1.This Act may be cited as the
Red Tape Reduction and Small Business
Job Creation Act
.
2.The table of contents
for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Table of contents.
Title I—Regulatory Freeze for Jobs
Sec. 101. Short title.
Sec. 102. Moratorium on significant regulatory
actions.
Sec. 103. Waivers and exceptions.
Sec. 104. Judicial review.
Sec. 105. Definitions.
Title II—Midnight Rule Relief
Sec. 201. Short title.
Sec. 202. Moratorium on midnight rules.
Sec. 203. Special rule on statutory, regulatory, and judicial
deadlines.
Sec. 204. Exception.
Sec. 205. Definitions.
Title III—Regulatory Decrees and Settlements
Sec. 301. Short title.
Sec. 302. Consent decree and settlement reform.
Sec. 303. Motions to modify consent decrees.
Sec. 304. Effective date.
Title IV—Unfunded Mandates Information and
Transparency
Sec. 401. Short title.
Sec. 402. Purpose.
Sec. 403. Providing for Congressional Budget Office studies on
policies involving changes in conditions of grant aid.
Sec. 404. Clarifying the definition of direct costs to reflect
Congressional Budget Office practice.
Sec. 405. Expanding the scope of reporting requirements to
include regulations imposed by independent regulatory agencies.
Sec. 406. Amendments to replace Office of Management and Budget
with Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.
Sec. 407. Applying substantive point of order to private sector
mandates.
Sec. 408. Regulatory process and principles.
Sec. 409. Expanding the scope of statements to accompany
significant regulatory actions.
Sec. 410. Enhanced stakeholder consultation.
Sec. 411. New authorities and responsibilities for Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs.
Sec. 412. Retrospective analysis of existing Federal
regulations.
Sec. 413. Expansion of judicial review.
Title V—Improved Coordination of Agency Actions on Environmental
Documents
Sec. 501. Short title.
Sec. 502. Coordination of agency administrative operations for
efficient decisionmaking.
Title VI—Securities and Exchange Commission Regulatory
Accountability
Sec. 601. Short title.
Sec. 602. Consideration by the Securities and Exchange
Commission of the costs and benefits of its regulations and certain other
agency actions.
Sec. 603. Sense of Congress relating to other regulatory
entities.
Sec. 604. Interpretive guidance null and void.
Sec. 605. Other SEC action prohibited.
Title VII—Consideration by Commodity Futures Trading Commission
of Certain Costs and Benefits
Sec. 701. Consideration by the Commodity Futures Trading
Commission of the costs and benefits of its regulations and orders.
Title VIII—Ensuring High Standards for Agency Use of Scientific
Information
Sec. 801. Requirement for final guidelines.
Title IX—Tracking the Cost to Taxpayers of Federal
Litigation
Sec. 901. Short title.
Sec. 902. Modification of equal access to justice
provisions.
<enum>I</enum><header>Regulatory Freeze
for Jobs</header>
<section id="H56D6F3059EFE4000BAC62AB075746602"><enum>101.</enum><header>Short
title</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This title may be cited
as the <quote>Regulatory Freeze for Jobs Act of 2012</quote>.</text>
</section><section id="H6A9DE431B7E14C6988776497FE71C85E"><enum>102.</enum><header>Moratorium on
significant regulatory actions</header>
<subsection id="H6CFF0A938EE645BC9F7FEDA63B315302"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Moratorium</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">An agency may not take any significant
regulatory action during the period beginning on the date of the enactment of
this Act and ending on the date that the Secretary of Labor submits the report
under subsection (b).</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H4F3D12270FB249C0BAB1D51DB3B1217A"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Determination</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretary of Labor shall submit a
report to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget when the
Secretary determines that the Bureau of Labor Statistics average of monthly
unemployment rates for any quarter beginning after the date of the enactment of
this Act is equal to or less than 6.0 percent.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="H568EB2D123194C6588FDF31C2EC73346"><enum>103.</enum><header>Waivers and
exceptions</header>
<subsection id="H7D8B1C8EE7AB4CD5A32F90575079ED3C"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Notwithstanding any
other provision of this title, an agency may take a significant regulatory
action only in accordance with subsection (b), (c), or (d) during the period
described in section 102(a).</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H2EBA437F891E43F6B3BABFEC870FDD3B"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Presidential
waiver</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">An agency may take a
significant regulatory action if the President determines by Executive Order
that the significant regulatory action is—</text>
<paragraph id="HCE4D71E126BB424F991E5E64B0AE92B7"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">necessary because of an imminent threat to
health or safety or other emergency;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HB5B7568242B4488FA4643EEFEA2C7D98"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">necessary for the enforcement of criminal
or civil rights laws;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H5812FEFFE126488EBDFFCB5FAE701ED4"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">necessary for the national security of the
United States; or</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H0F3C9569C48E42258FC9C5E533E91C4F"><enum>(4)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">issued pursuant to any statute implementing
an international trade agreement.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H6C4FC597A1F34CF7BD05E15DE2B70E11"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Deregulatory
exception</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">An agency may take
a significant regulatory action if the Administrator of the Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs of the Office of Management and Budget
certifies in writing that the significant regulatory action is limited to
repealing an existing rule.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H9203BA44BAAB4A9E9333F48A74107D56"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Congressional
waivers</header>
<paragraph id="H8D6B5020104F4D8AAF2095028617BC16"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Submission</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">For any significant regulatory action not
eligible for a Presidential waiver pursuant to subsection (b), the President
may submit a written request to Congress for a waiver of the application of
section 102 for such action.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H845E0E4941624438855D4A45DD7BE8D6"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Contents</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A submission by the President under this
subsection shall—</text>
<subparagraph id="HC35C6A25B507432FAF87FD7F4DA36C7C"><enum>(A)</enum><text>identify the
significant regulatory action and the scope of the requested waiver;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HBCFA304594944F73B0C476D76802412E"><enum>(B)</enum><text>describe all the
reasons the significant regulatory action is necessary to protect the public
health, safety, or welfare; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H1180F65FA30444FC867AC5FCC49D3B27"><enum>(C)</enum><text>include an
explanation of why the significant regulatory action is ineligible for a
Presidential waiver under subsection (b).</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HC326727978EA4566ABAAA27BE59C26CC"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Congressional
action</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Congress shall give
expeditious consideration and take appropriate legislative action with respect
to any submission by the President under this subsection.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section id="H75A0618CDF9149E0B1F6CABA81FEB9FE"><enum>104.</enum><header>Judicial
review</header>
<subsection id="H14F47C1E7BDD4224BBBE25272B740371"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Review</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Any party adversely affected or aggrieved
by any rule or guidance resulting from a regulatory action taken in violation
of this title is entitled to judicial review in accordance with
<external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/5/7">chapter
7</external-xref> of title 5, United States Code. Any determination by either
the President or the Secretary of Labor under this title shall be subject to
judicial review under such chapter.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H6E0E8BAF477F4FDCBF2D15C342639679"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Jurisdiction</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Each court having jurisdiction to review
any rule or guidance resulting from a significant regulatory action for
compliance with any other provision of law shall have jurisdiction to review
all claims under this title.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H6A5B8E6E44674D32B85E7D2EEE4035A7"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Relief</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In granting any relief in any civil action
under this section, the court shall order the agency to take corrective action
consistent with this title and
<external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/5/7">chapter
7</external-xref> of title 5, United States Code, including remanding the rule
or guidance resulting from the significant regulatory action to the agency and
enjoining the application or enforcement of that rule or guidance, unless the
court finds by a preponderance of the evidence that application or enforcement
is required to protect against an imminent and serious threat to the national
security of the United States.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H06F74C7788A54FE59EEC6D88408CF8B2"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Reasonable
attorney’s fees for small businesses</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The court shall award reasonable attorney’s
fees and costs to a substantially prevailing small business in any civil action
arising under this title. A small business may qualify as substantially
prevailing even without obtaining a final judgment in its favor if the agency
that took the significant regulatory action changes its position after the
civil action is filed. Such award shall be paid out of the administrative
budget of the office in the agency that took the challenged agency
action.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H32B0BB27DDC04DD4B6C6815E23778AD9"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Limitation on
commencing civil action</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A
party may seek and obtain judicial review during the 1-year period beginning on
the date of the challenged agency action or within 90 days after an enforcement
action or notice thereof, except that where another provision of law requires
that a civil action be commenced before the expiration of that 1-year period,
such lesser period shall apply.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H59F290BF6B29423F8D0FA8FB0C2C6D21"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Small business
defined</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In this section, the
term <term>small business</term> means any business, including an
unincorporated business or a sole proprietorship, that employs not more than
500 employees or that has a net worth of less than $7,000,000 on the date a
civil action arising under this title is filed.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="H30BC8D35DA9344518779334CF6845999"><enum>105.</enum><header>Definitions</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">In this title:</text>
<paragraph id="HDF3ECDE5FF0A4EA5A7F4303787D5A1FD"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Agency</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term <term>agency </term> has the
meaning given that term under
<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/5/551">section
551</external-xref> of title 5, United States Code, except that such term does
not include—</text>
<subparagraph id="HE4D013600CD44033968281DAA226D40A"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H102FE8C731554023857C4D1D3CE3255F"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the Federal Open Market Committee;
or</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HE23FC5F47AC742DAB118545839B52A99"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the United States Postal Service.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HF529F8AD46C14EAB8CDC38BA5F3E7E55"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Regulatory
action</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term
<term>regulatory action</term> means any substantive action by an agency that
promulgates or is expected to lead to the promulgation of a final rule or
regulation, including a notice of inquiry, an advance notice of proposed
rulemaking, and a notice of proposed rulemaking.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H3B5C65B1331E4176A400105947B6F8D0"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Rule</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term <term>rule</term> has the meaning
given that term under <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/5/551">section 551</external-xref> of title 5, United States
Code.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="HC432C2354DF24AEA9D29AB36EEFEA871"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Significant
regulatory action</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term
<term>significant regulatory action</term> means any regulatory action that is
likely to result in a rule or guidance that the Administrator of the Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs of the Office of Management and Budget finds
is likely to have an annual cost to the economy of $50,000,000 or more or
adversely affect in a material way the economy, a sector of the economy,
productivity, competition, jobs, the environment, public health or safety,
small entities, or State, local, or tribal governments or communities. In
determining the annual cost to the economy under this paragraph, the
Administrator shall take into account any expected change in revenue of
businesses that will be caused by such regulatory action, as well as any change
in revenue of businesses that has already taken place as businesses prepare for
the implementation of the regulatory action. If meeting that definition, such
term includes any requirement by the Secretary of the Treasury, except to the
extent provided in Treasury Regulations as in effect on February 21, 2011, that
a payor of interest make an information return in the case of interest—</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HBB6F0676F48E4976AE226891969C8264"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">which is described in
<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/871">section
871(i)(2)(A)</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H01804BB5CDCA47878089427E800F0659"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">which is paid—</text>
<subparagraph id="H8B5C61826F914FB6B93D60E5902EB24D"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">to a nonresident alien, and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HFC4B249AC03F484B8F065D3B0B9E7A06"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">on a deposit maintained at an office within
the United States.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H576418F054884C17979F9DDC011508DD"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Small
entity</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term <term>small
entity</term> has the meaning given that term under
<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/5/601">section
601(6)</external-xref> of title 5, United States Code.</text>
</paragraph></section><enum>II</enum><header>Midnight Rule
Relief</header>
<section id="H4A645771AEEB45C0A32A8FE4F66465B2"><enum>201.</enum><header>Short
title</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This title may be cited
as the <quote><short-title>Midnight Rule Relief Act of
2012</short-title></quote>.</text>
</section><section id="HAA6486FEDE0447F9BD2A29DCAA09F2E7"><enum>202.</enum><header>Moratorium on
midnight rules</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Except as
provided under sections 203 and 204, during the moratorium period, an agency
may not propose or finalize any midnight rule that the Administrator of the
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs of the Office of Management and
Budget finds is likely to result in an annual cost to the economy of
$50,000,000 or more or adversely affect in a material way the economy, a sector
of the economy, productivity, competition, jobs, the environment, public health
or safety, small entities, or State, local, or tribal governments or
communities.</text>
</section><section id="H21CE5BA5D40B4A64B0A3CFF1C4E75434"><enum>203.</enum><header>Special rule on
statutory, regulatory, and judicial deadlines</header>
<subsection id="H344D0F115C8F4D2D988C6A11F42B229A"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Section 202 shall not apply with respect to any
deadline—</text>
<paragraph id="H0B970497C8184FBAB3D6C3E4B7ECFD38"><enum>(1)</enum><text>for, relating to,
or involving any midnight rule;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H3F0553B7F97345FA9F1AEF1C63EAAA69"><enum>(2)</enum><text>that was
established before the beginning of the moratorium period; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HDF504376621648F68D31E7C34810AF18"><enum>(3)</enum><text>that is required
to be taken during the moratorium period.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HDA657976C6AA4F8EA001B38325E066A8"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Publication of
deadlines</header><text>Not later than 30 days after the beginning of a
moratorium period, the Administrator of the Office of Information and
Regulatory Affairs of the Office of Management and Budget shall identify and
publish in the Federal Register a list of deadlines covered by subsection
(a).</text>
</subsection></section><section id="HF42644CB53A24D90B0E23A68B6BC6993"><enum>204.</enum><header>Exception</header>
<subsection id="HA8C58AC70D2B4029A91B7C7FF3746EFD"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Emergency
exception</header><text>Section 202 shall not apply to a midnight rule if the
President determines that the midnight rule is—</text>
<paragraph id="H2261098505A64424A554393ED04EC2AE"><enum>(1)</enum><text>necessary because
of an imminent threat to health or safety or other emergency;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H18D2B7A7392F4EB3827598D81C91BAA6"><enum>(2)</enum><text>necessary for the
enforcement of criminal or civil rights laws;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H6B8D48B211A347DDB33072B603A577C3"><enum>(3)</enum><text>necessary for the
national security of the United States; or</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H41782B3D001D4398A2E73A022489A797"><enum>(4)</enum><text>issued pursuant to
any statute implementing an international trade agreement.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HEC97E9DB85764B2EAF1CCD479797B3F2"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Deregulatory
exception</header><text>Section 202 shall not apply to a midnight rule that the
Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs within the
Office of Management and Budget certifies in writing is limited to repealing an
existing rule.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H8D7B128F0E0C482BB9D9FB98A7C8A5D1"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Notice of
exceptions</header><text>Not later than 30 days after a determination under
subsection (a) or a certification is made under subsection (b), the head of the
relevant agency shall publish in the Federal Register any midnight rule
excluded from the moratorium period due to an exception under this
section.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="HBF48EAA5CAB8402D82EC57EFC20662AC"><enum>205.</enum><header>Definitions</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">In this title:</text>
<paragraph id="H6602A6A5FBC14AF2A7B4DAD92A000157"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Agency</header><text>The
term <term>agency</term> has the meaning given that term under
<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/5/551">section
551</external-xref> of title 5, United States Code, except that such term does
not include—</text>
<subparagraph id="HD5800328EC9D4AC4A35D90A51A13AFF0"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H072661670F9C4B62906F14520382D7BB"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the Federal Open
