Opening the Federal Regulatory Process to More Voices

November 17th 2022 Virtual Public Engagement Session for the US Open Government National Action Plan

Invitation

The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) in the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) invites you to attend an engagement session on how to improve public participation in the Federal regulatory process, including participation from underserved communities.

This session concerns the fifth U.S. National Action Plan for Open Government (National Action Plan), and will be held over Zoom on November 17, 2022 from 12 to 1 ET. More details and the registration link are below.

Background

Each year, the Federal Government issues regulations that affect critical issues like access to social benefits and services, workplace safety, environmental standards, and food and drug protections. Hearing from a wide range of voices during the regulatory process — the process of developing or revising regulations — helps the Federal Government create better regulations. Improving public participation in the regulatory process means empowering members of the public, including traditionally underserved communities, to be partners and stakeholders in their government — not just bystanders. This effort is also consistent with and furthers the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic commitment to advancing equity for underserved communities.

In prior engagement sessions related to development of the United States’ Open Government National Action Plan — a set of public commitments the Federal government is drafting with input from civil society to support a more equitable, transparent, and accountable government — participants have suggested ideas for increasing public participation in the rulemaking process. These included providing information on rules across a broader range of media like infographics and videos; improving guidance on the use of listening sessions and other participatory methods; and providing greater information to communities on opportunities to participate in rulemakings.

At this engagement session, we hope to further explore ideas raised in prior engagement sessions, as well as questions such as:

  • What information would help members of the public better participate in the rulemaking process, especially members of the public from underserved communities?
  • How can Federal agencies better engage members of the public early on when planning for regulations, for instance, when agencies are developing regulatory priorities?
  • How can the White House — through OIRA — better facilitate engagement from members of the public when reviewing regulations?
  • What types of public engagement can help agencies to better identify — and reduce — administrative burdens faced by the public when designing regulations affecting access to benefit programs?

We hope that you can join us and other members of the public to build on these suggestions and surface new ideas for how Federal agencies can better share important information about the regulatory process; involve members of the public, especially early on in the development of regulations; and incorporate community input into the design of potential regulations. While we encourage attendees to share their individual perspectives and feedback, we will not be seeking consensus recommendations at the event.

Details

Thank you for your consideration and the important work that you do to advance a more open, equitable, and accountable government. Please feel free to share this invitation broadly with other partners you might work with.

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