Projects

ACUS undertakes many types of projects to carry out its statutory mission to improve federal administrative procedure. ACUS consultants and staff regularly prepare research studies, some of which inform the development of recommendations for action by federal agencies, the President, Congress, and the judiciary. ACUS also publishes reference guides, organizes public forums and roundtables, and prepares other resources on an ongoing basis.

Agency Investigative Procedures

This project surveys regulatory agencies’ investigative procedures and recommend best practices to promote accuracy, efficiency, and fairness in agency investigations of specific regulated…

Agency Procedural Rules

This project will consist of a large-scale study of agency rules of practice and procedure. Among other topics, it will identify sources and definitions of procedural rules and subjects commonly…

Collection, Use, and Availability of Agency Adjudication Data

ACUS has long recommended that agencies employ statistical and nonstatistical techniques to evaluate the quality, timeliness, fairness, and efficiency of their adjudications, particularly in…

Compilation of Regulatory Reform Legislation

Members of Congress have introduced bills designed to amend or overhaul aspects of federal administrative procedure. Given the significance of these proposed reforms and the number of bills…

Consultation with State, Local, and Tribal Governments in Regulatory Policymaking

Federal agencies are required to consult with state and local governments when they develop regulatory policies that have “federalism implications” and with tribal governments when they develop…

Council of Independent Regulatory Agencies

The Council of Independent Regulatory Agencies (CIRA) provides a unique forum for officials at independent regulatory agencies to exchange information, hear the perspectives of outside experts,…

Council on Federal Agency Adjudication

The Council on Federal Agency Adjudication provides a forum for the heads of agency adjudication programs to exchange information—about procedural innovations, best management practices, and other…

Effectuation of Benefits

This project will examine the different processes and procedures employed by federal agencies that administer government benefit programs for effectuating an award of benefits; that is, the…

Federal Administrative Procedure Sourcebook

The Federal Administrative Procedure Sourcebook is an annotated compilation of the key legal sources—including the Administrative Procedure Act, the Freedom of Information Act, the…

Federal Agency Collaboration with State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Governments

Many federal laws include provisions that require partnerships between federal agencies and state, local, tribal, and territorial governments (SLTGs). Agencies have continued to expand upon these…

"Ex Parte" Communications in Informal Rulemaking

Committee: Committee on Rulemaking

Recommendation 2014-4 – “Ex Parte” Communications in Informal Rulemaking provides guidance and best practices to agencies for managing "ex parte" communications between…

Acting Agency Officials and Delegations of Authority

Committee: Committee on Administration and Management

Recommendation 2019-7 – Acting Agency Officials and Delegations of Authority offers agencies best…

Adjudication Materials on Agency Websites

Committee: Committee on Administration and Management

Recommendation 2017-1 – Adjudication Materials on Agency Websites provides guidance regarding the online dissemination of administrative adjudication materials. It…

Administrative Judges

Committee: Committee on Adjudication

This project explores agencies’ use of administrative judges (AJs), who preside over hearings outside of those governed by the Administrative Procedure Act. It studies the use of AJs across…

Administrative Record in Informal Rulemaking

Committee: Committee on Judicial Review

Recommendation 2013-4 – Administrative Record in Informal Rulemaking offers best practices for agencies in the compilation, preservation, and certification of records in…

Agency Appellate Systems

Committee: Committee on Adjudication

Recommendation 2020-3, Agency Appellate Systems – offers agencies best practices to improve administrative review of hearing-level adjudicative…

Agency Decision Making by Artificial Intelligence

This Office of the Chair project, conducted by Professor Cary Coglianese of the University of Pennsylvania School of Law, explored contexts in which agencies might use machine learning and…

Agency Economists

Committee: Committee on Regulation

Recommendation 2019-5 – Agency Economists addresses the placement of economists within rule-writing agencies (e.g., centralized versus dispersed throughout the…

Agency Guidance Through Interpretive Rules

Committee: Committee on Judicial Review

Recommendation 2019-1 – Agency Guidance Through Interpretive Rules identifies ways agencies can offer the public the opportunity to propose alternative…

