S. 717 · 118th Congress · Senate

Clear and Concise Content Act of 2023

Active· Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 66.
Introduced
Mar 8, 23
Passed Senate
Pending
Passed House
Pending
Sent to President
Pending
Signed into Law
Pending

Executive Summary

Clear and Concise Content Act of 2023

This bill requires the use of plain writing when the federal government provides information about benefits and services.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) must rescind outdated guidance and issue new guidance for the creation, maintenance, and use of covered content at agencies.

Covered content means any content that is necessary for obtaining a federal benefit or service or for filing taxes or that provides information about

  • such benefit or service;
  • federal agency operations, policies, or guidance of material importance to, and posted publicly by, the agency;
  • how to interact with or provide feedback to an agency regarding its operations, policies, or guidance; or
  • how to navigate or interact with an agency website, digital service, or office.

The OMB must report not less frequently than every two years to Congress on this bill's implementation. The OMB shall make such reports available on a public website and maintain the reports as open government data assets.

The bill incorporates plain writing requirements into statutory provisions pertaining to new websites and digital services.

Previous Versions

00Mar 8, 2023

Clear and Concise Content Act of 2023

This bill requires the use of plain writing when the federal government provides information about benefits and services.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) must rescind outdated guidance and issue new guidance for the creation, maintenance, and use of covered content at agencies.

Covered content means any content that is necessary for obtaining a federal benefit or service or for filing taxes or that provides information about

  • such benefit or service;
  • federal agency operations, policies, or guidance of material importance to, and posted publicly by, the agency;
  • how to interact with or provide feedback to an agency regarding its operations, policies, or guidance; or
  • how to navigate or interact with an agency website, digital service, or office.

The OMB must report not less frequently than every two years to Congress on this bill's implementation. The OMB shall make such reports available on a public website and maintain the reports as open government data assets.

The bill incorporates plain writing requirements into statutory provisions pertaining to new websites and digital services.

Action Timeline

6
  1. MAY 11, 2023Committee

    Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

    Reported by Senator Peters without amendment. With written report No. 118-26.

    118Yea
    26Nay
    0NV
  2. MAY 11, 2023Committee

    Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

    Reported by Senator Peters without amendment. With written report No. 118-26.

    118Yea
    26Nay
    0NV
  3. MAY 11, 2023Calendars

    Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 66.

  4. MAR 29, 2023Committee

    Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

    Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

  5. MAR 08, 2023IntroReferral

    Introduced in Senate

  6. MAR 08, 2023IntroReferral

    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Committees

3

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

ssga00

Referred: May 11, 2023

Active

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

ssga00

Referred: Mar 29, 2023

Active

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

ssga00

Referred: Mar 8, 2023

Active