Plain Writing legislative history:  

   Comparisons of Bill Versions
   Legislative History
   Media's Response: Blogs, etc.
   Historical Bibliography

Government use of plain language editing software:  

   stylewriterforgovernment

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Plain Writing Legislation: A Comparison of Bills
| About | House Plain Language Bills, 2007-2010 | Senate Plain Language Bills, 2007-2010 |
 • HR 3548, all versions • HR 946, Version #1 • HR 946, Version #2 • HR 946, Version #3 • HR 946, Version #4 

A Project of the Plain Writing Association


House bill 946 (H.R. 946)
111th Congress
Plain Language Act of 2009
 — Version #1, Introduced February 10, 2009
Click here to go directly to the bill (below).

About Version #1

Version #1 (below) represents the version of House Bill 946 (H.R. 946) that was introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. Bruce L. Braley (IA-1) on February 10, 2009, and referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, which would subsequently add amendments to it (making version #2).

(For a history of the legislative process by which the various plain language bills struggled through Congress and ultimately resulted in passage of the Plain Writing Act of 2010, see the Legislative History project of the Plain Writing Association by clicking here. The project also gives more details about the amendments made to the various versions.)

NOTE

     For purposes of this project, the Version #1 is the introduced version and any susequently reported versions, provided that they added no amendments. Version #2 is the amended version of Version #1; and so on. Thus, Version #3 would be an amended version of Version #2; and Version #4 would be an amended version of Version #3. In short, as long as a version of a bill does not change (for example, from the time it's introduced to the time it's reported out of a committee), it is treated as a single version.

     Each bill shown has indications of what material is different from the previous bill shown. Red with overstrike is what was in previous one but not in current one; green is what is in current but not in the previous one. These proofreading-like marks provide an excellent sense of the thinking that went into the process of revision and markup from one version to the next; this is not meant to suggest, however, that the actual revision necessarily utilized only the immediately preceding version.

      Sources of original versions include GovTrack.us and Thomas.LOC.gov

Scroll down to the bill (farther below).
P.W.A. PROJECTS

Plain Writing Association / Plain Writing Act / plain English star Plain Writing Legislation: A Comparison of Bills
      — This Project of the Plain Writing Association uses proofreading marks and side-by-side comparisons to show how the various versions of the major plain writing bills of the last few years evolved into the Plain Writing Act of 2010. (MORE)

Plain Writing Association / Plain Writing Act / plain English star Plain Writing Legislative History
      — This Project of the Plain Writing Association presents a legislative history of the passage of the Plain Writing Act of 2010, documenting the process by which failed plain-writing legislation in the 110th and 111th Congresses ultimately led to the Act. (MORE)

Plain Writing Association / Plain Writing Act / plain English star Government Use of Plain Language Editing Software
      — This Project of the Plain Writing Association is a separate website (writersupercenter.com/stylewriterforgovernment) which advocates the use of the ground-breaking plain-English editing software known as StyleWriter Software to assist government in writing more clearly and concisely, in compliance with the Plain Writing Act. (MORE)

Plain Writing Association / Plain Writing Act / plain English star The Media's Response to Plain Writing Legislative Efforts
      — This ongoing Project of the Plain Writing Association attempts to document the media's response to the legislative efforts leading to the Plain Writing Act of 2010.  Focusing mainly on the period from 2007 to 2010, the Project, arranged chronologically, presents links to articles and posts in blogs, newspapers, and other periodicals. (MORE)

Plain Writing Association / Plain Writing Act / plain English star A Historical Bibliography of the Plain Language Movement
      — This ongoing Project of the Plain Writing Association presents links to articles that cover the main categories of the history of the plain language movement within American government. (MORE)

A BILL
To enhance citizen access to Government information and services by establishing plain language as the standard style for that Government documents issued to the public must be written clearly, 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 20082009'.
SEC. 2. PURPOSE.
        The purpose of this Act is to improve the Federal Government's effectiveness and accountability of Federal agencies to the public by promoting clear Government communication that the public can understand and use.
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’ means any document (other than a regulation) issued by an agency to the public, including documents and other text released in electronic form.
  
   Bill Comparisons
H.R. 946, 111th Congress
(SECOND PLAIN LANG. BILL IN HOUSE;
ULTIMATELY BECAME LAW)
Version #1
2/10/2009
Switch to:
Previous (earlier bill)
or Next (subsequent ver.)
(switch to Senate bill of app. same date)
  Markups here indicate difference  
between this version and
  previous House bill.  
red with strike-through = deleted
green = newly added
   Legislative History
   Media's Response
   Use of Editing Software
     (3) PLAIN LANGUAGE.—The term ‘plain language’ means language that the intended audience can readily understand and use because that language 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 Not later than one 1 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;.
     (2) may use plain language in any revision of a covered document issued on or before such date; and
     (3) shall, when appropriate, use the English language in covered documents.
       (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, the Plain English Handbook, published by the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the recommendations made by the Comptroller General under section 5(c).
  
