxmanDemocratCA
Jackie SpeierDemocratCA
Jerry McNerneyDemocratCA
Jim CostaDemocratCA
Linda T. SánchezDemocratCA
Lois CappsDemocratCA
Loretta SanchezDemocratCA
Lucille Roybal-AllardDemocratCA
Maxine WatersDemocratCA
Mike ThompsonDemocratCA
Sam FarrDemocratCA
Susan A. DavisDemocratCA
Zoe LofgrenDemocratCA
Diana DeGetteDemocratCO
Ed PerlmutterDemocratCO
Christopher MurphyDemocratCT
Joe CourtneyDemocratCT
John B. LarsonDemocratCT
Rosa L. DeLauroDemocratCT
Debbie Wasserman SchultzDemocratFL
Kathy CastorDemocratFL
David ScottDemocratGA
Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr.DemocratGA
John BarrowDemocratGA
John LewisDemocratGA
Mazie K. HironoDemocratHI
Bruce L. BraleyDemocratIA
David LoebsackDemocratIA
Bill FosterDemocratIL
Daniel LipinskiDemocratIL
Danny K. DavisDemocratIL
Janice D. SchakowskyDemocratIL
André CarsonDemocratIN
Joe DonnellyDemocratIN
Peter J. ViscloskyDemocratIN
John A. YarmuthDemocratKY
Edward J. MarkeyDemocratMA
James P. McGovernDemocratMA
John F. TierneyDemocratMA
Stephen F. LynchDemocratMA
C. A. Dutch RuppersbergerDemocratMD
Chris Van HollenDemocratMD
Elijah E. CummingsDemocratMD
John P. SarbanesDemocratMD
Steny H. HoyerDemocratMD
Michael H. MichaudDemocratME
John Conyers, Jr.DemocratMI
John D. DingellDemocratMI
Sander M. LevinDemocratMI
Betty McCollumDemocratMN
Collin C. PetersonDemocratMN
Keith EllisonDemocratMN
Timothy J. WalzDemocratMN
Emanuel CleaverDemocratMO
Wm. Lacy ClayDemocratMO
Bennie G. ThompsonDemocratMS
David E. PriceDemocratNC
Mike McIntyreDemocratNC
Carol Shea-PorterDemocratNH
Albio SiresDemocratNJ
Frank Pallone, Jr.DemocratNJ
Rush HoltDemocratNJ
Tom UdallDemocratNM
Brian HigginsDemocratNY
Carolyn B. MaloneyDemocratNY
Carolyn McCarthyDemocratNY
Charles B. RangelDemocratNY
Eliot L. EngelDemocratNY
Gregory W. MeeksDemocratNY
Jerrold NadlerDemocratNY
José E. SerranoDemocratNY
Joseph CrowleyDemocratNY
Kirsten E. GillibrandDemocratNY
Louise McIntosh SlaughterDemocratNY
Nita M. LoweyDemocratNY
Nydia M. VelázquezDemocratNY
Steve IsraelDemocratNY
Timothy H. BishopDemocratNY
Yvette D. ClarkeDemocratNY
Marcy KapturDemocratOH
Tim RyanDemocratOH
Earl BlumenauerDemocratOR
Peter A. DeFazioDemocratOR
Michael F. DoyleDemocratPA
James R. LangevinDemocratRI
James E. ClyburnDemocratSC
Jim CooperDemocratTN
Steve CohenDemocratTN
Al GreenDemocratTX
Eddie Bernice JohnsonDemocratTX
Gene GreenDemocratTX
Henry CuellarDemocratTX
Lloyd DoggettDemocratTX
Rubén HinojosaDemocratTX
Sheila Jackson LeeDemocratTX
Jim MathesonDemocratUT
Robert C. "Bobby" ScottDemocratVA
Peter WelchDemocratVT
Jim McDermottDemocratWA
Rick LarsenDemocratWA
Gwen MooreDemocratWI
Ron KindDemocratWI
Tammy BaldwinDemocratWI
Nick J. Rahall IIDemocratWV
Don YoungRepublicanAK
Mike RogersRepublicanAL
Robert B. AderholtRepublicanAL
Spencer BachusRepublicanAL
John BoozmanRepublicanAR
Trent FranksRepublicanAZ
Darrell IssaRepublicanCA
Devin NunesRepublicanCA
Edward R. RoyceRepublicanCA
Gary G. MillerRepublicanCA
Howard P. "Buck" McKeonRepublicanCA
John CampbellRepublicanCA
Ken CalvertRepublicanCA
Kevin McCarthyRepublicanCA
Doug LambornRepublicanCO
Ander CrenshawRepublicanFL
Gus M. BilirakisRepublicanFL
Ileana Ros-LehtinenRepublicanFL