Market Committee; or</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H66E4FEC724D649D4838F8EBD123CA666"><enum>(C)</enum><text>the United States
Postal Service.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HC0DB1E5B59554EA89462F7FCF673E1A8"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Deadline</header><text>The
term <term>deadline</term> means any date certain for fulfilling any obligation
or exercising any authority established by or under any Federal statute or
rule, or by or under any court order implementing any Federal statute,
regulation, or rule.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HB64F700D96E9484EA82A6C49679FCC6D"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Moratorium
period</header><text>The term <term>moratorium period</term> means the day
after the day referred to in
<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/3/1">section
1</external-xref> of title 3, United States Code, through January 20 of the
following year, in which a President is not serving a consecutive term.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HDAC93B81AE5C4E99B36B49740739AE93"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Midnight
rule</header><text>The term <term>midnight rule</term> means an agency
statement of general applicability and future effect, issued during the
moratorium period, that is intended to have the force and effect of law and is
designed—</text>
<subparagraph id="HC6A4FACF6A8F4BD7AF08983627D3108F"><enum>(A)</enum><text>to implement,
interpret, or prescribe law or policy; or</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HF59D9D69317E4E59940619E0BB9ED247"><enum>(B)</enum><text>to describe the
procedure or practice requirements of an agency.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H15633915CD544707AEA021C85F62C68A"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Rule</header><text>The
term <term>rule</term> has the meaning given that term under
<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/5/551">section
551</external-xref> of title 5, United States Code.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HCAFF114FB787496F83F25DE1DD96DFEA"><enum>(6)</enum><header>Small
entity</header><text>The term <term>small entity</term> has the meaning given
that term under <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/5/601">section 601(6)</external-xref> of title 5, United
States Code.</text>
</paragraph></section><enum>III</enum><header>Regulatory
Decrees and Settlements</header>
<section id="HAB0EBB4506BD449789CFA33D24AD3B96" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>301.</enum><header>Short
title</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This title may be cited
as the <quote><short-title>Sunshine for Regulatory Decrees
and Settlements Act of 2012</short-title></quote>.</text>
</section><section id="H5095873912934847B682B94C4D80F4C0"><enum>302.</enum><header>Consent decree
and settlement reform</header>
<subsection id="H577098679860427FBCB3B6274FCB44C5"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Application</header><text>The
provisions of this section apply in the case of—</text>
<paragraph id="HC4211C21FBCB437197A84148A5257430"><enum>(1)</enum><text>a
consent decree or settlement agreement in an action to compel agency action
alleged to be unlawfully withheld or unreasonably delayed that pertains to a
regulatory action that affects the rights of private parties other than the
plaintiff or the rights of State, local or Tribal government entities—</text>
<subparagraph id="HC34A8BD9EB774AF8A888DB85CDE7503F"><enum>(A)</enum><text>brought under
<external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/5/7">chapter
7</external-xref> of title 5, United States Code; or</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H7571222B4DFC436D94955FA26A97F6A4"><enum>(B)</enum><text>brought under any
other statute authorizing such an action; and</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H8FE4BB5DC1B145B8946A8E1F7BA08ABD"><enum>(2)</enum><text>any other consent
decree or settlement agreement that requires agency action that pertains to a
regulatory action that affects the rights of private parties other than the
plaintiff or the rights of State, local or Tribal government entities.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H036709DDB32D4FADACF4895C5A9FD351"><enum>(b)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>In the case of an action to be resolved by a consent
decree or a settlement agreement described in paragraph (1), the following
shall apply:</text>
<paragraph id="HA9DC272A398A481693F985B8F82494F4"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The complaint in the action, the consent
decree or settlement agreement, the statutory basis for the consent decree or
settlement agreement and its terms, and any award of attorneys’ fees or costs
shall be published, including electronically, in a readily accessible manner by
the defendant agency.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HC69480B5CD8C40D693C2E7D2BCB6295A"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Until the
conclusion of an opportunity for affected parties to intervene in the action, a
party may not file with the court a motion for a consent decree or to dismiss
the case pursuant to a settlement agreement.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HF8AED72527104C348E7BCD314FBD732B"><enum>(3)</enum><text>In considering a
motion to intervene by any party that would be affected by the agency action in
dispute, the court shall presume, subject to rebuttal, that the interests of
that party would not be represented adequately by the current parties to the
action. In considering a motion to intervene filed by a State, local or Tribal
government entity, the court shall take due account of whether the
movant—</text>
<subparagraph id="H6A6803F2314442DDA3782AFC058DFF81"><enum>(A)</enum><text>administers
jointly with the defendant agency the statutory provisions that give rise to
the regulatory duty alleged in the complaint; or</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HE3DF31AEA75D4A4EB61E83C62BB3B6E5"><enum>(B)</enum><text>administers State,
local or Tribal regulatory authority that would be preempted by the defendant
agency’s discharge of the regulatory duty alleged in the complaint.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H45C7F8342F094B41B65F22437D550124"><enum>(4)</enum><text>If the court
grants a motion to intervene in the action, the court shall include the
plaintiff, the defendant agency, and the intervenors in settlement discussions.
Settlement efforts conducted shall be pursuant to a court’s mediation or
alternative dispute resolution program, or by a district judge, magistrate
judge, or special master, as determined by the assigned judge.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H33B18A7BDA7B42399F24B832AE04034D"><enum>(5)</enum><text>The defendant
agency shall publish in the Federal Register and by electronic means any
proposed consent decree or settlement agreement for no fewer than 60 days of
public comment before filing it with the court, including a statement of the
statutory basis for the proposed consent decree or settlement agreement and its
terms, allowing comment on any issue related to the matters alleged in the
complaint or addressed or affected by the consent decree or settlement
agreement.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HC63E35E08F4C425F9897936F1C28FCF1"><enum>(6)</enum><text>The defendant
agency shall—</text>
<subparagraph id="H5E555E54294E4D66837E338BB49E3B01"><enum>(A)</enum><text>respond to public
comments received under paragraph (5); and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HBA0DE4E7C7124DD5BFCDDBDDEF9A1A86"><enum>(B)</enum><text>when moving that
the court enter the consent decree or for dismissal pursuant to the settlement
agreement—</text>
<clause id="H3DCAAEE73F7044779DBF1FC52832EDE6"><enum>(i)</enum><text>inform the court
of the statutory basis for the proposed consent decree or settlement agreement
and its terms;</text>
</clause><clause id="HB762E4198AB64E718F25718807D61850"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>submit to the
court a summary of the public comments and agency responses;</text>
</clause><clause id="H37430D3907384300801BAEFB7BA277E5"><enum>(iii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">certify the index to the administrative
record of the notice and comment proceeding to the court; and</text>
</clause><clause id="HAB39561253204C2FBDD2F7D7167DCDEA"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>make that record
fully accessible to the court.</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H4FDDC9E7C98742C7BCE5DE236AE0A510"><enum>(7)</enum><text>The court shall
include in the judicial record the full administrative record, the index to
which was certified by the agency under paragraph (6).</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HDA1B66AD084B4C19B30580F32072CEA3"><enum>(8)</enum><text>If the consent
decree or settlement agreement requires an agency action by a date certain, the
agency shall, when moving for entry of the consent decree or dismissal based on
the settlement agreement—</text>
<subparagraph id="H64967683606646CEBD79A96F28D09E5D"><enum>(A)</enum><text>inform the court
of any uncompleted mandatory duties to take regulatory action that the decree
or agreement does not address;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H644D0C04E06A4E0BABF1269107B241C6"><enum>(B)</enum><text>how the decree or
agreement, if approved, would affect the discharge of those duties; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H620A627C2E97466B96C86D5C2E43F754"><enum>(C)</enum><text>why the decree’s
or agreement’s effects on the order in which the agency discharges its
mandatory duties is in the public interest.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H8FD55BBCE8E24C098690D966363CF09C"><enum>(9)</enum><text>The court shall
presume, subject to rebuttal, that it is proper to allow amicus participation
by any party who filed public comments on the consent decree or settlement
agreement during the court’s consideration of a motion to enter the decree or
dismiss the case on the basis of the agreement.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HB887A09DF5D44F31B0E459F3D2253DA4"><enum>(10)</enum><text>The court shall
ensure that the proposed consent decree or settlement agreement allows
sufficient time and procedure for the agency to comply with
<external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/5/5">chapter
5</external-xref> of title 5, United States Code, and other applicable statutes
that govern rule making and, unless contrary to the public interest, the
provisions of any executive orders that govern rule making.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H47EF007B50B7497CAB1E7E77766D67D5"><enum>(11)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The defendant agency may, at its
discretion, hold a public hearing pursuant to notice in the Federal Register
and by electronic means, on whether to enter into the consent decree or
settlement agreement. If such a hearing is held, then, in accordance with
paragraph (6), the agency shall submit to the court a summary of the
proceedings and the certified index to the hearing record, full access to the
hearing record shall be given to the court, and the full hearing record shall
be included in the judicial record.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H43EAF0807C4541619AAAC77019B37F30"><enum>(12)</enum><text>The Attorney
General, in cases litigated by the Department of Justice, or the head of the
defendant Federal agency, in cases litigated independently by that agency,
shall certify to the court his or her approval of any proposed consent decree
or settlement agreement that contains any of the following terms—</text>
<subparagraph id="H08C5BB920F45416EAC43414622627D46"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in the case of a
consent decree, terms that—</text>
<clause id="HDA1115CE4C5D474DA69D2DEC297F27F2"><enum>(i)</enum><text>convert into
mandatory duties the otherwise discretionary authorities of an agency to
propose, promulgate, revise or amend regulations;</text>
</clause><clause id="HEAAB411E6EF04521AD261136FC86BAEE"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>commit the agency
to expend funds that Congress has not appropriated and that have not been
budgeted for the action in question, or commit an agency to seek a particular
appropriation or budget authorization;</text>
</clause><clause id="H3E23C60CA3014B2EB41403DFD026587D"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>divest the
agency of discretion committed to it by Congress or the Constitution, whether
such discretionary power was granted to respond to changing circumstances, to
make policy or managerial choices, or to protect the rights of third parties;
or</text>
</clause><clause id="H55BD2FD9CE174511B574593102A269D4"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>otherwise afford
relief that the court could not enter on its own authority upon a final
judgment in the litigation; or</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HFAFC6A746A1D4193B036D5C9A4062341"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in the case of a
settlement agreement, terms that—</text>
<clause id="HB177395E4C6B4F0DA8C14058DE646207"><enum>(i)</enum><text>interfere with the
agency’s authority to revise, amend, or issue rules through the procedures set
forth in <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/5/5">chapter 5</external-xref> of title 5, United
States Code, or any other statute or executive order prescribing rule making
procedures for rule makings that are the subject of the settlement
agreement;</text>
</clause><clause id="H7D518E76DA0D4822B998FE4DD231A741"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>commit the agency
to expend funds that Congress has not appropriated and that have not been
budgeted for the action in question; or</text>
</clause><clause id="HF833AE07FBF648E4A9285E9B77110AB7"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>provide a remedy
for the agency’s failure to comply with the terms of the settlement agreement
other than the revival of the action resolved by the settlement agreement, if
the agreement commits the agency to exercise its discretion in a particular way
and such discretionary power was committed to the agency by Congress or the
Constitution to respond to changing circumstances, to make policy or managerial
choices, or to protect the rights of third parties.</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H0E8D52FDB89744E3A226EED76BA6E5DC"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Annual
reports</header><text>Each agency shall submit an annual report to Congress on
the number, identity, and content of complaints, consent decrees, and
settlement agreements described in paragraph (1) for that year, the statutory
basis for each consent decree or settlement agreement and its terms, and any
awards of attorneys fees or costs in actions resolved by such decrees or
agreements.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="H551A3FCEDA6F4FDFB3A08EC7BD9DA2AE"><enum>303.</enum><header>Motions to
modify consent decrees</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">When a
defendant agency moves the court to modify a previously entered consent decree
described under section 302 and the basis of the motion is that the terms of
the decree are no longer fully in the public interest due to the agency’s
obligations to fulfill other duties or due to changed facts and circumstances,
the court shall review the motion and the consent decree de novo.</text>
</section><section id="H8328390E006047A093978FEC66396136"><enum>304.</enum><header>Effective
date</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The provisions of this
title apply to any covered consent decree or settlement agreement proposed to a
court after the date of enactment of this title.</text>
</section><enum>IV</enum><header>Unfunded Mandates
Information and Transparency</header>
<section id="H429E4BD17452491A9574DBAEE24B37CF" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>401.</enum><header>Short
title</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This title may be cited
as the <quote><short-title>Unfunded Mandates Information
and Transparency Act of 2012</short-title></quote>.</text>
</section><section id="H2383C928259B4157A164DCA5CEC23EB8"><enum>402.</enum><header>Purpose</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The purpose of this title is—</text>
<paragraph id="HE332A0A054574791BBB8FEE1311D8235"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">to improve the quality of the deliberations
of Congress with respect to proposed Federal mandates by—</text>
<subparagraph id="H11167FD267714ACEB6E9F35C09BAF5AB"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">providing Congress and the public with more
complete information about the effects of such mandates; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HE1C7B215D2324246B63E02702D26C10A"><enum>(B)</enum><text>ensuring that
Congress acts on such mandates only after focused deliberation on their
effects; and</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H931ACB53AA1147C7A6E6B12E6C6AA032"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">to enhance the ability of Congress and the
public to identify Federal mandates that may impose undue harm on consumers,
workers, employers, small businesses, and State, local, and tribal
governments.</text>
</paragraph></section><section commented="no" id="H2C5A3A3BCD834B10B91C6E0F2C2BF74C"><enum>403.</enum><header>Providing for
Congressional Budget Office studies on policies involving changes in conditions
of grant aid</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 202(g) of
the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/602">2 U.S.C. 602(g)</external-xref>) is amended by adding
at the end the following new paragraph:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H916DC07574664F52A52243B3E73C36E1" style="OLC">
<paragraph id="HEEC0C840EC724171AA5D7071D42446C6"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Additional
studies</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">At the request of any
Chairman or ranking member of the minority of a Committee of the Senate or the
House of Representatives, the Director shall conduct an assessment comparing
the authorized level of funding in a bill or resolution to the prospective
costs of carrying out any changes to a condition of Federal assistance being
imposed on State, local, or tribal governments participating in the Federal
assistance program concerned or, in the case of a bill or joint resolution that
authorizes such sums as are necessary, an assessment of an estimated level of
funding compared to such
costs.</text>
</paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><section id="H447122CDA1044EB7AC997F8CB6C9E328"><enum>404.</enum><header>Clarifying the
definition of direct costs to reflect Congressional Budget Office
practice</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 421(3) of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/658">2 U.S.C. 658(3)(A)(i)</external-xref>) is
amended—</text>
<paragraph id="H501B32DB94D04C0F8631A7333FFC7868"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subparagraph
(A)(i), by inserting <quote>incur or</quote> before <quote>be required</quote>;
and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H6759A19FC6384EAA9F640B07A1364717"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in subparagraph
(B), by inserting after <quote>to spend</quote> the following: <quote>or could
forgo in profits, including costs passed on to consumers or other entities
taking into account, to the extent practicable, behavioral
changes,</quote>.</text>
</paragraph></section><section id="HFE588840D8C546F6845FFC6FA490B90C"><enum>405.</enum><header>Expanding the
scope of reporting requirements to include regulations imposed by independent
regulatory agencies</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Paragraph
(1) of section 421 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/658">2 U.S.C. 658</external-xref>) is
amended by striking <quote>, but does not include independent regulatory
agencies</quote> and inserting <quote>, except it does not include the Board of
Governors of the Federal Reserve System or the Federal Open Market
Committee</quote>.</text>
</section><section id="HC3D0A64232F54CCC9E8C1BBF7DE26FCD"><enum>406.</enum><header>Amendments to
replace Office of Management and Budget with Office of Information and
Regulatory Affairs</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (<external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/104/4">Public Law 104–4</external-xref>;
<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/1511">2 U.S.C. 1511 et
seq.</external-xref>) is amended—</text>
<paragraph id="H4CF44B20022C4AA7B4B8DB50A4AE3388"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in section 103(c)
(<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/1511">2 U.S.C.
