[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 146 (Wednesday, July 29, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 45638]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-16363]


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OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT ETHICS


Announcement of Office of Government Ethics Guidance Portal

AGENCY: Office of Government Ethics.

ACTION: Notice of new guidance portal.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) is publishing this 
notice to announce a new guidance portal on its website for guidance 
documents, as required by Executive Order 13891 ``Promoting the Rule of 
Law Through Improved Agency Guidance Documents.''

DATES: The guidance portal is accessible by the public on the date of 
publication of this notice: July 29, 2020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patrick J. Lightfoot, Assistant 
Counsel, U.S. Office of Government Ethics, Telephone: 202-482-9300.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Executive Order 13891 ``Promoting the Rule 
of Law Through Improved Agency Guidance Documents'' requires each 
agency to establish or maintain on its website a guidance portal that 
contains or links to all guidance documents in effect issued by that 
agency. Guidance documents are defined by the Executive Order, subject 
to certain exclusions, as agency statements of general applicability, 
intended to have future effect on the behavior of regulated parties, 
that set forth a policy on a statutory, regulatory, or technical issue, 
or an interpretation of a statute or regulation.
    The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued Memorandum M-20-
02, ``Guidance Implementing Executive Order 13891, Titled `Promoting 
the Rule of Law Through Improved Agency Guidance Documents' '' on 
October 31, 2019. OMB's memorandum directed agencies to establish a 
guidance portal and publish a notice in the Federal Register announcing 
it. Accordingly, this notice announces that OGE has established its 
guidance portal at: https://www.oge.gov/guidance.
    The guidance portal notes that guidance documents do not have the 
force and effect of law, except as authorized by law or as incorporated 
into a contract. However, to the extent that a guidance document 
provides an interpretation of the government ethics laws and 
regulations or concerns aspects of ethics program management, guidance 
documents are controlling within the executive branch. Guidance 
documents not included in the guidance portal will not be cited to, 
used, or relied on by OGE, except to establish historical facts.

    Approved: July 23, 2020.
Emory Rounds,
Director, U.S. Office of Government Ethics.
[FR Doc. 2020-16363 Filed 7-28-20; 8:45 am]
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