   Bill Comparisons
H.R. 946, 111th Congress
(SECOND PLAIN LANG. BILL IN HOUSE;
ULTIMATELY BECAME LAW)
Version #1
2/10/2009
Switch to:
Previous (earlier bill)
or Next (subsequent ver.)
(switch to Senate bill of app. same date)
  Markups here indicate difference  
between this version and
  previous Housebill.  
red with strike-through = deleted
green = newly added
   Legislative History
   Media's Response
   Use of Editing Software
     (1) IN GENERAL.—
     (A) DEVELOPMENT.—Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall develop guidance on implementing the requirements of subsection (a).
     (B) ISSUANCE.—The Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall issue the guidance developed under subparagraph (A) to agencies as a circular.
     (2) INTERIM GUIDANCE.—Before the issuance of guidance under paragraph (1), agencies may follow the guidance of—
     (A) the writing guidelines developed by the Plain Language Action and Information Network; or
     (B) guidance provided by the head of the agency that is consistent with the guidelines referred to under subparagraph (A).
       (c) ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO USE OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE.—Nothing in this Act shall be construed—
     (1) to prohibit the use of a language other than English;
     (2) to limit the preservation or use of Native Alaskan or Native American languages (as defined in the Native American Languages Act);
     (3) to disparage any language or discourage any person from learning or using a language;
     (4) to impact or affect protections regarding language access; or
     (5) to be inconsistent with the Constitution of the United States.
       (d) COVERED DOCUMENT.—In this section, the term ‘covered document’—
     (1) means any document that explains how to obtain a benefit or service or file taxes, or that is relevant to obtaining a benefit or service or filing taxes; and
     (2) includes, whether in paper or electronic form, a letter, publication, form, notice, or instruction but does not include a regulation.
       (e) USE OF PLAIN LANGUAGE BY AGENCIES.—Each agency should, to the extent practicable and appropriate, use plain language in any collection of information (as defined in section 3502(3)(A)(i) of title 44, United States Code).
       (f) INCORPORATION OF COMPTROLLER GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS.—
     (1) REPORTS.—
     (A) FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION.—The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, acting through the Plain Language Action and Information Network, shall submit to the committees described in paragraph (2) a report on whether the recommendations made by the Comptroller General in the report under section 5(c) have been incorporated into the Federal Plain Language Guidelines described in subsection (b), and, if such recommendations have not been incorporated, an explanation of why they have not been incorporated.
     (B) SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION.—The Securities and Exchange Commission shall submit to the committees described in paragraph (2) a report on whether the recommendations made by the Comptroller General in the report under section 5(c) have been incorporated into the Plain English Handbook described in subsection (b), and, if such recommendations have not been incorporated, an explanation of why they have not been incorporated.
     (2) COMMITTEES.—The committees described in this paragraph are the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate.
     (3) DEADLINE.—The reports required under paragraph (1) shall be submitted within six months after the issuance of the report provided by the Comptroller General under section 5(c).
SEC. 5. REPORTS TO CONGRESS.
        (a) INITIAL REPORT.—Within Not later than six 6 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 and the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of Representatives 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 requirement under 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.
     (6) Using, to the extent practicable and appropriate, plain language in regulations promulgated by the agency.
  
   Bill Comparisons
H.R. 946, 111th Congress
(SECOND PLAIN LANG. BILL IN HOUSE;
ULTIMATELY BECAME LAW)
Version #1
2/10/2009
Switch to:
Previous (earlier bill)
or Next (subsequent ver.)
(switch to Senate bill of app. same date)
  Markups here indicate difference  
between this version and
  previous House bill.  
red with strike-through = deleted
green = newly added
   Legislative History
   Media's Response
   Use of Editing Software
       (b) ANNUAL AND OTHER REPORTS.—
     (1) AGENCY REPORTS.—
     (A) IN GENERAL.—The head of each agency shall submit reports on compliance with this Act to the Office of Management and Budget.
     (B) SUBMISSION DATES.—The Office of Management and Budget shall notify each agency of the date each report under subparagraph (A) is required for submission to enable the Office of Management and Budget to meet the requirements of paragraph (2).
     (1) 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—
     (A) compliance with this Act; and
     (B) the agency’s continued efforts to meet the objectives specified in subsection (a).
     (2) REPORTS TO CONGRESS.— A report under this subsection shall be submitted The Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall review agency reports submitted under paragraph (1) using the guidance issued under section 4(b)(1)(B) and submit a report on the progress of agencies to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of Representatives—
     (A) annually for the first two 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act; and
     (B) once every three 3 years thereafter.
       (c) EVALUATION AND REPORT BY COMPTROLLER GENERAL.—Within six months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall evaluate existing guidance for agencies on writing in plain language, including the guidance listed in section 4(b), and provide to the Office of Management and Budget, 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 providing recommendations on—
     (1) plain language guidelines; and
     (2) best practices for plain language.

Plain Writing Legislation: A Comparison of Bills
| About | House Plain Language Bills, 2007-2010 | Senate Plain Language Bills, 2007-2010 |
 • HR 3548, all versions • HR 946, Version #1 • HR 946, Version #2 • HR 946, Version #3 • HR 946, Version #4 

A Project of the Plain Writing Association

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