1511(c)</external-xref>)—</text>
<subparagraph id="HF7D21A31D2F04CD18814F0E4764571A3"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in the subsection
heading, by striking <quote><header-in-text level="subsection" style="OLC">Office of Management and Budget</header-in-text></quote> and
inserting <quote><header-in-text level="subsection" style="OLC">Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs</header-in-text></quote>; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HCF452DFADABB46B3866337586310234A"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking
<quote>Director of the Office of Management and Budget</quote> and inserting
<quote>Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs</quote>;</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HD87BDE321D394EB5975631C7D361100E"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in section 205(c)
(<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/1535">2 U.S.C.
1535(c)</external-xref>)—</text>
<subparagraph id="H8CA7F914A3854FC69000269B6AE704DF"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in the subsection
heading, by striking <quote><header-in-text level="subsection" style="OLC">OMB</header-in-text></quote>; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HE5E3E75570A14175AB62216463367457"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking
<quote>Director of the Office of Management and Budget</quote> and inserting
<quote>Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs</quote>; and</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H1267B176C14A4ADABBD38C6AD7E7A5D1"><enum>(3)</enum><text>in section 206
(<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/1536">2 U.S.C.
1536</external-xref>), by striking <quote>Director of the Office of Management
and Budget</quote> and inserting <quote>Administrator of the Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs</quote>.</text>
</paragraph></section><section id="H28696F3FFFE7407EAEE9ECA5DF9B3C1B" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>407.</enum><header>Applying substantive
point of order to private sector mandates</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 425(a)(2) of the Congressional
Budget Act of 1974 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/658d">2
U.S.C. 658d(a)(2)</external-xref>) is amended—</text>
<paragraph id="H16E05466F76D4F7CA89836C08A2E3F49"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking
<quote>Federal intergovernmental mandates</quote> and inserting <quote>Federal
mandates</quote>; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H5E1656A7A99C473AB86FE44BA87BBCBF"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by inserting
<quote>or 424(b)(1)</quote> after <quote>section 424(a)(1)</quote>.</text>
</paragraph></section><section id="H9BA4766E3A41485E8638D307EB89570F"><enum>408.</enum><header>Regulatory
process and principles</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section
201 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/1531">2 U.S.C. 1531</external-xref>) is amended to read as
follows:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H18CEEC75BC594FCC9BA841130FD2A16E" style="OLC">
<section id="HB72131C5168F46C9B2BF62B7B6D88726"><enum>201.</enum><header>Regulatory
process and principles</header>
<subsection id="H7C1FEF0CD8244D2496E46607F3DC5295"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Each agency shall,
unless otherwise expressly prohibited by law, assess the effects of Federal
regulatory actions on State, local, and tribal governments and the private
sector (other than to the extent that such regulatory actions incorporate
requirements specifically set forth in law) in accordance with the following
principles:</text>
<paragraph id="H1239030AE15E47E6833E8967180B840D"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Each agency shall identify the problem that
it intends to address (including, if applicable, the failures of private
markets or public institutions that warrant new agency action) as well as
assess the significance of that problem.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HF1F74166C8AF4C898E8CD1C970B51BF2"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Each agency shall
examine whether existing regulations (or other law) have created, or
contributed to, the problem that a new regulation is intended to correct and
whether those regulations (or other law) should be modified to achieve the
intended goal of regulation more effectively.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HA38B8EA1AF8149D9A48F14E21A9097CE"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Each agency shall
identify and assess available alternatives to direct regulation, including
providing economic incentives to encourage the desired behavior, such as user
fees or marketable permits, or providing information upon which choices can be
made by the public.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HC6A54F438F6C488EB19B111B7151D706"><enum>(4)</enum><text>If an agency
determines that a regulation is the best available method of achieving the
regulatory objective, it shall design its regulations in the most
cost-effective manner to achieve the regulatory objective. In doing so, each
agency shall consider incentives for innovation, consistency, predictability,
the costs of enforcement and compliance (to the government, regulated entities,
and the public), flexibility, distributive impacts, and equity.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H4B97C5490BC944D4A5A010E72F66EEF2"><enum>(5)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Each agency shall assess both the costs and
the benefits of the intended regulation and, recognizing that some costs and
benefits are difficult to quantify, propose or adopt a regulation, unless
expressly prohibited by law, only upon a reasoned determination that the
benefits of the intended regulation justify its costs.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HC31EAA414E944A8185025949C925AF41"><enum>(6)</enum><text>Each agency shall
base its decisions on the best reasonably obtainable scientific, technical,
economic, and other information concerning the need for, and consequences of,
the intended regulation.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HD00F9DC0A5544F09B226C05908D95120"><enum>(7)</enum><text>Each agency shall
identify and assess alternative forms of regulation and shall, to the extent
feasible, specify performance objectives, rather than specifying the behavior
or manner of compliance that regulated entities must adopt.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H0BE8647846E24A688DF151C25D088FD8"><enum>(8)</enum><text>Each agency shall
avoid regulations that are inconsistent, incompatible, or duplicative with its
other regulations or those of other Federal agencies.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HB865ABADDE9A42059FFEA31BEF6D811B"><enum>(9)</enum><text>Each agency shall
tailor its regulations to minimize the costs of the cumulative impact of
regulations.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HF520D512BDF64EA3B27122C46F66F3AD"><enum>(10)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Each agency shall draft its regulations to
be simple and easy to understand, with the goal of minimizing the potential for
uncertainty and litigation arising from such uncertainty.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HCCBD6D8C3DDA4DFDA31316EEC9352488"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Regulatory
action defined</header><text>In this section, the term <term>regulatory
action</term> means any substantive action by an agency (normally published in
the Federal Register) that promulgates or is expected to lead to the
promulgation of a final rule or regulation, including advance notices of
proposed rulemaking and notices of proposed
rulemaking.</text>
</subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><section id="H98A53D28443448D78244041FE734D26B"><enum>409.</enum><header>Expanding the
scope of statements to accompany significant regulatory actions</header>
<subsection id="H0E085C7550F64F1882609BFE75FA67F4"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Subsection (a) of
section 202 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/1532">2 U.S.C. 1532</external-xref>) is
amended to read as follows:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H5951320F96BA43F8B27E6D1AF81B1086" style="OLC">
<subsection id="H94CBD8D89C194E4F8AB9DA7DB0F9FEE3"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Unless otherwise
expressly prohibited by law, before promulgating any general notice of proposed
rulemaking or any final rule, or within six months after promulgating any final
rule that was not preceded by a general notice of proposed rulemaking, if the
proposed rulemaking or final rule includes a Federal mandate that may result in
an annual effect on State, local, or tribal governments, or to the private
sector, in the aggregate of $50,000,000 or more in any 1 year, the agency shall
prepare a written statement containing the following:</text>
<paragraph id="H61359F99201A4A1AB0DF4036DD04D095"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The text of the
draft proposed rulemaking or final rule, together with a reasonably detailed
description of the need for the proposed rulemaking or final rule and an
explanation of how the proposed rulemaking or final rule will meet that
need.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H8352D42C08A049BFA2632005ACE735BA"><enum>(2)</enum><text>An assessment of
the potential costs and benefits of the proposed rulemaking or final rule,
including an explanation of the manner in which the proposed rulemaking or
final rule is consistent with a statutory requirement and avoids undue
interference with State, local, and tribal governments in the exercise of their
governmental functions.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HB62CC0ED5A6E435C8D426DE1182A961B"><enum>(3)</enum><text>A qualitative and
quantitative assessment, including the underlying analysis, of benefits
anticipated from the proposed rulemaking or final rule (such as the promotion
of the efficient functioning of the economy and private markets, the
enhancement of health and safety, the protection of the natural environment,
and the elimination or reduction of discrimination or bias).</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H3DBA6619FDE7475CA390D99C6D87B141"><enum>(4)</enum><text>A qualitative and
quantitative assessment, including the underlying analysis, of costs
anticipated from the proposed rulemaking or final rule (such as the direct
costs both to the Government in administering the final rule and to businesses
and others in complying with the final rule, and any adverse effects on the
efficient functioning of the economy, private markets (including productivity,
employment, and international competitiveness), health, safety, and the natural
environment);</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H8E80DB7AC0714D13BDC26073648ADBBF"><enum>(5)</enum><text>Estimates by the
agency, if and to the extent that the agency determines that accurate estimates
are reasonably feasible, of—</text>
<subparagraph id="H48760606FA6845FD972D3E062A18788E"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the future
compliance costs of the Federal mandate; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H3220DD4EF18441F488BDF754FBAB0109"><enum>(B)</enum><text>any
disproportionate budgetary effects of the Federal mandate upon any particular
regions of the nation or particular State, local, or tribal governments, urban
or rural or other types of communities, or particular segments of the private
sector.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H46274999092C488EB6AD29F692CB83A9"><enum>(6)</enum><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H654B083750E34B1AB8EF609687395548"><enum>(A)</enum><text>A detailed description
of the extent of the agency’s prior consultation with the private sector and
elected representatives (under section 204) of the affected State, local, and
tribal governments.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H681EA3BB37444D3F85EEC6A72FB8F67F" indent="up1"><enum>(B)</enum><text>A detailed summary of the comments and
concerns that were presented by the private sector and State, local, or tribal
governments either orally or in writing to the agency.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HFC43CAADE5C9487F9ABE61A4E2C2B607" indent="up1"><enum>(C)</enum><text>A detailed summary of the agency’s
evaluation of those comments and concerns.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HF7319FA87E204B1FAE4E947F1A94C7EB"><enum>(7)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A detailed summary of how the agency
complied with each of the regulatory principles described in section 201.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subsection><subsection id="H764CD3BD92F64A17BD9ED86A3D6D07A5"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Requirement for
detailed summary</header><text>Subsection (b) of section 202 of such Act is
amended by inserting <quote>detailed</quote> before <quote>summary</quote>.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="H6F6F71BF05744182BEDAA0CBF5AC46AD"><enum>410.</enum><header>Enhanced
stakeholder consultation</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 204 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform
Act of 1995 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/1534">2 U.S.C.
