[Washington DC, January 18, 2012] "Today, Rep. Bruce Braley introduced a new bill – his first of 2012 – to streamline government regulations in an effort to save small businesses time and money. The Plain Regulations Act would require the government to write new and updated regulations in clear, simple, easy-to-understand language."

Braley is known for his efforts to simplify government writing.  In 2007, Braley launched a three-year effort to require the government to write forms and documents like tax returns in easy-to-understand language with the introduction of the Plain Writing Act.  The bill was signed into law by President Obama in 2010, and went into effect in July of 2011. 

Plain Regulations Act of 2012

Here's copy of Law:

http://centerforplainlanguage.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Plain-Regulations-Act.pdf

From what I can gather online, this new bill has bounced around and is no longer on the congressional agenda.  Some sites refer to it as having died, and others that it has been tabled for further review, and other sites are so full of the obfuscating legalese this Bill was intended to counter that I can’t make head or tail of what's going on. But I did find a discussion listing some of the criticisms of the proposed legislation:

Criticism 1: A law requiring regulations to be written in plain language would be used to slow down or derail the regulatory process by those who oppose government’s role in regulating.

Wouldn’t it do the opposite? Unless this criticism is meant to imply that the plain language version of a regulation would make it more prone to debate and delay by virtue of its …clarity? 

Criticism 2: It’s impossible to measure compliance with the plain-language

requirement. Measurement will further tie up the regulatory process.

Fair enough, but how bout you start with “ Hey, does anybody not understand this?”

Criticism 3: Plain language is imprecise. 

If Einstein (and others) could explain Relativity in plain language, I think mortgages and small business loans should be a breeze. 

Criticism 4: It’s too hard to write regulations in plain language.

Sure it is, especially if you’ve studied and trained and practiced how not to for years. Like Oscar Hammerstein said “ You’ve got to be carefully taught”.

FOR THOSE INTERESTED, I REFER YOU TO:

http://centerforplainlanguage.org/

WHERE YOU WILL FIND A PETITION UNDER THE NAME  "DEMAND TO UNDERSTAND"  THAT YOU CAN SIGN TO HELP THE CAUSE.  

Birds and airplanes and elevators go UP, as does our temperature when we get The Flu, but  UP is not just an adverb, it's also a verb, preposition, adjective and noun.  

Which is why we  put people UP for election, and then leave the dirty work UP to them.We call UP our friends. We brighten UP the living room, polish UP the silver,  warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house  and fix UP the car.We stir UP trouble, 
line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses.We UP the ante, get dressed UP for special occasions  and open UP the drain to wash down the coffee grinds. 
We open UP  for business in the morning and we close UP at night.
 When it clouds UP we go to the movies where the suspense builds UP .  And when the weather clears UP  (if you’re feeling UP to it)  you go for a walk UP (and down) the avenue.  
If I was learning English as a second language I’d be pretty mixed UP, and probably tempted to give UP , but my UPS are almost dried UP , so I’ll wrap it UP, cause my blogging time is UP and it’s time I Shut UP.