Presidential Initiatives

 

Key objectives of the eRulemaking Program include:

As a cornerstone of democracy, the voice of the people is as important as it is powerful. American citizens increasingly are expressing their opinions on Federal actions that affect their lives. With the emergence of the Internet, citizens are going online to exercise this right more than ever before. In January 2003, the interagency eRulemaking Program developed Regulations.gov (www.regulations.gov) to provide citizens with a central place to learn about all proposed regulations and to have their comments shape the rulemaking process at Federal agencies. Regulations.gov removes logistical and institutional barriers that previously made it difficult, if not impossible, for a citizen to navigate the vastness of Federal regulatory activities. Regulations.gov was a groundbreaking achievement on the road toward citizen-centered government and is transforming the regulatory development process across the Federal government.

In September 2005, the eRulemaking Program launched the Federal Docket Management System (FDMS), greatly expanding public access to information and improving Agency management of the rulemaking process. FDMS, publicly accessible at www.Regulations.gov, serves as an electronic document repository, enabling Departments and Agencies to post all rulemaking and non-rulemaking documents (e.g., Federal Register notices, supporting analyses, and comments) for public access and comment. Public users can view, download, and comment on rulemakings and non-rulemaking documents accepting comments as well as view and download documents no longer accepting comments. The public can bookmark documents and dockets of interest. Public users can sign-up for and receive email notifications as documents are added to the system. Regulations.gov offers the public full-text search capabilities and RSS feed. For Agencies, FDMS provides secure login, e-Authentication single sign-on, role-based access control, e-mail notification, configurable workflow management, electronic records management (meeting the DOD 5015.2 standard) and a system integrated with the digitization and ingestion of paper documents.

Regulations.gov, with its user friendly interface, empowers and encourages all segments of the public with access to a computer and the Internet - whether at home, at work, or at a local library - to participate in Federal decision-making. This access is revolutionizing the way the government writes rules, solicits comments, and involves the public in its decision-making by moving from paper-based processes and relying on mail to new e-government innovations leading to more efficient interactions between government and the public. The one-stop Web site allows citizens and organizations interested in regulatory developments to have free and easy access to Federal rulemaking information. Regulations.gov opens the door to those individuals who have never been involved in the rulemaking process and gives them the opportunity to contribute their views.

Regulations.gov serves as a trusted source of Federal information and provides citizens easy one-stop access at a single Web site. eRulemaking fosters a more inclusive form of government, promoting the key tenets and principles of eDemocracy – using information technology to enable every citizen to more effectively participate in his or her government.

Fast Facts

In response to Congressional statutes, more than 8,000 rules are created each year by approximately 160 different Federal agencies. As many as 500 regulations can be open for comment at any given time.

The public can search through one million documents in Regulations.gov posted by more than 160 Federal agencies, bureaus, and commissions.