Overview
Title
An Act To ensure that Federal agencies rely on the best reasonably available scientific, technical, demographic, economic, and statistical information and evidence to develop, issue or inform the public of the nature and bases of Federal agency rules and guidance, and for other purposes.
ELI5 AI
The Information Quality Assurance Act is a rule that says government workers must use the best and most correct facts to make important decisions, and they have to show these facts online so everyone can see them (unless there's a special rule that says they can’t share them).
Summary AI
The Information Quality Assurance Act (H.R. 7219) aims to ensure that federal agencies use the best available scientific, technical, demographic, economic, and statistical data when making rules and guidelines. It requires the Director to update guidelines with public and agency involvement to improve the quality and accuracy of influential information used by federal agencies. These updates must be transparent and made available online, and agencies must provide mechanisms for correcting any inaccurate or misleading data. The Act also mandates public disclosure of the data used in rule-making, with some exceptions for information prohibited from disclosure by law.
Published
Keywords AI
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AnalysisAI
General Summary of the Bill
The "Information Quality Assurance Act" aims to ensure the use of high-quality, reliable information by federal agencies when they develop rules and guide public understanding. The bill requires federal agencies to utilize the best available scientific, technical, demographic, economic, and statistical information. It also mandates transparency by requiring public disclosure of the information sources used in rulemaking, except where confidentiality laws prohibit such disclosures.
Summary of Significant Issues
The bill raises several concerns primarily related to clarity, feasibility, and consistency:
Language Complexity: The bill's complex language and bureaucratic terms may hinder public understanding, undermining its goal of transparency.
Implementation Timeline: The requirement that agencies update their guidelines within one year may not account for varying resource capacities across agencies, potentially leading to rushed or incomplete adaptations.
Exception Clauses: The broad exception for public disclosure due to legal prohibitions is vague, which could lead to inconsistent application and potential misuse.
Terminology Clarity: Terms like "influential information or evidence" are not precisely defined, leading to subjective interpretation by agency leaders, which might result in inconsistencies.
Budget Concerns: The bill does not outline specific budgetary provisions for implementing these guidelines, which could translate to unplanned expenses for federal agencies.
Interpretation Variability: A lack of detailed guidelines might lead to varying implementations across agencies, impacting the overall effectiveness of the bill.
Broad Public Impact
For the general public, the bill represents an effort to enhance transparency and trust in federal rulemaking by ensuring that decisions are rooted in sound and reliable data. However, the complex language could make it challenging for everyday citizens to engage with or fully understand the implications and processes the Act requires.
The emphasis on transparency and public disclosure, albeit with exceptions, aligns with public interest in open governance and accountability. Nonetheless, if disclosures are limited under broad legal exceptions, the anticipated transparency might not be realized.
Impact on Specific Stakeholders
Federal Agencies: Agencies will need to allocate resources, possibly more than they currently do, to ensure compliance with the new requirements. This could involve significant administrative work and increased operational costs, especially if specific budget provisions are not clearly defined.
Policy Makers and Legal Experts: These stakeholders might face an increased workload to provide clarity and resolve disputes arising from ambiguous terms, broad exception clauses, and compliance issues.
Public and Advocacy Groups: While the intent is to improve public trust through transparency, these groups might struggle with the bill's technical intricacy. They may also encounter difficulties engaging with the rulemaking process if the exceptions are applied inconsistently.
Overall, the "Information Quality Assurance Act" has potential benefits in promoting data integrity and transparency in federal rulemaking processes. However, these benefits could be compromised by challenges related to clarity, resource allocation, and potential inconsistencies in implementation. Addressing these issues would be crucial to ensuring the bill effectively meets its objectives.
Issues
The complex and bureaucratic language used in Section 2 and Section 3522 may make it difficult for the general public to understand the bill, impacting transparency and accessibility of information.
The timeline for the updates and implementation in Section 3522 ('not later than 1 year') may not be feasible for all agencies, depending on their resource capacity, potentially leading to rushed or incomplete execution.
The broad exception clause for public disclosure in Section 3522(c)(2) leaves room for inconsistent application or misuse, as it relies on compliance with unspecified statutes.
There is a lack of specificity in terms such as 'influential information or evidence' in Section 2 and Section 3522, which could result in subjective determinations by the heads of Federal agencies, leading to inconsistencies.
The absence of detailed cost or budget requirements in Section 2 raises concerns about potential undetailed or overlooked spending, which might have financial implications for Federal agencies.
The guidelines in Section 3522 might result in varied interpretations between agencies due to lack of specificity, leading to potential inconsistencies in implementation and effectiveness.
Sections
Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.
1. Short title Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The first section of the bill states the short title, which is "Information Quality Assurance Act."
2. Information Quality Assurance Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The "Information Quality Assurance" section updates guidelines to ensure federal agencies use reliable and accurate information when developing rules and public guidance. It requires public disclosure of scientific and statistical data used, with exceptions for confidential information, and mandates that agencies provide explanations and efforts to improve access if information cannot be disclosed.
3522. Information Quality Assurance. Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section outlines requirements for updating guidelines under the Information Quality Assurance Act to ensure the accuracy and transparency of important information used by federal agencies. It mandates public disclosure of information sources, except when prohibited by law, and requires these updates to be made available online, while also defining key terms related to the guidelines.