1534</external-xref>) is amended—</text>
<paragraph id="H2DCCD727E6364048A6609CEDB1C323C1"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in the section
heading, by inserting <quote><header-in-text level="section" style="OLC">and
private sector</header-in-text></quote> before <quote><header-in-text level="section" style="OLC">input</header-in-text></quote>;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H930E158ACA614C5B9A66B82EB96BE497"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in subsection
(a)—</text>
<subparagraph id="H735876D79AD54F04B1C83DC1EF0DA084"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by inserting
<quote>, and impacted parties within the private sector (including small
business),</quote> after <quote>on their behalf)</quote>;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H87BE195CE5E744A28D8527B5BDB43968"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking
<quote>Federal intergovernmental mandates</quote> and inserting <quote>Federal
mandates</quote>; and</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H3F18B1F134844B64AAC1A2BD33062112"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by amending
subsection (c) to read as follows:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H71EA5D62B9A548F6852064BC97381513" style="OLC">
<subsection id="H1C69747120B049FB9710AD3D6695F862"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Guidelines</header><text>For
appropriate implementation of subsections (a) and (b) consistent with
applicable laws and regulations, the following guidelines shall be
followed:</text>
<paragraph id="HCCF3817F1C3E4ABC9C8D8CA192A7BDDB"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Consultations
shall take place as early as possible, before issuance of a notice of proposed
rulemaking, continue through the final rule stage, and be integrated explicitly
into the rulemaking process.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HA8AB30A9C6BE42D5B25DC33AA6AE5701"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Agencies shall
consult with a wide variety of State, local, and tribal officials and impacted
parties within the private sector (including small businesses). Geographic,
political, and other factors that may differentiate varying points of view
should be considered.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H799C31FB2D0B46599CEF4F74F9A018F1"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Agencies should
estimate benefits and costs to assist with these consultations. The scope of
the consultation should reflect the cost and significance of the Federal
mandate being considered.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HB472BFA897804E37AD52E181365645C6"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Agencies shall, to
the extent practicable—</text>
<subparagraph id="H34003131C48D4C569A50586E888F20F8"><enum>(A)</enum><text>seek out the views
of State, local, and tribal governments, and impacted parties within the
private sector (including small business), on costs, benefits, and risks;
and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H7F2CE3D5939E46C59A79E0B878803FC5"><enum>(B)</enum><text>solicit ideas
about alternative methods of compliance and potential flexibilities, and input
on whether the Federal regulation will harmonize with and not duplicate similar
laws in other levels of government.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HD3BDF4C0DC4E4ECF979059F0893DC1F2"><enum>(5)</enum><text>Consultations
shall address the cumulative impact of regulations on the affected
entities.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HEF813B62F3E94E2F9302FA7751895C16"><enum>(6)</enum><text>Agencies may
accept electronic submissions of comments by relevant parties but may not use
those comments as the sole method of satisfying the guidelines in this
subsection.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></section><section id="H110B61C4617C4B55BD1F44CD40F5A9D8"><enum>411.</enum><header>New authorities
and responsibilities for Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 208 of the
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/1538">2 U.S.C. 1538</external-xref>) is amended to read as
follows:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H8B96F1C84E6F4B8AA09630CDF9C6FBC4" style="OLC">
<section id="H816DC5A7FAFB4FEC8C7396C01328A68C"><enum>208.</enum><header>Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs responsibilities</header>
<subsection id="HBF6EF2A9CC3740D8B963B76F168EB6A8"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
General</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Administrator of
the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs shall provide meaningful
guidance and oversight so that each agency’s regulations for which a written
statement is required under section 202 are consistent with the principles and
requirements of this title, as well as other applicable laws, and do not
conflict with the policies or actions of another agency. If the Administrator
determines that an agency’s regulations for which a written statement is
required under section 202 do not comply with such principles and requirements,
are not consistent with other applicable laws, or conflict with the policies or
actions of another agency, the Administrator shall identify areas of
non-compliance, notify the agency, and request that the agency comply before
the agency finalizes the regulation concerned.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H8A782DDD0487439BB49430923DFCA6F7"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Annual
Statements to Congress on Agency Compliance</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Director of the Office of Information
and Regulatory Affairs annually shall submit to Congress, including 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
written report detailing compliance by each agency with the requirements of
this title that relate to regulations for which a written statement is required
by section 202, including activities undertaken at the request of the Director
to improve compliance, during the preceding reporting period. The report shall
also contain an appendix detailing compliance by each agency with section
204.</text>
</subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><section id="HA48566FC7EAA46F496A755F7ACA48D7E"><enum>412.</enum><header>Retrospective
analysis of existing Federal regulations</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995
(<external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/104/4">Public Law
104–4</external-xref>;
<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/1511">2 U.S.C. 1511 et
seq.</external-xref>) is amended—</text>
<paragraph id="HAF8E31ADB6E74B8EA66C8D44504B968E"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by redesignating
section 209 as section 210; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H326F3B41E1A541D2B7A9CAE3FD8E273D"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by inserting after
section 208 the following new section 209:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HD9C47DE437304C88811F68D5ACDCB536" style="OLC">
<section id="H16BFEC322516443FB68479B4CEADFF42"><enum>209.</enum><header>Retrospective
analysis of existing Federal regulations</header>
<subsection id="H4C23ED1BF6354394A735D7014083E66E"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Requirement</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">At the request of the chairman or ranking
minority member of a standing or select committee of the House of
Representatives or the Senate, an agency shall conduct a retrospective analysis
of an existing Federal regulation promulgated by an agency.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H50C77F35CA104CD1A41DBE3173715FA7"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Report</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Each agency conducting a retrospective
analysis of existing Federal regulations pursuant to subsection (a) shall
submit to the chairman of the relevant committee, Congress, and the Comptroller
General a report containing, with respect to each Federal regulation covered by
the analysis—</text>
<paragraph id="H788A346140114E59B9FC61F6E78F051C"><enum>(1)</enum><text>a copy of the
Federal regulation;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H6A46BFBF35E74DFCB9CB61644CF8F343"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the continued need
for the Federal regulation;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H406CECF45348463F95428681FF26B62B"><enum>(3)</enum><text>the nature of
comments or complaints received concerning the Federal regulation from the
public since the Federal regulation was promulgated;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H96F35AB0D6734B4EA1DB5770AB591566"><enum>(4)</enum><text>the extent to
which the Federal regulation overlaps, duplicates, or conflicts with other
Federal regulations, and, to the extent feasible, with State and local
governmental rules;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HECD823E86C7146D09C05200FA58260CE"><enum>(5)</enum><text>the degree to
which technology, economic conditions, or other factors have changed in the
area affected by the Federal regulation;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H42A6F818AEEE4B94B7C121C36EFD20A4"><enum>(6)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a complete analysis of the retrospective
direct costs and benefits of the Federal regulation that considers studies done
outside the Federal Government (if any) estimating such costs or benefits;
and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H8C82A39E8B8B4CCF9C9A4F913AB8E705"><enum>(7)</enum><text>any litigation
history challenging the Federal
regulation.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></section><section commented="no" id="H8910BB15C2B14F6DAFDBA2F82FA2F684"><enum>413.</enum><header>Expansion of
judicial review</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 401(a)
of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/1571">2 U.S.C. 1571(a)</external-xref>) is amended—</text>
<paragraph commented="no" id="H364A42759D2441CC84EDD962B0B7716C"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in paragraphs (1)
and (2)(A)—</text>
<subparagraph commented="no" id="H1FD57CA4F7474EB183DDB11AFB50AA0D"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking
<quote>sections 202 and 203(a)(1) and (2)</quote> each place it appears and
inserting <quote>sections 201, 202, 203(a)(1) and (2), and 205(a) and
(b)</quote>; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="H79B2B6B0D100499F969499825F0F8B74"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking
<quote>only</quote> each place it appears;</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="H6EBF5C331A4B4CA4BBAE87F447DCF963"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in paragraph
(2)(B), by striking <quote>section 202</quote> and all that follows through the
period at the end and inserting the following: <quote>section 202, prepare the
written plan under section 203(a)(1) and (2), or comply with section 205(a) and
(b), a court may compel the agency to prepare such written statement, prepare
such written plan, or comply with such section.</quote>; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="HE41A371A9DC64A52BBAC5F46FDF1C4F4"><enum>(3)</enum><text>in paragraph (3),
by striking <quote>written statement or plan is required</quote> and all that
follows through <quote>shall not</quote> and inserting the following:
<quote>written statement under section 202, a written plan under section
203(a)(1) and (2), or compliance with sections 201 and 205(a) and (b) is
required, the inadequacy or failure to prepare such statement (including the
inadequacy or failure to prepare any estimate, analysis, statement, or
description), to prepare such written plan, or to comply with such section
may</quote>.</text>
</paragraph></section><enum>V</enum><header>Improved
Coordination of Agency Actions on Environmental Documents</header>
<section id="H3C8A52BBE1D24D70BDDFCC36A42ACAE4" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>501.</enum><header>Short
title</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This title may be cited
as the <quote><short-title>Responsibly And Professionally
Invigorating Development Act of 2012</short-title></quote> or as the
<quote>RAPID Act</quote>.</text>
</section><section id="H77568E31442744FBBFBD2523CC7D831F"><enum>502.</enum><header>Coordination of
agency administrative operations for efficient decisionmaking</header>
<subsection id="H587629643C674353BDED628A50969468"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Part I of
<external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/5/5">chapter
5</external-xref> of title 5, United States Code, is amended by inserting after
subchapter II the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HD20E81F312E7402AB7ACC521F3B5E53E" style="USC">
<subchapter id="H6789EF31959C41F0B5A9BFD606492644"><enum>IIA</enum><header>Interagency
coordination regarding permitting</header>
<section id="H912F5FA4C6EA4A3CB63B5B4052C8CDF9"><enum>560.</enum><header>Coordination of
agency administrative operations for efficient decisionmaking</header>
<subsection id="HAB2BD447546B4E4BA7C2FD153194FACE"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Congressional
declaration of purpose</header><text>The purpose of this subchapter is to
establish a framework and procedures to streamline, increase the efficiency of,
and enhance coordination of agency administration of the regulatory review,
environmental decisionmaking, and permitting process for projects undertaken,
reviewed, or funded by Federal agencies. This subchapter will ensure that
agencies administer the regulatory process in a manner that is efficient so
that citizens are not burdened with regulatory excuses and time delays.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HEEF7B8070E88477BB50D20D2B127B284"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>For
purposes of this subchapter, the term—</text>
<paragraph id="H4849FEA5930D4CE0B9C30EBA5919D527"><enum>(1)</enum><text><quote>agency</quote>
means any agency, department, or other unit of Federal, State, local, or Indian
tribal government;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H56718A1A10B94AD0A316524F83012F88"><enum>(2)</enum><text><quote>category of
projects</quote> means 2 or more projects related by project type, potential
environmental impacts, geographic location, or another similar project feature
or characteristic;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H2295DEFC4BBA433084895133960CC113"><enum>(3)</enum><text><quote>environmental
assessment</quote> means a concise public document for which a Federal agency
is responsible that serves to—</text>
<subparagraph id="HC7923837F99B49FD8CC2C25B3B304B7E"><enum>(A)</enum><text>briefly provide
sufficient evidence and analysis for determining whether to prepare an
environmental impact statement or a finding of no significant impact;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HE61B57C61F9740B8AFC9147F3F866318"><enum>(B)</enum><text>aid an agency’s
compliance with NEPA when no environmental impact statement is necessary;
and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H962E5FEE4E51473ABAB5B0957DDD3EFF"><enum>(C)</enum><text>facilitate
preparation of an environmental impact statement when one is necessary;</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H86E7E111FCC742F0AF8CE2034195BCB3"><enum>(4)</enum><text><quote>environmental
impact statement</quote> means the detailed statement of significant
environmental impacts required to be prepared under NEPA;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HE3A70286D3F44977B38B8D6879CBD486"><enum>(5)</enum><text><quote>environmental
review</quote> means the Federal agency procedures for preparing an
environmental impact statement, environmental assessment, categorical
exclusion, or other document under NEPA;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H57D8001188C745CE92A0F8850E640645"><enum>(6)</enum><text><quote>environmental
decisionmaking process</quote> means the Federal agency procedures for
undertaking and completion of any environmental permit, decision, approval,
review, or study under any Federal law other than NEPA for a project subject to
an environmental review;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="HA29A6EBBCD474CB580D402CCC2A51C90"><enum>(7)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline"><quote>environmental document</quote> means
an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement, and includes any
supplemental document or document prepared pursuant to a court order;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H5D82708E2F4E4226868352CBEAA3CE52"><enum>(8)</enum><text><quote>finding of
no significant impact</quote> means a document by a Federal agency briefly
presenting the reasons why a project, not otherwise subject to a categorical
exclusion, will not have a significant effect on the human environment and for
which an environmental impact statement therefore will not be prepared;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H4B6EEB81D31F4C0FA7C36B0434183F39"><enum>(9)</enum><text><quote>lead
agency</quote> means the Federal agency preparing or responsible for preparing
the environmental document;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HBB29AF2AC0ED45AE96DFCA1F4A3B8427"><enum>(10)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline"><quote>NEPA</quote> means the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/4321">42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.</external-xref>);</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H6EDF6AAAE1CD4CA8850CCEE118856FE5"><enum>(11)</enum><text><quote>project</quote>
means major Federal actions that are construction activities undertaken with
Federal funds or that are construction activities that require approval by a
permit or regulatory decision issued by a Federal agency;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HDF0E15FCDCFD41A2B27DAFEBFD63C67A"><enum>(12)</enum><text><quote>project
sponsor</quote> means the agency or other entity, including any private or
public-private entity, that seeks approval for a project or is otherwise
responsible for undertaking a project; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HE686CEE6949C48BDB3EDAB0D206FF993"><enum>(13)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline"><quote>record of decision</quote> means a
document prepared by a lead agency under NEPA following an environmental impact
statement that states the lead agency’s decision, identifies the alternatives
considered by the agency in reaching its decision and states whether all
practicable means to avoid or minimize environmental harm from the alternative
selected have been adopted, and if not, why they were not adopted.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H6BE9C69AD346436A9AF4CD5815B8CCA9"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Preparation of
environmental documents</header><text>Upon the request of the lead agency, the
project sponsor shall be authorized to prepare any document for purposes of an
environmental review required in support of any project or approval by the lead
agency if the lead agency furnishes oversight in such preparation and
independently evaluates such document and the document is approved and adopted
by the lead agency prior to taking any action or making any approval based on
such document.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HCB8745E8B0AD4712BD5245F50E9B5F8A"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Adoption and use
of documents</header>
<paragraph id="HC8CBE4F3D169435F99531CD4BB985DEB"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Documents
prepared under nepa</header>
<subparagraph id="H275A8CD114CC47FE94E4B2863A462BD4"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not more than 1 environmental impact
statement and 1 environmental assessment shall be prepared under NEPA for a
project (except for supplemental environmental documents prepared under NEPA or
environmental documents prepared pursuant to a court order), and, except as
otherwise provided by law, the lead agency shall prepare the environmental
impact statement or environmental assessment. After the lead agency issues a
record of decision, no Federal agency responsible for making any approval for
that project may rely on a document other than the environmental document
prepared by the lead agency.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HAE63978FD3914E26AB414A594396FEA0"><enum>(B)</enum><text>Upon the request
of a project sponsor, a lead agency may adopt, use, or rely upon secondary and
cumulative impact analyses included in any environmental document prepared
under NEPA for projects in the same geographic area where the secondary and
cumulative impact analyses provide information and data that pertains to the
NEPA decision for the project under review.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HE5B72CC8BFF24D319296958A1B435114"><enum>(2)</enum><header>State
environmental documents; Supplemental documents</header>
<subparagraph id="H667B034C4BDB486BB9804107097FFD88"><enum>(A)</enum><text>Upon the request
of a project sponsor, a lead agency may adopt a document that has been prepared
for a project under State laws and procedures as the environmental impact
statement or environmental assessment for the project, provided that the State
laws and procedures under which the document was prepared provide environmental
protection and opportunities for public involvement that are substantially
equivalent to NEPA.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H0AE3899B00F54AB1B14077EB46513910"><enum>(B)</enum><text>An environmental
document adopted under subparagraph (A) is deemed to satisfy the lead agency’s
obligation under NEPA to prepare an environmental impact statement or
environmental assessment.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HFA574D9FD9A74CEFABAA6BA05E85F3FF"><enum>(C)</enum><text>In the case of a
document described in subparagraph (A), during the period after preparation of
the document but before its adoption by the lead agency, the lead agency shall
prepare and publish a supplement to that document if the lead agency determines
that—</text>
<clause id="H3D565F682FC848B09DE49480F855B9FF"><enum>(i)</enum><text>a
significant change has been made to the project that is relevant for purposes
of environmental review of the project; or</text>
</clause><clause id="H28886E7B072C4FADA8DF6B82E264948E"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>there have been
significant changes in circumstances or availability of information relevant to
the environmental review for the project.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H8CB6E94C6106475197137C76D822DBEB"><enum>(D)</enum><text>If the agency
prepares and publishes a supplemental document under subparagraph (C), the lead
agency may solicit comments from agencies and the public on the supplemental
document for a period of not more than 45 days beginning on the date of the
publication of the supplement.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H71BD66D1F8154C11A8FA35D0067365DB"><enum>(E)</enum><text>A lead agency
shall issue its record of decision or finding of no significant impact, as
appropriate, based upon the document adopted under subparagraph (A), and any
supplements thereto.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H0D37A90BD68B4AE3BFCF30BF87E74D68"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Contemporaneous
projects</header><text>If the lead agency determines that there is a reasonable
likelihood that the project will have similar environmental impacts as a
similar project in geographical proximity to the project, and that similar
project was subject to environmental review or similar State procedures within
the 5 year period immediately preceding the date that the lead agency makes
that determination, the lead agency may adopt the environmental document that
resulted from that environmental review or similar State procedure. The lead
agency may adopt such an environmental document, if it is prepared under State
laws and procedures only upon making a favorable determination on such
environmental document pursuant to paragraph (2)(A).</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HCB805C8851E04B75A1D87056891CCCD1"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Participating
agencies</header>
<paragraph id="HF7B3F89A7EB54633B3B98AF5F9737AFD"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The lead agency shall
be responsible for inviting and designating participating agencies in
accordance with this subsection. The lead agency shall provide the invitation
or notice of the designation in writing.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H988D018E255B4110B66549D7BFCE10F7"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Federal
participating agencies</header><text>Any Federal agency that is required to
adopt the environmental document of the lead agency for a project shall be
designated as a participating agency and shall collaborate on the preparation
of the environmental document, unless the Federal agency informs the lead
agency, in writing, by a time specified by the lead agency in the designation
of the Federal agency that the Federal agency—</text>
<subparagraph id="H46147A6F99464AD48892CA9425592466"><enum>(A)</enum><text>has no
jurisdiction or authority with respect to the project;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H25F4951EB454411F90F88ABF39D3BAE7"><enum>(B)</enum><text>has no expertise
or information relevant to the project; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HBFE51C816E1B47A09B46FD9477A87B9F"><enum>(C)</enum><text>does not intend to
submit comments on the project.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H6C5C4CFEF4A04E2F9F8111FFDD5AFB71"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Invitation</header><text>The
lead agency shall identify, as early as practicable in the environmental review
for a project, any agencies other than an agency described in paragraph (2)
that may have an interest in the project, including, where appropriate,
Governors of affected States, and heads of appropriate tribal and local
(including county) governments, and shall invite such identified agencies and
officials to become participating agencies in the environmental review for the
project. The invitation shall set a deadline of 30 days for responses to be
submitted, which may only be extended by the lead agency for good cause shown.