Jeff MillerRepublicanFL
John L. MicaRepublicanFL
Mario Diaz-BalartRepublicanFL
Vern BuchananRepublicanFL
Jack KingstonRepublicanGA
Lynn A. WestmorelandRepublicanGA
Paul C. BrounRepublicanGA
Phil GingreyRepublicanGA
Tom PriceRepublicanGA
Steve KingRepublicanIA
Tom LathamRepublicanIA
Michael K. SimpsonRepublicanID
John ShimkusRepublicanIL
Mark KirkRepublicanIL
Peter J. RoskamRepublicanIL
Jerry MoranRepublicanKS
Ed WhitfieldRepublicanKY
Harold RogersRepublicanKY
Charles W. Boustany Jr.RepublicanLA
Candice S. MillerRepublicanMI
Dave CampRepublicanMI
Fred UptonRepublicanMI
Mike RogersRepublicanMI
Tim WalbergRepublicanMI
John KlineRepublicanMN
Michele BachmannRepublicanMN
Roy BluntRepublicanMO
Sam GravesRepublicanMO
Howard CobleRepublicanNC
Patrick T. McHenryRepublicanNC
Virginia FoxxRepublicanNC
Walter B. JonesRepublicanNC
Adrian SmithRepublicanNE
Jeff FortenberryRepublicanNE
Lee TerryRepublicanNE
Christopher H. SmithRepublicanNJ
Rodney P. FrelinghuysenRepublicanNJ
Scott GarrettRepublicanNJ
Stevan PearceRepublicanNM
Dean HellerRepublicanNV
Peter T. KingRepublicanNY
Jim JordanRepublicanOH
John A. BoehnerRepublicanOH
Patrick J. TiberiRepublicanOH
Robert E. LattaRepublicanOH
Steve ChabotRepublicanOH
Frank D. LucasRepublicanOK
Tom ColeRepublicanOK
Greg WaldenRepublicanOR
Charles W. DentRepublicanPA
Jim GerlachRepublicanPA
Joseph R. PittsRepublicanPA
Tim MurphyRepublicanPA
Joe WilsonRepublicanSC
John J. Duncan, Jr.RepublicanTN
Marsha BlackburnRepublicanTN
Jeb HensarlingRepublicanTX
Joe BartonRepublicanTX
John R. CarterRepublicanTX
K. Michael ConawayRepublicanTX
Kay GrangerRepublicanTX
Kevin BradyRepublicanTX
Lamar SmithRepublicanTX
Mac ThornberryRepublicanTX
Michael C. BurgessRepublicanTX
Michael T. McCaulRepublicanTX
Pete SessionsRepublicanTX
Ralph M. HallRepublicanTX
Randy NeugebauerRepublicanTX
Sam JohnsonRepublicanTX
Ted PoeRepublicanTX
Rob BishopRepublicanUT
Bob GoodlatteRepublicanVA
Frank R. WolfRepublicanVA
J. Randy ForbesRepublicanVA
Robert J. WittmanRepublicanVA
Cathy McMorris RodgersRepublicanWA
David G. ReichertRepublicanWA
Doc HastingsRepublicanWA
F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr.RepublicanWI
Paul D. RyanRepublicanWI
Thomas E. PetriRepublicanWI
Shelley Moore CapitoRepublicanWV

Nay: 1 (1 R)

MemberPartyState
Jeff FlakeRepublicanAZ

Not Voting: 54 (18 D · 7 R)

MemberPartyState
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. HondaDemocratCA
Xavier BecerraDemocratCA
Mark UdallDemocratCO
Alcee L. HastingsDemocratFL
Corrine BrownDemocratFL
Sanford D. Bishop, Jr.DemocratGA
Bobby L. RushDemocratIL
Luis V. GutiérrezDemocratIL
Michael E. CapuanoDemocratMA
Niki TsongasDemocratMA
Richard E. NealDemocratMA
G. K. ButterfieldDemocratNC
Bill Pascrell, Jr.DemocratNJ
Allyson Y. SchwartzDemocratPA
Chaka FattahDemocratPA
Robert A. BradyDemocratPA
James P. MoranDemocratVA
Adam SmithDemocratWA
Dana RohrabacherRepublicanCA
Frank A. LoBiondoRepublicanNJ
Michael R. TurnerRepublicanOH
Bill ShusterRepublicanPA
John Abney CulbersonRepublicanTX
Kenny MarchantRepublicanTX
Louie GohmertRepublicanTX

Member pages currently show roll-call votes from the 119th Congress only. The “Member pages” column marks votes from that congress.