Search Results for keywords:"guidance documents"

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has issued a final rule to implement Executive Order 13891, which is focused on improving agency guidance documents. This rule outlines how USAID will create, review, and issue guidance documents, ensuring they are non-binding and written clearly. It also establishes procedures for public access and comments on draft guidance documents. The rule aims to enhance transparency and accountability, with no new reporting requirements or significant economic impact expected.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced the release of a report titled "Food and Drug Administration Report and Plan on Best Practices for Guidance." This report, requested by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, outlines best practices for creating, prioritizing, and using guidance documents efficiently. The FDA gathered and considered public feedback on a draft report published in December 2023, which led to this final version. The report aims to enhance transparency, improve regulatory processes, and support the development of new products for public health.

The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) has issued a final rule establishing procedures for creating guidance documents per Executive Order 13891. This rule mandates how CEQ will define, develop, and issue these documents, ensuring they are accessible to the public through an online database. It allows the public to request changes to these documents and specifies the process for significant guidance documents needing public comment. The rule underscores CEQ's internal practices without imposing new obligations on the public or other governmental bodies.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued a final rule aimed at increasing transparency and fairness in their civil enforcement actions. This rule ensures that individuals and companies receive clear notices about which laws and regulations apply to them and must be given a chance to respond before the agency takes any action with legal consequences. It also specifies that HHS cannot use guidance documents to impose binding requirements unless explicitly allowed by law and must rely on statutes and regulations when taking enforcement actions. The rule highlights the importance of fairness, especially avoiding "unfair surprise," and outlines how the Department should handle these processes to promote efficiency and clarity.

The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) has announced the launch of an online portal that provides access to its guidance documents, in line with Executive Order 13891, "Promoting the Rule of Law Through Improved Agency Guidance Documents." This portal can be found at whitehouse.gov/ceq/resources. The guidance documents available through the portal do not have the force of law unless specified by statute or contract, and are aimed at clarifying existing legal requirements. Additionally, the portal will link to final rules on CEQ’s procedures for issuing guidance documents.

The Department of Justice has finalized a rule that removes certain regulations related to guidance documents, which were introduced in 2020 following Executive Order 13891. This step follows President Biden's Executive Order 13992, which revoked the earlier order to allow more flexibility in agency guidance. The Department found the old regulations unnecessary and burdensome, as they discouraged helpful guidance and required additional resource allocation to determine if documents were subject to these regulations. The Attorney General has issued a new memorandum to address the development and use of guidance documents, reflecting these updated policies.

The Department of Education announced corrections to a previous notice about guidance documents it planned to rescind because they were outdated. After reviewing these documents under Executive Order 13891, it was found that 18 documents were mistakenly included in the rescission list. This notice corrects the error by removing these documents from the list. The corrections apply from January 19, 2021, and aim to ensure the accuracy of the Department's guidance documentation for the Office of Postsecondary Education.

The Department of Energy (DOE) is delaying the start date of a rule about releasing guidance documents, pushing it from January 6, 2021, to March 21, 2021. This delay allows further review of the rule implementing Executive Order 13891, which aims to boost transparency by making guidance documents accessible online and open for public comment. DOE is not taking public comments on this delay but welcomes opinions on any further postponement and related matters. The action is a response to a directive from the new administration's Chief of Staff, advising a halt to review new rules.

The Department of Labor has repealed a rule from August 2020 that aligned with an Executive Order by former President Trump requiring specific procedures for issuing guidance documents. This decision follows a new Executive Order issued by President Biden on January 20, 2021, which revoked the previous order, highlighting the need for regulatory flexibility to address national challenges like COVID-19 and climate change. The Department determined the existing rule limited its ability to quickly provide necessary public guidance and thus decided to remove it, effective immediately.