Consultants Wanted for New Sourcebook on Public Participation in Agency Decision Making The Administrative Conference of the United States (ACUS) is seeking proposals from parties interested in serving as consultants for a forthcoming project that will survey and comprehensively analyze legal requirements and policies related to public participation in agency decision making processes. The project […]

The Administrative Conference of the United States (ACUS) is requesting public input on how agencies can better identify and reduce unnecessary procedural burdens faced by the public when engaging with administrative programs or participating in administrative processes. The request for information, published in the Federal Register on February 15, 2023 (88 Fed. Reg. 9851), is also […]

I am honored to join Notice & Comment to revive the briefly dormant Administrative Conference Updates Series, which will provide regular updates on the work of the Administrative Conference of the United States (ACUS). This series will be your one-stop-shop for all the latest ACUS news, from information on new and ongoing projects to announcements […]

ACUS is hosting a Forum on Enhancing Public Input in Agency Rulemaking tomorrow, December 1, from 1–4 pm ET. This forum grows out of several conversations that took place during ACUS committee meetings and other forums this year. In the spring, ACUS adopted Recommendation 2021-1, Managing Mass, Computer-Generated, and Falsely Attributed Comments. The recommendation—largely based […]

I’m delighted to join Notice & Comment to highlight new and continuing projects from the Administrative Conference of the United States (ACUS), as well as other news about ACUS initiatives and recommendations. Many thanks to Emily Bremer for her stewardship of the series. With that, dear reader, here is an all-things-ACUS update. Forum on Underserved […]

I joined the Notice & Comment team five years ago* and started doing a regular series reporting on the goings-on at the Administrative Conference of the United States (ACUS). I’ve really enjoyed the opportunity to alert you, dear reader, to ACUS’s important work. But I must admit that my bandwidth for the series has become […]

ACUS is hosting a multi-day, virtual Forum on Underserved Communities and the Regulatory Process this November. Leading policymakers, community advocates, and other experts will discuss underserved communities’ participation in the processes, including rulemaking and adjudication, by which federal agencies make regulatory policies. The forum will address Executive Order 13985, which requires federal agencies to “pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for […]

ACUS has recently begun committee meetings on a slate of new recommendation projects targeted for completion at the 76th Plenary Session, scheduled for December 16, 2021. Descriptions and basic information about the projects (pulled from ACUS) appear below. Further information, including draft documents, are (or will become) available via the included links. Public Access to […]

Over the past two days, I’ve posted a mini-symposium of separate statements filed by ACUS members in response to Recommendation 2021-1, Managing Mass, Computer-Generated, and Falsely Attributed Comments. The third and final contribution comes from Senior Fellow Richard J. Pierce, Jr. (GW Law) (it is an abbreviated version of a statement that is on the ACUS website): […]

Yesterday, I posted the first of three separate statements filed by ACUS members in response to Recommendation 2021-1, Managing Mass, Computer-Generated, and Falsely Attributed Comments. The second statement comes from Senior Fellow Nina A. Mendelson (Michigan Law): This Recommendation, the product of much hard work, will help guide agencies managing mass comments and addressing falsely attributed […]

As I noted yesterday, ACUS’s newly adopted Recommendation 2021-1, Managing Mass, Computer-Generated, and Falsely Attributed Comments generated three separate statements.  Separate statements are permitted by the Administrative Conference Act (5 U.S.C. 595(a)(1)) and the agency’s bylaws (Section 302.6(d)(1)). They are relatively rare and typically used to register disagreement with a recommendation the Assembly has voted to […]

At its 74th Plenary Session in June, the Assembly of the Administrative Conference of the United States adopted four new recommendations. One of these (Recommendation 2021-1, Managing Mass, Computer-Generated, and Falsely Attributed Comments) provoked three (!) separate statements, from Senior Fellows Randy May, Nina Mendelson, and Dick Pierce. The dialogue offers a fascinating window into […]

The APA celebrates its 75th birthday on June 11, and ACUS is celebrating with a series of essays running all this week. Head over to the ACUS blog, Administrative Fix, to join the party!* Cribbing from ACUS, the essays will include the following: ACUS General Counsel Shawne McGibbon introduces the series in The APA at 75: The APA-ACUS […]

The Administrative Conference of the United States will hold its 74th Plenary Session on Thursday, June 17th from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm. The event will be held virtually. Up on deck for the Assembly‘s consideration are five proposed recommendations. Information and documents for all five projects are available below. Members of the public can […]

The Administrative Conference of the United States is taking applications for multiple Attorney Advisor positions, with a deadline of April 30. The agency is seeking candidates with a year or more of legal experience. If you’re in a term-limited position such as a clerkship or fellowship, you should still apply! Your application is invited even […]