Any agency that fails to respond prior to the deadline shall be deemed to have
declined the invitation.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H82E4921F0FA149888C55A7D0AC023DF8"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Effect of
declining participating agency invitation</header><text>Any agency that
declines a designation or invitation by the lead agency to be a participating
agency shall be precluded from submitting comments on any document prepared
under NEPA for that project or taking any measures to oppose, based on the
environmental review, any permit, license, or approval related to that
project.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H4B649137FCEA4A91AC32C0B7D26DE323"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Effect of
designation</header><text>Designation as a participating agency under this
subsection does not imply that the participating agency—</text>
<subparagraph id="H00971204C2574B18BA71B855F8CA1A75"><enum>(A)</enum><text>supports a
proposed project; or</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HEB2475624D6941048E89F32FD6CDCC1F"><enum>(B)</enum><text>has any
jurisdiction over, or special expertise with respect to evaluation of, the
project.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HEE226CDF36EF4BA982888CC7DA3DF2AB"><enum>(6)</enum><header>Cooperating
agency</header><text>A participating agency may also be designated by a lead
agency as a <quote>cooperating agency</quote> under the regulations contained
in part 1500 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on January
1, 2011. Designation as a cooperating agency shall have no effect on
designation as participating agency. No agency that is not a participating
agency may be designated as a cooperating agency.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H7A710DCE12614B8AB632CB352C91114B"><enum>(7)</enum><header>Concurrent
reviews</header><text>Each Federal agency shall—</text>
<subparagraph id="H0A6EED49A99940EAB3B43DF523415947"><enum>(A)</enum><text>carry out
obligations of the Federal agency under other applicable law concurrently and
in conjunction with the review required under NEPA; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HD045C206B2754E4396807D89F42EE481"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in accordance with
the rules made by the Council on Environmental Quality pursuant to subsection
(n)(1), make and carry out such rules, policies, and procedures as may be
reasonably necessary to enable the agency to ensure completion of the
environmental review and environmental decisionmaking process in a timely,
coordinated, and environmentally responsible manner.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HA8388AFF80464CA4A65606778D3EC72F"><enum>(8)</enum><header>Comments</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Each participating agency shall limit its
comments on a project to areas that are within the authority and expertise of
such participating agency. Each participating agency shall identify in such
comments the statutory authority of the participating agency pertaining to the
subject matter of its comments. The lead agency shall not act upon, respond to
or include in any document prepared under NEPA, any comment submitted by a
participating agency that concerns matters that are outside of the authority
and expertise of the commenting participating agency.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H7400D9A5CDF1401BA42C3ACD1506A3B2"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Project
initiation request</header>
<paragraph id="H9ACC7D9F04F84C7C81DE3AA06EAC636F"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Notice</header><text>A
project sponsor shall provide the Federal agency responsible for undertaking a
project with notice of the initiation of the project by providing a description
of the proposed project, the general location of the proposed project, and a
statement of any Federal approvals anticipated to be necessary for the proposed
project, for the purpose of informing the Federal agency that the environmental
review should be initiated.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H93F899A1937841B690AE3FAD8952E3A1"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Lead agency
initiation</header><text>The agency receiving a project initiation notice under
paragraph (1) shall promptly identify the lead agency for the project, and the
lead agency shall initiate the environmental review within a period of 45 days
after receiving the notice required by paragraph (1) by inviting or designating
agencies to become participating agencies, or, where the lead agency determines
that no participating agencies are required for the project, by taking such
other actions that are reasonable and necessary to initiate the environmental
review.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HE3E4B7226F444C16985F65DD1EA290FF"><enum>(g)</enum><header>Alternatives
analysis</header>
<paragraph id="H2BB8A0FF17C344A08F96F28907C7EECB"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Participation</header><text>As
early as practicable during the environmental review, but no later than during
scoping for a project requiring the preparation of an environmental impact
statement, the lead agency shall provide an opportunity for involvement by
cooperating agencies in determining the range of alternatives to be considered
for a project.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H602B2864A1A34CC98BABC01C4BA81A3F"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Range of
alternatives</header><text>Following participation under paragraph (1), the
lead agency shall determine the range of alternatives for consideration in any
document which the lead agency is responsible for preparing for the project,
subject to the following limitations:</text>
<subparagraph id="H70E85BF70D204B1CB8DEC2997418A848"><enum>(A)</enum><header>No evaluation of
certain alternatives</header><text>No Federal agency shall evaluate any
alternative that was identified but not carried forward for detailed evaluation
in an environmental document or evaluated and not selected in any environmental
document prepared under NEPA for the same project.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HB8C4A746021D4B168AFAC369B15EF772"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Only feasible
alternatives evaluated</header><text>Where a project is being constructed,
managed, funded, or undertaken by a project sponsor that is not a Federal
agency, Federal agencies shall only be required to evaluate alternatives that
the project sponsor could feasibly undertake, consistent with the purpose of
and the need for the project, including alternatives that can be undertaken by
the project sponsor and that are technically and economically feasible.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HD714F0D5EC6946CDB96804109A28E3D5"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Methodologies</header>
<subparagraph id="H7B8503CFD1E248BFA618509601319DC4"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The lead agency shall
determine, in collaboration with cooperating agencies at appropriate times
during the environmental review, the methodologies to be used and the level of
detail required in the analysis of each alternative for a project. The lead
agency shall include in the environmental document a description of the
methodologies used and how the methodologies were selected.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H1A604BCC7FDC46599E33716FE6815D68"><enum>(B)</enum><header>No evaluation of
inappropriate alternatives</header><text>When a lead agency determines that an
alternative does not meet the purpose and need for a project, that alternative
is not required to be evaluated in detail in an environmental document.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HCD77D7110FB94CD49222F1832822127F"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Preferred
alternative</header><text>At the discretion of the lead agency, the preferred
alternative for a project, after being identified, may be developed to a higher
level of detail than other alternatives in order to facilitate the development
of mitigation measures or concurrent compliance with other applicable laws if
the lead agency determines that the development of such higher level of detail
will not prevent the lead agency from making an impartial decision as to
whether to accept another alternative which is being considered in the
environmental review.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HB9DD2475723D48F5864C3C6F0C41E6D2"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Employment
analysis</header><text>The evaluation of each alternative in an environmental
impact statement or an environmental assessment shall identify the potential
effects of the alternative on employment, including potential short-term and
long-term employment increases and reductions and shifts in employment.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H8D8DC024B0BF406F86743ECD5D7AC0FD"><enum>(h)</enum><header>Coordination and
scheduling</header>
<paragraph id="H64343314F4804BA9AEB8FD5643B81E6E"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Coordination
plan</header>
<subparagraph id="H001A9913D5CA48F786D05BFD0B384179"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>The lead agency shall establish and implement a plan for
coordinating public and agency participation in and comment on the
environmental review for a project or category of projects to facilitate the
expeditious resolution of the environmental review.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HCCCF8680DDF5452CABE7B59094A5B0C3"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Schedule</header>
<clause id="H9A61709199584AAEA50328B9EA4F9B68"><enum>(i)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>The lead agency shall establish as part of the
coordination plan for a project, after consultation with each participating
agency and, where applicable, the project sponsor, a schedule for completion of
the environmental review. The schedule shall include deadlines, consistent with
subsection (i), for decisions under any other Federal laws (including the
issuance or denial of a permit or license) relating to the project that is
covered by the schedule.</text>
</clause><clause id="H58967A8DF37F4A83812F217693A4D5CC"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Factors for
consideration</header><text>In establishing the schedule, the lead agency shall
consider factors such as—</text>
<subclause id="H9AED57E6B0E54DFE9B42B3C693DC78BD"><enum>(I)</enum><text>the
responsibilities of participating agencies under applicable laws;</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H34BDA34182B145DBA7E77525A33B8B13"><enum>(II)</enum><text>resources
available to the participating agencies;</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H3E48E8B0CAB544C6B0B638FBB122470F"><enum>(III)</enum><text>overall size and
complexity of the project;</text>
</subclause><subclause id="HB7C1D284B2524194AD7D7FAC5DAC7067"><enum>(IV)</enum><text>overall schedule
for and cost of the project;</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H7B062633EA174E90B05CA7767CD020B0"><enum>(V)</enum><text>the sensitivity of
the natural and historic resources that could be affected by the project;
and</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H1379D2CC94D04B03AC72359DF2D4A882"><enum>(VI)</enum><text>the extent to
which similar projects in geographic proximity were recently subject to
environmental review or similar State procedures.</text>
</subclause></clause><clause id="H69DD19D3297145C686DB5ACCB19B16A3"><enum>(iii)</enum><header>Compliance
with the schedule</header>
<subclause id="H709DD42FB4EF4F34BA21C00E976FA711"><enum>(I)</enum><text>All participating
agencies shall comply with the time periods established in the schedule or with
any modified time periods, where the lead agency modifies the schedule pursuant
to subparagraph (D).</text>
</subclause><subclause id="HE83EDC2B053E4E4990006DA5A279B066"><enum>(II)</enum><text>The lead agency
shall disregard and shall not respond to or include in any document prepared
under NEPA, any comment or information submitted or any finding made by a
participating agency that is outside of the time period established in the
schedule or modification pursuant to subparagraph (D) for that agency’s
comment, submission or finding.</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H231F059F376A477C89EB9FEFE36F5A68"><enum>(III)</enum><text>If a
participating agency fails to object in writing to a lead agency decision,
finding or request for concurrence within the time period established under law
or by the lead agency, the agency shall be deemed to have concurred in the
decision, finding or request.</text>
</subclause></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H2DA899FD48F84585991DD348AEE536E2"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Consistency with
other time periods</header><text>A schedule under subparagraph (B) shall be
consistent with any other relevant time periods established under Federal
law.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HFE92C230AC0840BF89AFF23FC8721CBD"><enum>(D)</enum><header>Modification</header><text>The
lead agency may—</text>
<clause id="H99FA1FEC698844838D2DE5984A2890F3"><enum>(i)</enum><text>lengthen a
schedule established under subparagraph (B) for good cause; and</text>
</clause><clause id="H510CB8CC7D9F4FD68F69B11CB28F3BA1"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>shorten a
schedule only with the concurrence of the cooperating agencies.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H69438A66588F485EA9B70209415CD2D9"><enum>(E)</enum><header>Dissemination</header><text>A
copy of a schedule under subparagraph (B), and of any modifications to the
schedule, shall be—</text>
<clause id="H919CDA75313B4B1691EA7AD20B6FA186"><enum>(i)</enum><text>provided within 15
days of completion or modification of such schedule to all participating
agencies and to the project sponsor; and</text>
</clause><clause id="H19BC7CFA048E459591F166DB49FE5DB0"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>made available to
the public.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H6A51B602243A46D585FAFFA6FAB139A2"><enum>(F)</enum><header>Roles and
responsibility of lead agency</header><text>With respect to the environmental
review for any project, the lead agency shall have authority and responsibility
to take such actions as are necessary and proper, within the authority of the
lead agency, to facilitate the expeditious resolution of the environmental
review for the project.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H2421FD5FECCA4914B2EFA3B50844A170"><enum>(i)</enum><header>Deadlines</header><text>The
following deadlines shall apply to any project subject to review under NEPA and
any decision under any Federal law relating to such project (including the
issuance or denial of a permit or license or any required finding):</text>
<paragraph id="H4FEB54D821BD4C089F03295902F8FDF9"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Environmental
review deadlines</header><text>The lead agency shall complete the environmental
review within the following deadlines:</text>
<subparagraph id="HE886C4C359B648E68B1734B4E14A4512"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Environmental
impact statement projects</header><text>For projects requiring preparation of
an environmental impact statement—</text>
<clause id="H4EEBB0DD8C9D4DD585827CDC4F88DFEE"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the lead agency
shall issue an environmental impact statement within 2 years after the earlier
of the date the lead agency receives the project initiation request or a Notice
of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement is published in the
Federal Register; and</text>
</clause><clause id="HB3632CA4A3EA49BDAAA9379EFDADFFB2"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>in circumstances
where the lead agency has prepared an environmental assessment and determined
that an environmental impact statement will be required, the lead agency shall
issue the environmental impact statement within 2 years after the date of
publication of the Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement in the Federal Register.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H67C1B1C84B0F4CEEADAAFF8610A7447A"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Environmental
assessment projects</header><text>For projects requiring preparation of an
environmental assessment, the lead agency shall issue a finding of no
significant impact or publish a Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental
Impact Statement in the Federal Register within 1 year after the earlier of the
date the lead agency receives the project initiation request, makes a decision
to prepare an environmental assessment, or sends out participating agency
invitations.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H2AABF637835F4D18885330F8353C3B3B"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Extensions</header>
<subparagraph id="HB39C988A66F04A7CAC4A73949DB199ED"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Requirements</header><text>The
environmental review deadlines may be extended only if—</text>
<clause id="H03513E70D65C4D58A8F89F17415D3308"><enum>(i)</enum><text>a
different deadline is established by agreement of the lead agency, the project
sponsor, and all participating agencies; or</text>
</clause><clause id="H9CB72BBC3E564764BD72086D9B7F10E1"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the deadline is
extended by the lead agency for good cause.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H0AB0120C61244F4EAB22CBEB74D4EDC0"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Limitation</header><text>The