Agency Guidance Through Policy Statements

Committee: Committee on Judicial Review

Recommendation 2017-5 – Agency Guidance Through Policy Statements, formerly titled Agency Guidance, provides best practices to agencies on the…

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Committee on Rulemaking Meeting #2 (Individualized Guidance)

April 24, 2024 10:00 AM (EDT) - April 24, 2024 1:00 PM (EDT)

Location name

ACUS will be hosting this committee meeting remotely. Members of the public interested in participating should contact Ben Birkhill at bbirkhill@acus.gov to RSVP and request attendance information.

Committee on Judicial Review Meeting #2 (Choice of Forum for Judicial Review of Agency Rules)

April 25, 2024 1:00 PM (EDT) - April 25, 2024 4:00 PM (EDT)

Location name

ACUS will be hosting this committee meeting remotely. Members of the public interested in participating should contact Kazia Nowacki at knowacki@acus.gov to RSVP and request attendance information.

Committee on Administration & Management Meeting #2 (Congressional Constituent Service Inquiries)

April 26, 2024 1:00 PM (EDT) - April 26, 2024 4:00 PM (EDT)

Location name

ACUS will be hosting this committee meeting remotely. Members of the public interested in participating should contact Conrad Dryland at cdryland@acus.gov to RSVP and request attendance information.

Committee on Rulemaking Meeting #3 (Individualized Guidance)

May 1, 2024 10:00 AM (EDT) - May 1, 2024 12:00 PM (EDT)

Location name

ACUS will be hosting this committee meeting remotely. Members of the public interested in participating should contact Ben Birkhill at bbirkhill@acus.gov to RSVP and request attendance information.

Committee on Adjudication Meeting #2 (Participation of Senate-Confirmed Officials in Administrative Adjudication)

May 1, 2024 2:30 PM (EDT) - May 1, 2024 5:30 PM (EDT)

Location name

ACUS will be hosting this committee meeting remotely. Members of the public interested in participating should contact Matthew Gluth at mgluth@acus.gov to RSVP and request attendance information.

Committee on Judicial Review Meeting #3 (Choice of Forum for Judicial Review of Agency Rules)

May 2, 2024 2:00 PM (EDT) - May 2, 2024 5:00 PM (EDT)

Location name

ACUS will be hosting this committee meeting remotely. Members of the public interested in participating should contact Kazia Nowacki at knowacki@acus.gov to RSVP and request attendance information.

Committee on Administration & Management Meeting #3 (Congressional Constituent Service Inquiries)

May 3, 2024 2:00 PM (EDT) - May 3, 2024 5:00 PM (EDT)

Location name

ACUS will be hosting this committee meeting remotely. Members of the public interested in participating should contact Conrad Dryland at cdryland@acus.gov to RSVP and request attendance information.

Committee on Regulation Meeting #1 (Using Algorithmic Tools in Regulatory Enforcement)

October 4, 2024 2:30 PM (EDT) - October 4, 2024 5:00 PM (EDT)

Location name

ACUS will be hosting this committee meeting remotely. Members of the public interested in participating should contact Kazia Nowacki at knowacki@acus.gov to RSVP and request attendance information.

Committee on Rulemaking Meeting #1 (Public Engagement in Agency Rulemaking Under the Good Cause Exemption)

October 8, 2024 10:00 AM (EDT) - October 8, 2024 12:00 PM (EDT)

Location name

ACUS will be hosting this committee meeting remotely. Members of the public interested in participating should contact Ben Birkhill at bbirkhill@acus.gov to RSVP and request attendance information.

Committee on Adjudication Meeting #1 (Nonlawyer Assistance and Representation)

October 16, 2024 1:00 PM (EDT) - October 16, 2024 4:00 PM (EDT)

Location name

ACUS will be hosting this committee meeting remotely. Members of the public interested in participating should contact Lea Robbins at lrobbins@acus.gov to RSVP and request attendance information.