[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 43 (Wednesday, March 4, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 12771]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-04386]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

[Docket No. 200227-0067]
RIN 0605-XD005


Announcement of Departmental Web Portal for Guidance Documents

AGENCY: Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with Executive Order 13891, ``Promoting the Rule 
of Law Through Improved Agency Guidance Documents'' (84 FR 55235), the 
Department of Commerce (Department) announces the launch of a dedicated 
web page for the Department's guidance documents.

DATES: The Department of Commerce's web page for guidance documents was 
launched on February 28, 2020.

ADDRESSES: The Department of Commerce's web page for guidance documents 
is located at www.commerce.gov/guidance.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Xenia Kler, Office of the Assistant 
General Counsel for Legislation and Regulation, 202-482-5354, or via 
email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On October 9, 2019, the President issued Executive Order 13891, 
which addresses the issuance and treatment of agency guidance 
documents. The Executive Order seeks to ensure that when federal 
agencies issue guidance documents, the agencies: Do not treat those 
guidance documents as imposing binding obligations on the public; take 
public input into account in formulating significant guidance 
documents; and make the guidance documents readily available to the 
public.
    The Executive Order defines ``guidance document'' as ``an agency 
statement of general applicability, intended to have future effect on 
the behavior of regulated parties, that sets forth a policy on a 
statutory, regulatory, or technical issue, or an interpretation of a 
statute or regulation.'' It further distinguishes guidance documents 
from, among other things, rules promulgated under the Administrative 
Procedure Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 553), which, as authorized by statute, 
may bind the public, and agency adjudications conducted under the APA 
(5 U.S.C. 554), which may bind parties on a case-by-case basis. 
Guidance documents may help clarify existing obligations, but unlike 
statutes, regulations, and adjudications, cannot themselves impose 
obligations on the public.
    As part of the government-wide effort to ensure the availability of 
agency guidance documents, Executive Order 13891 and an associated 
implementing memorandum from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB 
Memorandum M-20-02) direct agencies to establish a single website 
containing, or linking to, all of an agency's guidance documents 
currently in effect. Accordingly, the Department announces that it is 
now providing access to its guidance documents through a centralized 
web portal at www.commerce.gov/guidance.
    The Department, through its component bureaus, issues a variety of 
guidance documents in an effort to assist businesses and the public in 
understanding their obligations, as well as agency procedures, under 
existing statutes and regulations. These documents are intended to 
provide information and be helpful to the public and none are intended 
to impose new or additional obligations. The Department's new web 
portal will serve as a central hub for information on the Department's 
guidance documents and provides links to the corresponding guidance web 
pages maintained by individual bureaus of the Department. The 
Department will, to the greatest extent possible, make all of the 
guidance documents currently in effect across the Department and its 
bureaus accessible through this web portal. Note that many of these 
guidance documents have been, and to ensure maximum public 
accessibility will continue to be, also available through the relevant 
subject matter section of the website of the bureau that issued them.

    Dated: February 27, 2020.
Beth M. Grossman,
Assistant General Counsel for Legislation and Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2020-04386 Filed 3-3-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-12-P