environmental review shall not be extended by more than 1 year for a project
requiring preparation of an environmental impact statement or by more than 180
days for a project requiring preparation of an environmental assessment.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HD37B4A7F9C1C46B5853DB21A0F13DEC3"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Environmental
review comments</header>
<subparagraph id="HDCB6FB425DDF4608968623E111A15089"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Comments on
draft environmental impact statement</header><text>For comments by agencies and
the public on a draft environmental impact statement, the lead agency shall
establish a comment period of not more than 60 days after publication in the
Federal Register of notice of the date of public availability of such document,
unless—</text>
<clause id="H11B68C1E6BEA42299D8887360BCBF198"><enum>(i)</enum><text>a
different deadline is established by agreement of the lead agency, the project
sponsor, and all participating agencies; or</text>
</clause><clause id="H6D5C0936A3E74AEAB954B5D224915BE7"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the deadline is
extended by the lead agency for good cause.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HC473AEC218B44089ABAE080AB312296D"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Other
comments</header><text>For all other comment periods for agency or public
comments in the environmental review process, the lead agency shall establish a
comment period of no more than 30 days from availability of the materials on
which comment is requested, unless—</text>
<clause id="HB12FF50EC85C4295AC526947ED784513"><enum>(i)</enum><text>a
different deadline is established by agreement of the lead agency, the project
sponsor, and all participating agencies; or</text>
</clause><clause id="H74E5DE2FBDCE4866B247BEB9014FA225"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the deadline is
extended by the lead agency for good cause.</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H23B52541AE284B03AA256FA2885E74BE"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Deadlines for
decisions under other laws</header><text>Notwithstanding any other provision of
law, in any case in which a decision under any other Federal law relating to
the undertaking of a project being reviewed under NEPA (including the issuance
or denial of a permit or license) is required to be made, the following
deadlines shall apply:</text>
<subparagraph id="H2A3247C0982A4EE088F2F65030539033"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Decisions prior
to record of decision or finding of no significant impact</header><text>If a
Federal agency is required to approve, or otherwise to act upon, a permit,
license, or other similar application for approval related to a project prior
to the record of decision or finding of no significant impact, such Federal
agency shall approve or otherwise act not later than the end of a 90 day period
beginning—</text>
<clause id="H892795FF854448A8B682701057C659C2"><enum>(i)</enum><text>after all other
relevant agency review related to the project is complete; and</text>
</clause><clause id="H29A9C8DEC2784B15B67807302E4FF83D"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>after the lead
agency publishes a notice of the availability of the final environmental impact
statement or issuance of other final environmental documents, or no later than
such other date that is otherwise required by law, whichever event occurs
first.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H4304B60547AD4735A2EB7653C4B18857"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Other
decisions</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">With regard to any
approval or other action related to a project by a Federal agency that is not
subject to subparagraph (A), each Federal agency shall approve or otherwise act
not later than the end of a period of 180 days beginning—</text>
<clause id="H8720F2ED0AB241D08C9925885E564F0D"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">after all other relevant agency review
related to the project is complete; and</text>
</clause><clause id="H0D57D0C0E36447C1B2BB5C8713A24D8E"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>after the lead
agency issues the record of decision or finding of no significant impact,
unless a different deadline is established by agreement of the Federal agency,
lead agency, and the project sponsor, where applicable, or the deadline is
extended by the Federal agency for good cause, provided that such extension
shall not extend beyond a period that is 1 year after the lead agency issues
the record of decision or finding of no significant impact.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HB93AB47C5AFD44679C8232CEC3E5FEAD"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Failure to
act</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In the event that any
Federal agency fails to approve, or otherwise to act upon, a permit, license,
or other similar application for approval related to a project within the
applicable deadline described in subparagraph (A) or (B), the permit, license,
or other similar application shall be deemed approved by such agency and the
agency shall take action in accordance with such approval within 30 days of the
applicable deadline described in subparagraph (A) or (B).</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H38193F7FA9EE412E9338C0B68A004B9C"><enum>(D)</enum><header>Final agency
action</header><text>Any approval under subparagraph (C) is deemed to be final
agency action, and may not be reversed by any agency. In any action under
chapter 7 seeking review of such a final agency action, the court may not set
aside such agency action by reason of that agency action having occurred under
this paragraph.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H985EA532CAD644A99294448F8D29D6E5"><enum>(j)</enum><header>Issue
identification and resolution</header>
<paragraph id="H81FFB8D1FD8244288F6C69E38B5B8F2E"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Cooperation</header><text>The
lead agency and the participating agencies shall work cooperatively in
accordance with this section to identify and resolve issues that could delay
completion of the environmental review or could result in denial of any
approvals required for the project under applicable laws.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HABA61FF1B14E432B9E8CE5624005872D"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Lead agency
responsibilities</header><text>The lead agency shall make information available
to the participating agencies as early as practicable in the environmental
review regarding the environmental, historic, and socioeconomic resources
located within the project area and the general locations of the alternatives
under consideration. Such information may be based on existing data sources,
including geographic information systems mapping.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H8007BC32FD1D4F539F0B55924CCB0890"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Participating
agency responsibilities</header><text>Based on information received from the
lead agency, participating agencies shall identify, as early as practicable,
any issues of concern regarding the project’s potential environmental,
historic, or socioeconomic impacts. In this paragraph, issues of concern
include any issues that could substantially delay or prevent an agency from
granting a permit or other approval that is needed for the project.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H55B9E9B334004DEC95756B36913656F8"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Issue
resolution</header>
<subparagraph id="HE73FCA29F28F4779A5DB211A057611CA"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Meeting of
participating agencies</header><text>At any time upon request of a project
sponsor, the lead agency shall promptly convene a meeting with the relevant
participating agencies and the project sponsor, to resolve issues that could
delay completion of the environmental review or could result in denial of any
approvals required for the project under applicable laws.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HC964EAB1393144DEB4C496F4F389048B"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Notice that
resolution cannot be achieved</header><text>If a resolution cannot be achieved
within 30 days following such a meeting and a determination by the lead agency
that all information necessary to resolve the issue has been obtained, the lead
agency shall notify the heads of all participating agencies, the project
sponsor, and the Council on Environmental Quality for further proceedings in
accordance with section 204 of NEPA, and shall publish such notification in the
Federal Register.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H1691AF28B3F44B8AAD0115E2B6E80C01"><enum>(k)</enum><header>Report to
congress</header><text>The head of each Federal agency shall report annually to
Congress—</text>
<paragraph id="H23469EEC394745F0A7448E7C38C6DCD7"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the projects for
which the agency initiated preparation of an environmental impact statement or
environmental assessment;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H318D906B8EAA47A5B29C02DFF609FB61"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the projects for
which the agency issued a record of decision or finding of no significant
impact and the length of time it took the agency to complete the environmental
review for each such project;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H02D2CE52909F43BD895C8E6889C00EE1"><enum>(3)</enum><text>the filing of any
lawsuits against the agency seeking judicial review of a permit, license, or
approval issued by the agency for an action subject to NEPA, including the date
the complaint was filed, the court in which the complaint was filed, and a
summary of the claims for which judicial review was sought; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HA4CC0BADD1B04F379799D3798087B834"><enum>(4)</enum><text>the resolution of
any lawsuits against the agency that sought judicial review of a permit,
license, or approval issued by the agency for an action subject to NEPA.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H87DCAF9AEB614E36BC20D7F108AE13CA"><enum>(l)</enum><header>Limitations on
claims</header>
<paragraph id="H3A7950DFEADB4AF68C9D2FFF628766DE"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a claim
arising under Federal law seeking judicial review of a permit, license, or
approval issued by a Federal agency for an action subject to NEPA shall be
barred unless—</text>
<subparagraph id="H11D462C5B43C4BF79DB6B744C76EB661"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in the case of a claim pertaining to a
project for which an environmental review was conducted and an opportunity for
comment was provided, the claim is filed by a party that submitted a comment
during the environmental review on the issue on which the party seeks judicial
review, and such comment was sufficiently detailed to put the lead agency on
notice of the issue upon which the party seeks judicial review; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H4F9DB54559784864867CD27295CCD849"><enum>(B)</enum><text>filed within 180
days after publication of a notice in the Federal Register announcing that the
permit, license, or approval is final pursuant to the law under which the
agency action is taken, unless a shorter time is specified in the Federal law
pursuant to which judicial review is allowed.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H6B1207E02FB84C2BB156C076475F8AF6"><enum>(2)</enum><header>New
information</header><text>The preparation of a supplemental environmental
impact statement, when required, is deemed a separate final agency action and
the deadline for filing a claim for judicial review of such action shall be 180
days after the date of publication of a notice in the Federal Register
announcing the record of decision for such action. Any claim challenging agency
action on the basis of information in a supplemental environmental impact
statement shall be limited to challenges on the basis of that
information.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H0DFD84A4907547E6BFEC96DBF48991EF"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Rule of
construction</header><text>Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to
create a right to judicial review or place any limit on filing a claim that a
person has violated the terms of a permit, license, or approval.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H295557C72B9A4D5D83523459262B4A7F"><enum>(m)</enum><header>Categories of
projects</header><text>The authorities granted under this subchapter may be
exercised for an individual project or a category of projects.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H9DA01B0A862F47AF8839794234BBEB6A"><enum>(n)</enum><header>Effective
date</header><text>The requirements of this subchapter shall apply only to
environmental reviews and environmental decisionmaking processes initiated
after the date of enactment of this subchapter.</text>
</subsection><subsection commented="no" id="H1DD837D6FBCD4E8B8785B5A90920445F"><enum>(o)</enum><header>Applicability</header><text>Except
as provided in subsection (p), this subchapter applies, according to the
provisions thereof, to all projects for which a Federal agency is required to
undertake an environmental review or make a decision under an environmental law
for a project for which a Federal agency is undertaking an environmental
review.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HDDC54844F8794FE4AEE00B2FCEB11284"><enum>(p)</enum><header>Savings
clause</header><text>Nothing in this section shall be construed to supersede,
amend, or modify sections 134, 135, 139, 325, 326, and 327 of title 23, United
States Code, sections
<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/49/5303">5303</external-xref>
and <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/49/5304">5304</external-xref> of title 49, United States
Code, or subtitle C of title I of division A of the Moving Ahead for Progress
in the 21st Century Act and the amendments made by such subtitle
(<external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/112/141">Public Law
112–141</external-xref>).</text>
</subsection></section></subchapter><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subsection><subsection id="H73F648D2B7BA45F1A83B34C04901DD30"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Technical
amendment</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The table of
sections for
<external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/5/5">chapter
5</external-xref> of title 5, United States Code, is amended by inserting after
the item relating to subchapter II the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HB557A64F0D4C46D4BEA8867A5657A7BC" style="USC">
<toc regeneration="no-regeneration">
<toc-entry level="section">SUBCHAPTER IIA—INTERAGENCY COORDINATION
REGARDING PERMITTING</toc-entry>
<toc-entry idref="H912F5FA4C6EA4A3CB63B5B4052C8CDF9" level="section">560. Coordination of agency administrative operations for
efficient
decisionmaking.</toc-entry>
</toc>
<after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subsection><subsection id="H4B67803C281F4023BC77C41EB4E25A84"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Regulations</header>
<paragraph id="HD5C5872DE7A141448C32A5B836F5406D"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Council on
environmental quality</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not
later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this title, the Council on
Environmental Quality shall amend the regulations contained in part 1500 of
title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, to implement the provisions of this
title and the amendments made by this title, and shall by rule designate States
with laws and procedures that satisfy the criteria under
<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/5/560">section
560(d)(2)(A)</external-xref> of title 5, United States Code.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H623C417DD3A5482D9388A60A8463DFCF"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Federal
agencies</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 120
days after the date that the Council on Environmental Quality amends the
regulations contained in part 1500 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, to
implement the provisions of this title and the amendments made by this title,
each Federal agency with regulations implementing the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/4321">42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.</external-xref>) shall amend
such regulations to implement the provisions of this subchapter.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><enum>VI</enum><header>Securities and
Exchange Commission Regulatory Accountability</header>
<section id="H1CCBD98551F54B57B63896236FD716C0" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>601.</enum><header>Short
title</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This title may be cited
as the <quote><short-title>SEC Regulatory Accountability
Act</short-title></quote>.</text>
</section><section id="H17579E64857044FC9C23E7D34FAE6936"><enum>602.</enum><header>Consideration
by the Securities and Exchange Commission of the costs and benefits of its
regulations and certain other agency actions</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 23 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/15/78w">15 U.S.C.
