Braley Applauds Senate Action on Plain Language Act

Senate Committee Unanimously Passes Companion to Braley's Plain Language Bill

Washington - Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) commended the US Senate's Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs for unanimously passing Sen. Daniel Akaka's (D-Hawaii) Plain Language in Government Communications Act (S 2291).

Akaka's bill is the Senate companion to Braley's Plain Language in Government Communications Act (HR 3548), a bill that would require the federal government to write documents like tax returns, federal college aid applications, and Veterans Administration forms in simple, easy-to-understand language. 

"The Senate committee's passage of the Plain Language Act today is a sign of growing momentum for legislation that will make the government more accessible and accountable to American taxpayers," Braley said.  "There's no reason why the federal government can't write forms, letters, and other public documents in a way we can all understand. 

"It's a simple change that'll make a big difference for anyone who's ever filled out a tax return, applied for a passport, received a letter from the Veterans Administration, or read a government document."

The Plain Language in Government Communications Act would require the federal government to write all new publications, forms, and publicly distributed documents in a "clear, concise, well-organized" manner that follows the best practices of plain language writing.