1 C.F.R. s 305.68-5

s 305.68-5 Representation of the Poor in Agency Rulemaking of Direct Consequence to Them (Recommendation No. 68-5).

A. Agency efforts. 1. Federal agencies should engage more extensively in affirmative, self-initiated efforts to ascertain directly from the poor their views with respect to rulemaking that may affect them substantially. For this purpose, agencies should make strong efforts, by use of existing as well as newly devised procedures, to obtain information and opinion from those whose circumstances may not permit conventional participation in rulemaking proceedings. The "rulemaking" referred to is that defined by the Administrative Procedure Act, section 2(c), 5 U.S.C. 551 (4) and (5).

2. Agencies should employ as many of the following procedures as are feasible, practicable, and necessary to assure their being fully informed concerning the relevant interests of the poor:

(a) Agencies should seek to inform the poor of all rulemaking proposals that may affect them substantially and should provide opportunities for the poor to submit their views concerning these and related proposals.

(b) Agencies should hold formal public hearings or informal conferences in close geographic proximity to the poor substantially affected by contemplated rulemaking.

(c) Agencies should take care to invite individuals constituting a representative cross-section of the poor to submit their views orally or in writing as to proposed rules substantially affecting the poor.

(d) Agencies should conduct field surveys among the poor to discover their attitudes concerning particular government policymaking substantially affecting them.

(e) Agencies should use advisory committees made of representatives of the poor as continuing consultants for all programs having a substantial effect on such persons.

(f) When necessary to assure adequate representation for the poor, agencies should pay the personal expenses and losses incurred by individuals incident to their participation in rulemaking hearings. Congress should support agency requests for funds and for authority, where none exists, to make discretionary payments for this purpose. Agencies already authorized to make such payments in whole or in part should use their existing authority and should allocate funds accordingly.

In deciding whether the use of any one or more of the above devices is feasible, practicable, or necessary in a given situation, agencies should resolve doubts in favor of utilizing them; but their enumeration should not exclude or discourage the development and use of other devices to achieve the same result.

In carrying out paragraphs 1 and 2 of this recommendation, agencies should consult with and coordinate their efforts with other Federal agencies having responsibilities in this area and should make maximum feasible use of the facilities of such other agencies for communicating with and obtaining expressions of the views of the poor.

3. Agencies should be encouraged in appropriate circumstances to determine that the exemptions in 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(2) should not be applied with respect to rulemaking which may have a substantial impact on the poor.

B. People's Counsel. 4. (a) An organization should be authorized by statute to employ a staff to act as "People's Counsel." The People's Counsel should represent the interests of the poor in all Federal administrative rulemaking substantially affecting the poor.

(b) The People's Counsel should be charged with assuring that the views of significant separable minority interests among the poor are represented in such Federal administrative rulemaking.

(c) The People's Counsel should be required to disseminate to all interested poor people's organizations pertinent information concerning rulemaking substantially affecting the poor.

(d) The People's Counsel should be authorized to participate suitably in its own name to represent the interests of the poor in any Federal agency proceedings in which the poor have a substantial interest.

(e) The People's Counsel should be authorized to provide representation for organizations and groups of the poor who seek judicial review of administrative action substantially affecting their interests. This recommendation is not to alter the kinds of agency action amenable to judicial review, the requirements of standing to seek review, or the scope of that review.

(f) As an incident to its main responsibilities the People's Counsel should be empowered to recommend to Congress or the President or to both such legislation or other action as it deems appropriate to correct deficiencies in or otherwise improve Federal programs having a substantial impact on the poor.

5. (a) Congress should provide for an appropriate body to perform the functions outlined in section 4. Deserving of consideration as such body would be a new single-purpose corporation, to be created by Congress, modeled on the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Pub. L. 90-129, 81 Stat. 368 (1967), 47 U.S.C. (Supp. III) 396, and to be known as the People's Counsel Corporation. In the event this form of organization is adopted, the following considerations should apply:

(1) The People's Counsel Corporation should be made tax exempt and authorized to accept grants of private funds. Gifts to the Corporation should be made deductible as charitable contributions for Federal income tax purposes.

(2) Federal financing of the Corporation should be made available to the extent necessary to assure its effective operation.

(3) The governing board of the People's Counsel Corporation should be constituted to give the poor meaningful representation thereon. Such body should be constituted to ensure close communication with the poor and effective representation of the viewpoints of the poor.

6. All Federal agencies should be required by Executive order to notify the People's Counsel of all proposed rules which would have a substantial impact on the poor. Agencies also should be required by that Executive order to give the People's Counsel an opportunity to present the views of the poor with respect to such proposed rules. Exceptions to these obligations should be permitted only "when the agency for good cause finds (and incorporates the finding and a brief statement of reasons therefor in the rules issued) that (such) notice and * * * (an opportunity for the People's Counsel to present its views) are impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to the public interest." (See 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B).) In these exceptional cases, agencies should be required to notify the People's Counsel as soon as practicable of any consummated rulemaking substantially affecting the poor, and should be required to give the Counsel as soon as practicable an opportunity to communicate to the agency its views concerning the desirability of further action with respect to such rulemaking.

Without prejudice to creating or empowering any other appropriate body to perform the general functions outlined in paragraphs 4, 5, and 6, any special provision therefor should be so structured as to take maximum advantage of the capabilities in this field of nongovernment organizations, and of other public bodies, including notably the Office of Economic Opportunity.

Note: Six separate statements were filed concerning this Recommendation.

Authority: 5 U.S.C. 591-596.

SOURCE: 38 FR 19782, July 23, 1973; 57 FR 61760, 61768, Dec. 29, 1992, unless otherwise noted.