[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2124 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2124

   To require Federal agencies to assess the impact of policies and 
            regulations on families, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              July 9, 1997

  Mr. Lewis of Kentucky (for himself, Mr. Pitts, Mr. Christensen, Mr. 
 Herger, Mr. Manzullo, Mr. Miller of Florida, Mr. Largent, Mr. Souder, 
   Mr. Weldon of Florida, Mrs. Chenoweth, Mr. Paul, Mr. Coburn, Mr. 
 Hoekstra, Mr. McIntosh, Mr. Hutchinson, Mr. Norwood, Mr. Snowbarger, 
Mr. Whitfield, Mr. Pickering, Mr. Hostettler, Mr. Blunt, Mr. Crapo, Mr. 
    Graham, and Mr. Riley) introduced the following bill; which was 
      referred to the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To require Federal agencies to assess the impact of policies and 
            regulations on families, 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. PURPOSES.

    The purposes of this Act are to--
            (1) require agencies to assess the impact of proposed 
        agency actions on family well-being; and
            (2) improve the management of executive branch agencies.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act--
            (1) the term ``agency'' has the meaning given the term 
        ``Executive agency'' by section 105 of title 5, United States 
        Code, except such term does not include the General Accounting 
        Office; and
            (2) the term ``family'' means--
                    (A) a group of individuals related by blood, 
                marriage, or adoption who live together as a single 
                household; and
                    (B) any individual who is not a member of such 
                group, but who is related by blood, marriage, or 
                adoption to a member of such group, and over half of 
                whose support in a calendar year is received from such 
                group.

SEC. 3. FAMILY POLICYMAKING ASSESSMENT.

    Before implementing policies and regulations that may affect family 
well-being, each agency shall assess such actions with respect to 
whether--
            (1) the action strengthens or erodes the stability of the 
        family and, particularly, the marital commitment;
            (2) the action strengthens or erodes the authority and 
        rights of parents in the education, nurture, and supervision of 
        their children;
            (3) the action helps the family perform its functions, or 
        substitutes governmental activity for the function;
            (4) the action increases or decreases disposable family 
        income;
            (5) the proposed benefits of the action justify the 
        financial impact on the family;
            (6) the action may be carried out by State or local 
        government or by the family; and
            (7) the action establishes an implicit or explicit policy--
                    (A) concerning the status of the family; and
                    (B) concerning the relationship between the 
                behavior and personal responsibility of youth, and the 
                norms of society.

SEC. 4. GOVERNMENTWIDE FAMILY POLICY COORDINATION AND REVIEW.

    (a) Certification and Rationale.--With respect to each proposed 
policy or regulation that may affect family well-being, the head of 
each agency shall--
            (1) submit a written certification to the Director of the 
        Office of Management and Budget and to Congress that such 
        policy or regulation has been assessed in accordance with this 
        Act; and
            (2) provide an adequate rationale for implementation of 
        each policy or regulation that may negatively affect family 
        well-being.
    (b) Office of Management and Budget.--The Director of the Office of 
Management and Budget shall--
            (1) ensure that policies and regulations proposed by 
        agencies are implemented consistent with this Act; and
            (2) compile, index, and submit annually to the Congress the 
        written certifications received pursuant to subsection (a)(1).
    (c) Office of Policy Development.--The Office of Policy Development 
shall--
            (1) assess proposed policies and regulations in accordance 
        with this Act;
            (2) provide evaluations of policies and regulations that 
        may affect family well-being to the Director of the Office of 
        Management and Budget; and
            (3) advise the President on policy and regulatory actions 
        that may be taken to strengthen the institutions of marriage 
        and family in the United States.

SEC. 5. ASSESSMENTS UPON REQUEST BY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.

    Upon request by a Member of Congress relating to a proposed policy 
or regulation, an agency shall conduct an assessment in accordance with 
section 3, and shall provide a certification and rationale in 
accordance with section 4.
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