On June 1, 1998, President Bill Clinton issued a Memorandum on Plain Language in Government Writing. (PDF) The rationale for this memorandum was to "make the Government more responsive, accessible, and understandable in its communications with the public" and its goal is to save the Government and the private sector "time, effort and money." Accompanying guidance[1] was issued at the time the memorandum entered the record.
Plain Writing Act of 2010 | |
Fullname: | An act to enhance citizen access to Government information and services by establishing that Government documents issued to the public must be written clearly, and for other purposes. |
Enacted By: | 111th |
Effective Date: | October 13, 2010 |
Public Law Url: | http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-111publ274/pdf/PLAW-111publ274.pdf |
Cite Public Law: | 111-274 |
Cite Statutes At Large: | 124 Stat. 2861 |
Sections Amended: | 5 USC 301 note |
Introducedin: | House |
Introducedby: | Bruce Braley (DโIA) |
Introduceddate: | February 10, 2009 |
Committees: | House Oversight and Government Reform |
Passedbody1: | House |
Passeddate1: | March 17, 2010 |
Passedvote1: | 386โ33 |
Passedbody2: | Senate |
Passeddate2: | September 27, 2010 |
Passedvote2: | unanimous consent |
Agreedbody3: | House |
Agreeddate3: | September 29, 2010 |
Agreedvote3: | 341โ82 |
Signedpresident: | Barack Obama |
Signeddate: | October 13, 2010 |
Signed into law on October 13, 2010, by President Obama, the Plain Writing Act of 2010 (;) is a United States federal law that requires that federal executive agencies:
Before:
The amount of expenses reimbursed to a claimant under this subpart shall be reduced by any amount that the claimant receives from a collateral source. In cases in which a claimant receives reimbursement under this subpart for expenses that also will or may be reimbursed from another source, the claimant shall subrogate the United States to the claim for payment from the collateral source up to the amount for which the claimant was reimbursed under this subpart.After:
If you get a payment from a collateral source, we will reduce our payment by the amount you get. If you get payments from us and from a collateral source for the same expenses, you must pay us back the amount we paid you.[3]