78w</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H189E26C627544BA29E4AFD8816F1E371" style="OLC">
<subsection id="H1018E9A852E148BB8E732C2367C1E5A1"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Consideration of
costs and benefits</header>
<paragraph id="HFC3A42A4E0724ED19B1353E65BDEE4CC"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Before issuing a
regulation under the securities laws, as defined in section 3(a), the
Commission shall—</text>
<subparagraph id="H72726A32C95B44E9948AE31EA3BE8D77"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">clearly identify the nature and source of
the problem that the proposed regulation is designed to address, as well as
assess the significance of that problem, to enable assessment of whether any
new regulation is warranted;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H3F38B02324144A2ABC818AF0402A5165"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">utilize the Chief Economist to assess the
costs and benefits, both qualitative and quantitative, of the intended
regulation and propose or adopt a regulation only on a reasoned determination
that the benefits of the intended regulation justify the costs of the
regulation;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HE43D899CC5F54FC3B2772CF4E4269AD6"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">identify and assess available alternatives
to the regulation that were considered, including modification of an existing
regulation, together with an explanation of why the regulation meets the
regulatory objectives more effectively than the alternatives; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HB617CD6ACB2A4A6581B4AF09735F9AA7"><enum>(D)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">ensure that any regulation is accessible,
consistent, written in plain language, and easy to understand and shall
measure, and seek to improve, the actual results of regulatory
requirements.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H98BBF3308C1A477FB7817336A365E76F"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Considerations
and actions</header>
<subparagraph id="H90B149118B4B4A67AEFB2BB2121DC000"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Required
actions</header><text>In deciding whether and how to regulate, the Commission
shall assess the costs and benefits of available regulatory alternatives,
including the alternative of not regulating, and choose the approach that
maximizes net benefits. Specifically, the Commission shall—</text>
<clause id="HD1286A373614497DAE996AA54C2DEF97"><enum>(i)</enum><text>consistent with
the requirements of section 3(f) (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/15/78c">15 U.S.C. 78c(f)</external-xref>), section 2(b) of
the Securities Act of 1933 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/15/77b">15 U.S.C. 77b(b)</external-xref>), section 202(c) of
the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/15/80b-2">15 U.S.C. 80b–2(c)</external-xref>), and section
2(c) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/15/80a-2">15 U.S.C. 80a–2(c)</external-xref>), consider
whether the rulemaking will promote efficiency, competition, and capital
formation;</text>
</clause><clause id="H979930BECB0942FDBE25FC9A600EE882"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>evaluate whether,
consistent with obtaining regulatory objectives, the regulation is tailored to
impose the least burden on society, including market participants, individuals,
businesses of differing sizes, and other entities (including State and local
governmental entities), taking into account, to the extent practicable, the
cumulative costs of regulations; and</text>
</clause><clause id="H5DA3D0A27754493BA2389AA5C73E3CE2"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>evaluate whether
the regulation is inconsistent, incompatible, or duplicative of other Federal
regulations.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H0D0281095524471283C202BD630AE6AA"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Additional
considerations</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In addition,
in making a reasoned determination of the costs and benefits of a potential
regulation, the Commission shall, to the extent that each is relevant to the
particular proposed regulation, take into consideration the impact of the
regulation on—</text>
<clause id="H61EC6F634529469EB2615438038EE31A"><enum>(i)</enum><text>investor
choice;</text>
</clause><clause id="H4065DC7A7EAF41ED9178FEDA8BDC7CD7"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>market liquidity
in the securities markets; and</text>
</clause><clause id="HC8112FF4B42148A5B0E9D677C13DCD4E"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>small
businesses</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HBDD17845273C4EAD93C048C43FB9FE1B"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Explanation and
comments</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Commission shall
explain in its final rule the nature of comments that it received, including
those from the industry or consumer groups concerning the potential costs or
benefits of the proposed rule or proposed rule change, and shall provide a
response to those comments in its final rule, including an explanation of any
changes that were made in response to those comments and the reasons that the
Commission did not incorporate those industry group concerns related to the
potential costs or benefits in the final rule.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HC36EAD8CA4AA436B883920D605CE6F15"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Review of
Existing Regulations</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not
later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the SEC Regulatory
Accountability Act, and every 5 years thereafter, the Commission shall review
its regulations to determine whether any such regulations are outmoded,
ineffective, insufficient, or excessively burdensome, and shall modify,
streamline, expand, or repeal them in accordance with such review. In reviewing
any regulation (including, notwithstanding paragraph (6), a regulation issued
in accordance with formal rulemaking provisions) that subjects issuers with a
public float of $250,000,000 or less to the attestation and reporting
requirements of section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
(<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/15/7262">15 U.S.C.
7262(b)</external-xref>), the Commission shall specifically take into account
the large burden of such regulation when compared to the benefit of such
regulation.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H7DD7C1B824084F04800B8BED25AC8E7A"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Post-adoption
impact assessment</header>
<subparagraph id="H949B94D756A546C5AD991F1D4772E6A9"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Whenever the Commission adopts or amends a regulation
designated as a <quote>major rule</quote> within the meaning of
<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/5/804">section
804(2)</external-xref> of title 5, United States Code, it shall state, in its
adopting release, the following:</text>
<clause id="HDC0A8D5DE3CE4203B01F75A8AB1834A4"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The purposes and intended consequences of
the regulation.</text>
</clause><clause id="H8CD9EC573E274DF1BBF2B7434E68B760"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Appropriate post-implementation
quantitative and qualitative metrics to measure the economic impact of the
regulation and to measure the extent to which the regulation has accomplished
the stated purposes.</text>
</clause><clause id="H5542A12AFE5A4D0F871B485128CFB48D"><enum>(iii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The assessment plan that will be used,
consistent with the requirements of subparagraph (B) and under the supervision
of the Chief Economist of the Commission, to assess whether the regulation has
achieved the stated purposes.</text>
</clause><clause id="H005E08FB6BF0415ABB0475D1ED388184"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>Any unintended or
negative consequences that the Commission foresees may result from the
regulation.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H82F1AEDC7307412FA7DBF8851B4F41E9"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Requirements of
assessment plan and report</header>
<clause id="HB2FBDABD5EAE40E19E8FE0443802D71C"><enum>(i)</enum><header>Requirements of
plan</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The assessment plan
required under this paragraph shall consider the costs, benefits, and intended
and unintended consequences of the regulation. The plan shall specify the data
to be collected, the methods for collection and analysis of the data and a date
for completion of the assessment.</text>
</clause><clause id="H237171CBD91D4810A266B0EA0EEECE86"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Submission and
publication of report</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The
Chief Economist shall submit the completed assessment report to the Commission
no later than 2 years after the publication of the adopting release, unless the
Commission, at the request of the Chief Economist, has published at least 90
days before such date a notice in the Federal Register extending the date and
providing specific reasons why an extension is necessary. Within 7 days after
submission to the Commission of the final assessment report, it shall be
published in the Federal Register for notice and comment. Any material
modification of the plan, as necessary to assess unforeseen aspects or
consequences of the regulation, shall be promptly published in the Federal
Register for notice and comment.</text>
</clause><clause id="H402F70DE0B4E425F94E95401B41879BB"><enum>(iii)</enum><header>Data
collection not subject to notice and comment requirements</header><text>If the
Commission has published its assessment plan for notice and comment, specifying
the data to be collected and method of collection, at least 30 days prior to
adoption of a final regulation or amendment, such collection of data shall not
be subject to the notice and comment requirements in
<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/44/3506">section
3506(c)</external-xref> of title 44, United States Code (commonly referred to
as the Paperwork Reduction Act). Any material modifications of the plan that
require collection of data not previously published for notice and comment
shall also be exempt from such requirements if the Commission has published
notice for comment in the Federal Register of the additional data to be
collected, at least 30 days prior to initiation of data collection.</text>
</clause><clause id="H2D621AE9B83445C998EFFC73997F3062"><enum>(iv)</enum><header>Final
action</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 180
days after publication of the assessment report in the Federal Register, the
Commission shall issue for notice and comment a proposal to amend or rescind
the regulation, or publish a notice that the Commission has determined that no
action will be taken on the regulation. Such a notice will be deemed a final
agency action.</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H5542F4BA6CAC4A66B8098ACDF538D534"><enum>(6)</enum><header>Covered
regulations and other agency actions</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Solely as used in this subsection, the term
<term>regulation</term>—</text>
<subparagraph id="H6BC28142EC6A44DD8B4424407D5BCF20"><enum>(A)</enum><text>means an agency
statement of general applicability and future effect that is designed to
implement, interpret, or prescribe law or policy or to describe the procedure
or practice requirements of an agency, including rules, orders of general
applicability, interpretive releases, and other statements of general
applicability that the agency intends to have the force and effect of law;
and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HC5F886922B2C43FD82944D41C245607E"><enum>(B)</enum><text>does not
include—</text>
<clause id="H1CAAFF8A66434D43B9D7EFAE45288C68"><enum>(i)</enum><text>a
regulation issued in accordance with the formal rulemaking provisions of
section <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/5/556">556</external-xref> or
<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/5/557">557</external-xref> of
title 5, United States Code;</text>
</clause><clause id="H2AF2BB4913A74A058714F900A5AD48A5"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>a
regulation that is limited to agency organization, management, or personnel
matters;</text>
</clause><clause id="H4EE93165B9A74466AB34ABEABBBD112A"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>a regulation
promulgated pursuant to statutory authority that expressly prohibits compliance
with this provision; and</text>
</clause><clause id="HD791DD283BAD4FD391DDCAD5111B6980"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>a
regulation that is certified by the agency to be an emergency action, if such
certification is published in the Federal
Register.</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><section id="HFF3C5EFD09314BA58FC78ABD6439BAD0"><enum>603.</enum><header>Sense of
Congress relating to other regulatory entities</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">It is the sense of the Congress that other
regulatory entities, including the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board,
the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board, and any national securities
association registered under section 15A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/15/78o-3">15 U.S.C.
78o–3</external-xref>) should also follow the requirements of section 23(e) of
such Act, as added by this title.</text>
</section><section id="H41D7F09FDEF0452DA8EC842039714440"><enum>604.</enum><header>Interpretive
guidance null and void</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Notwithstanding any other provision of law,
no interpretive guidance issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission on or
after the effective date of this Act relating to <quote>Commission Guidance
Regarding Disclosure Related to Climate Change</quote>, affecting parts 211,
231, and 249 of title 17, Code of Federal Regulations (as described in
Commission Release Nos. 33–9106; 34–61469; FR–82), or any successor thereto,
may take effect, and such guidance shall have no force or effect with respect
to any person on or after February 2, 2010.</text>
</section><section id="H12B187C430AD4F589AD5AED692657A1C"><enum>605.</enum><header>Other SEC
action prohibited</header>
<subsection id="H677B4CBC94B1452BB9F47265F7DC1532"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Further guidance
related to climate change</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The
Commission may not issue any interpretive guidance with respect to disclosures
related to climate change on or after the effective date of this Act.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H9AE0965F325F45B98168CCED021584C9"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Voluntary
submissions</header><text>The Commission may not issue any interpretive
guidance that would establish any requirements with respect to the content of
or format for any disclosures related to climate change voluntarily submitted
by any entity to the Commission on or after the effective date of this
Act.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HDADC4FC21BEA43209CC9A27494EBC5FD"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Civil and
administrative actions</header><text>No civil or administrative action or
proceeding pertaining to disclosures related to climate change may be initiated
by the Commission on or after the date of the enactment of this Act and any
such actions or proceedings pending on such date shall be terminated.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H838448F602F04027A9D9E68BD959A7CC"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Rule of
construction</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Nothing in this
section shall be construed as to—</text>
<paragraph id="HE415408FF3A546A186D65C55626A042E"><enum>(1)</enum><text>prohibit the
Commission from issuing interpretive guidance with respect to disclosures
related to non-anthropogenic or natural climate variability observed over
comparable time periods; or</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H0C5DA9A48DCB4F1BBECD0A8B8AAAD0EE"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">terminate an administrative action or
proceeding pertaining to such disclosures.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><enum>VII</enum><header>Consideration by
Commodity Futures Trading Commission of Certain Costs and Benefits</header>
<section id="H7EB65F20A6704BAC95DE11D76EAB8575" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>701.</enum><header>Consideration by the
Commodity Futures Trading Commission of the costs and benefits of its
regulations and orders</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section
15(a) of the Commodity Exchange Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/7/19">7 U.S.C. 19(a)</external-xref>) is amended by striking
paragraphs (1) and (2) and inserting the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HED660ECD0AE4472388F74A6DDA15406E" style="OLC">
<paragraph id="H7B99B94F0EB34A8C86020FC7CAB2D0D6"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Before promulgating a
regulation under this Act or issuing an order (except as provided in paragraph
(3)), the Commission, through the Office of the Chief Economist, shall assess
the costs and benefits, both qualitative and quantitative, of the intended
regulation and propose or adopt a regulation only on a reasoned determination
that the benefits of the intended regulation justify the costs of the intended
regulation (recognizing that some benefits and costs are difficult to
quantify). It must measure, and seek to improve, the actual results of
regulatory requirements.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H8C8166808548444D8B7036B484B599C5"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Considerations</header><text>In
making a reasoned determination of the costs and the benefits, the Commission
shall evaluate—</text>
<subparagraph id="H15390534EE8B42D89AE8354F63B64C0E"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">considerations of protection of market
participants and the public;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H27A771126EF944659E140D643CDA1175"><enum>(B)</enum><text>considerations of
the efficiency, competitiveness, and financial integrity of futures and swaps
markets;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H1BD3B03184E948A194F8F57850B2D616"><enum>(C)</enum><text>considerations of
the impact on market liquidity in the futures and swaps markets;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H83A78B3A552D4C9CA98792792DA75363"><enum>(D)</enum><text>considerations of
price discovery;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H1C546D20D4964CF4930DF9A48487221F"><enum>(E)</enum><text>considerations of
sound risk management practices;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HE6AD8F2FE25A423CABC08CF2C88BC59E"><enum>(F)</enum><text>available
alternatives to direct regulation;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H1737A3A0A57C433293F3BA09C5F938F5"><enum>(G)</enum><text>the degree and
nature of the risks posed by various activities within the scope of its
jurisdiction;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H3A494551B8C64919B6F876386EABEC96"><enum>(H)</enum><text>whether,
consistent with obtaining regulatory objectives, the regulation is tailored to
impose the least burden on society, including market participants, individuals,
businesses of differing sizes, and other entities (including small communities
and governmental entities), taking into account, to the extent practicable, the
cumulative costs of regulations;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H88CB6FCAC97E4EC3807D5B5DFAAEA8F4"><enum>(I)</enum><text>whether the
regulation is inconsistent, incompatible, or duplicative of other Federal
regulations;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H363D9BB6324C4C1B99B92DD0A98F2CC7"><enum>(J)</enum><text>whether, in
choosing among alternative regulatory approaches, those approaches maximize net
benefits (including potential economic, environmental, and other benefits,
distributive impacts, and equity); and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H9B28428706944084AB4794CC5B4386D8"><enum>(K)</enum><text>other public
interest
considerations.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><enum>VIII</enum><header>Ensuring High
Standards for Agency Use of Scientific Information</header>
<section id="HFEB2829DF6404482B5F35FA71923491F" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>801.</enum><header>Requirement for
final guidelines</header>
<subsection id="H0DF86195914245E58387C2BDA0989861"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than
January 1, 2013, each Federal agency shall have in effect guidelines for
ensuring and maximizing the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of
scientific information relied upon by such agency.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H23B5994F46C447E7B2351D01B5B3451D"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Content of
guidelines</header><text>The guidelines described in subsection (a), with
respect to a Federal agency, shall ensure that—</text>
<paragraph id="HFD3347E81FDD42BC8738E54118583408"><enum>(1)</enum><text>when scientific
information is considered by the agency in policy decisions—</text>
<subparagraph id="H5C9E2012B1BE4090A41D53ECC0B32138"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the information is
subject to well-established scientific processes, including peer review where
appropriate;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HC257389A0ED344FDA302A168D64D253C"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the agency appropriately applies the
scientific information to the policy decision;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H08BAE9361F8047738D1386FD56F58D9E"><enum>(C)</enum><text>except for
information that is protected from disclosure by law or administrative
practice, the agency makes available to the public the scientific information
considered by the agency;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HC962F0EEEF4944B6B51F8B7961B1F068"><enum>(D)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the agency gives greatest weight to
information that is based on experimental, empirical, quantifiable, and
reproducible data that is developed in accordance with well-established
scientific processes; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H4DFDA9CF627E4707B9E2B8309C26B1DB"><enum>(E)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">with respect to any proposed rule issued by
the agency, such agency follows procedures that include, to the extent feasible
and permitted by law, an opportunity for public comment on all relevant
scientific findings;</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H1D3C0D32A717457CBB020993050BCB9A"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the agency has procedures in place to make
policy decisions only on the basis of the best reasonably obtainable
scientific, technical, economic, and other evidence and information concerning
the need for, consequences of, and alternatives to the decision; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H498348EC10D9413591A06FD68EADE1EF"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the agency has in place procedures to
identify and address instances in which the integrity of scientific information
considered by the agency may have been compromised, including instances in
which such information may have been the product of a scientific process that
was compromised.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HF752C3EFBCC54C1C945AB8825DF22AB0"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Approval needed
for policy decisions to take effect</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">No policy decision issued after January 1,
2013, by an agency subject to this section may take effect prior to such date
that the agency has in effect guidelines under subsection (a) that have been
approved by the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H021BF7C2773C446B98D451ED72199B10"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Policy decisions
not in compliance</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A policy
decision of an agency that does not comply with guidelines approved under
subsection (c) shall be deemed to be arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of
discretion, and otherwise not in accordance with law.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H4335219422A143AA8D48C619035A8BBE"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">For purposes of this section:</text>
<paragraph id="H8C25B4C3F6E54E1E897E287181814932"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Agency</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term <quote>agency</quote> has the
meaning given such term in
<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/5/551">section
551(1)</external-xref> of title 5, United States Code.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H3EE52C7582E1469EAB5FFC11F5516C40"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Policy
decision</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term
<quote>policy decision</quote> means, with respect to an agency, an agency
action as defined in <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/5/551">section 551(13)</external-xref> of title 5, United
States Code, (other than an adjudication, as defined in section 551(7) of such
title), and includes—</text>
<subparagraph id="H1522B8DA31FC45C496A036CBCD53D29E"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the listing,
labeling, or other identification of a substance, product, or activity as
hazardous or creating risk to human health, safety, or the environment;
and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H9BC64315813848EEB0BBB1A060FCE4CB"><enum>(B)</enum><text>agency guidance.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H0353FDDDA18046AA87A7A34A6D7FF9C9"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Agency
guidance</header><text>The term <quote>agency guidance</quote> means an agency
statement of general applicability and future effect, other than a regulatory
action, that sets forth a policy on a statutory, regulatory, or technical issue
or on an interpretation of a statutory or regulatory issue.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><enum>IX</enum><header>Tracking the Cost
to Taxpayers of Federal Litigation</header>
<section id="H3CDE79F732254D82963C50B85EBC64CD" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>901.</enum><header>Short
title</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This title may be cited
as the <quote><short-title>Tracking the Cost to Taxpayers
of Federal Litigation Act</short-title></quote>.</text>
</section><section id="H7BE5DF644D0C450EB2BB2F1869E0F8FD"><enum>902.</enum><header>Modification of
equal access to justice provisions</header>
<subsection id="H2A8FCEFC840A4301A088D4322D9EC68F"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Agency
proceedings</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline"><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/5/504">Section 504</external-xref> of title
5, United States Code, is amended—</text>
<paragraph id="H36150E892D564C4CBD0BE106E272F775"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subsection
(c)(1), by striking <quote>, United States Code</quote>; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H0B8283B0E02248DBABC4E9F60F0D5CD8"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by striking
subsections (e) and (f) and inserting the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H2A6902D69FDB44FA8CE0DDCF2AD7CB31" style="OLC">
<subsection id="HDF01C8C0A14B4F829F8E7702A7A30161"><enum>(e)</enum><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H1B5DEA020E194F0C98C9A922F66FD7A1"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Chairman of the Administrative
Conference of the United States, after consultation with the Chief Counsel for
Advocacy of the Small Business Administration, shall report annually to the
Congress on the amount of fees and other expenses awarded during the preceding
fiscal year pursuant to this section. The report shall describe the number,
nature, and amount of the awards, the claims involved in the controversy, and
any other relevant information that may aid the Congress in evaluating the
scope and impact of such awards. Each agency shall provide the Chairman in a
timely manner all information necessary for the Chairman to comply with the
requirements of this subsection. The report shall be made available to the
public online.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HE5E3AF4FD44B40468B71263028E69836" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H497359799B774AA785FB800F77E2846C"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The report required by paragraph (1) shall
account for all payments of fees and other expenses awarded under this section
that are made pursuant to a settlement agreement, regardless of whether the
settlement agreement is sealed or otherwise subject to nondisclosure
provisions, except that any version of the report made available to the public
may not reveal any information the disclosure of which is contrary to the
national security of the United States.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HD5F7BB5B2B3E48CD93045D0D4CB91B17" indent="up1"><enum>(B)</enum><text>The disclosure of fees and other
expenses required under subparagraph (A) does not affect any other information
that is subject to nondisclosure provisions in the settlement agreement.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HA5CA78AD808547DE9B85F7AD29A4BEC8"><enum>(f)</enum><text>The Chairman of
the Administrative Conference shall create and maintain online a searchable
database containing the following information with respect to each award of
fees and other expenses under this section:</text>
<paragraph id="HABA69B8B1CA94289AB0992266C7C0DEA"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The name of each
party to whom the award was made.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HB46C53059941486685AAF37CABBBF65C"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The name of each
counsel of record representing each party to whom the award was made.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HAA53FA59907F40DD8D6E0B35F40C219A"><enum>(3)</enum><text>The agency to
which the application for the award was made.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HB6897B883E45491697BD5F7724ED5554"><enum>(4)</enum><text>The name of each
counsel of record representing the agency to which the application for the
award was made.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H7300092A6E774CA0B44EF408B47EC106"><enum>(5)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The name of each administrative law judge,
and the name of any other agency employee serving in an adjudicative role, in
the adversary adjudication that is the subject of the application for the
award.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H0B9E5625C71748E59D1B185D6C5BCAE3"><enum>(6)</enum><text>The amount of the
award.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H7128DC1153D849A684CD5DFB6ADFD622"><enum>(7)</enum><text>The names and
hourly rates of each expert witness for whose services the award was made under
the application.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H411245F331214DBABC501591F3D4F0C9"><enum>(8)</enum><text>The basis for the
finding that the position of the agency concerned was not substantially
justified.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H9FA4BD7A2EC94D1B9464D407F629C5C7"><enum>(g)</enum><text>The online
searchable database described in subsection (f) may not reveal any information
the disclosure of which is prohibited by law or court order, or the disclosure
of which is contrary to the national security of the United
States.</text>
</subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H99D58731D9904E4DBDC009FB88C8CCB3"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Court
cases</header><text><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/28/2412">Section 2412(d)</external-xref> of title 28, United
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H81B9A52DF1C649229415A0D99BB8D38F" style="OLC">
<paragraph id="H90775E94197249EB87E5403B7C2B4E96" indent="up1"><enum>(5)</enum><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HC959C9D54AC943ADB5F8E06D1049A4F5"><enum>(A)</enum><text>The Chairman of the
Administrative Conference of the United States shall report annually to the
Congress on the amount of fees and other expenses awarded during the preceding
fiscal year pursuant to this subsection. The report shall describe the number,
nature, and amount of the awards, the claims involved in each controversy, and
any other relevant information which may aid the Congress in evaluating the
scope and impact of such awards. Each agency shall provide the Chairman with
such information as is necessary for the Chairman to comply with the
requirements of this paragraph. The report shall be made available to the
public online.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H6C2E549D4ABB4C5FB364BE857A8F4CA4" indent="up1"><enum>(B)</enum><clause commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HCF6EF2F1142B4A1FB972D000F405273A"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The report required by subparagraph (A)
shall account for all payments of fees and other expenses awarded under this
subsection that are made pursuant to a settlement agreement, regardless of
whether the settlement agreement is sealed or otherwise subject to
nondisclosure provisions, except that any version of the report made available
to the public may not reveal any information the disclosure of which is
contrary to the national security of the United States.</text>
</clause><clause id="H1CD4902A1F574B298CB43A720C918A51" indent="up1"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>The disclosure of fees and other
expenses required under clause (i) does not affect any other information that
is subject to nondisclosure provisions in the settlement agreement.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HDFB0A6E73481492F9FF7886F4DEADBDC" indent="up1"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Chairman of the Administrative
Conference shall include and clearly identify in the annual report under
subparagraph (A), for each case in which an award of fees and other expenses is
included in the report—</text>
<clause id="H17EAD12222094E2EB9705C9F8BD25B7D"><enum>(i)</enum><text>any amounts paid from
<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/31/1304">section
1304</external-xref> of title 31 for a judgment in the case;</text>
</clause><clause id="HC65BDCFEAE3B41C4B9E697C116EC882B"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the amount of the award of fees and
other expenses; and</text>
</clause><clause id="HFEECEE5DB7BA4E429278C348B94886F7"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>the statute under which the
plaintiff filed suit.</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HB82E9BFFBCEF4F219F76BEC546118AC0" indent="up1"><enum>(6)</enum><text>The Chairman of the Administrative
Conference shall create and maintain online a searchable database containing
the following information with respect to each award of fees and other expenses
under this subsection:</text>
<subparagraph id="H4309906DCEFC498B8ADAE7350F8E4D3B"><enum>(A)</enum><text>The name of each party to whom the
award was made.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H716F299871AF441A8ECC927BB70F96F5"><enum>(B)</enum><text>The name of each counsel of record
representing each party to whom the award was made.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H9DF371448C4F4C8C8EE68F5A35B1C801"><enum>(C)</enum><text>The agency involved in the
case.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HA4E03C5AB4724A19BB908B7A40BEB37E"><enum>(D)</enum><text>The name of each counsel of record
representing the agency involved in the case.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H21C5D76DF70A434EA97082161AD0DCED"><enum>(E)</enum><text>The name of each judge in the case,
and the court in which the case was heard.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HBC03366C775F4F1EA8CC8E97097B8108"><enum>(F)</enum><text>The amount of the award.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H7D66514DAF174290B1DDCB5A7BD4FD90"><enum>(G)</enum><text>The names and hourly rates of each
expert witness for whose services the award was made.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H3E212E145C7E4216B06A1EE12D06EE92"><enum>(H)</enum><text>The basis for the finding that the
position of the agency concerned was not substantially justified.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H983EF2DD1C2A4209A65F741EC7CB5A46" indent="up1"><enum>(7)</enum><text>The online searchable database
described in paragraph (6) may not reveal any information the disclosure of
which is prohibited by law or court order, or the disclosure of which is
contrary to the national security of the United States.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H7793B71BEF344D8492D92A62D1351DF2" indent="up1"><enum>(8)</enum><text>The Attorney General of the United
States shall provide to the Chairman of the Administrative Conference of the
United States in a timely manner all information necessary for the Chairman to
carry out the Chairman’s responsibilities under this
subsection.</text>
</paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subsection><subsection id="H8018F47151544A6CADB99E703E2D363F"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Clerical
amendment</header><text><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/28/2412">Section 2412(e)</external-xref> of title 28, United
States Code, is amended by striking <quote>of
<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/28/2412">section
2412</external-xref> of title 28, United States Code,</quote> and inserting
<quote>of this section</quote>.</text>
</subsection></section>
Passed the House of
Representatives July 26, 2012.
Karen L. Haas,
Clerk
July 31, 2012
Read the second time and placed on the
calendar