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The United States Government Manual
Administrative Conference of the United States
1120 Twentieth Street NW., Suite 706 South, Washington, DC 20036
202-480-2080
202-386-7190
http://www.acus.gov | Email: info@acus.gov
STAFF
| CHAIRMAN | Matthew L. Wiener, Acting |
| EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | Matthew L. Wiener |
| Research Director | Reeve T. Bull |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL AND OPERATIONS OFFICER | Harry M. Seidman |
| GENERAL COUNSEL | Shawne C. McGibbon |
COUNCIL
| CHAIR | Matthew L. Wiener, Acting |
| Vice Chair | Matthew L. Wiener |
| GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL | Nicholas T. Matich IV |
| PRIVATE CITIZENS | Ronald A. Cass |
| Jeffrey M. Harris | |
| Donald F. McGahn II | |
| Michael H. McGinley | |
| Theodore B. Olson | |
| Jane C. Sherburne | |
| Geovette E. Washington | |
| (vacancy) |
The above list of key personnel was updated 12–2019.
The Administrative Conference of the United States develops recommendations for improving the fairness and effectiveness of procedures by which Federal agencies administer regulatory, benefit, and other Government programs.
ESTABLISHMENT AND ORGANIZATION
The Administrative Conference of the United States (ACUS) was established as a permanent independent agency by the Administrative Conference Act (PL 88–499) enacted in 1964. The Conference is the successor to two temporary Administrative Conferences during the Eisenhower and Kennedy administrations.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/STATUTE-78/pdf/STATUTE-78-Pg615.pdfThe Conference ceased operations on October 31, 1995, due to termination of funding by Congress. From its beginning in 1968 until its defunding in 1995, the ACUS adopted approximately 200 recommendations, based on research and the deliberations of its members in an open process that encouraged public input. The ACUS published a complete list of these recommendations in the "Federal Register" (60 FR 56312).
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-1995-11-08/pdf/95-27473.pdf#page=1Congress reauthorized the Conference in 2004 and again in 2008. The 2004 legislation expanded its responsibilities to include specific attention to achieving more effective public participation and efficiency, reducing unnecessary litigation, and improving the use of science in the rulemaking process (5 U.S.C. 591–596). Funding was approved in 2009, and the Conference was officially reestablished in March 2010.
https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title5/part1/chapter5/subchapter5&edition=prelimBy statute, the Administrative Conference has no fewer than 75 and no more than 101 members, a majority of whom are Government officials. The President appoints the Chairman of the Conference with the advice and consent of the Senate for a 5-year term. The Council, which acts as an executive board, comprises the Chairman and 10 other members whom the President appoints for 3-year terms. Federal officials named to the Council may not constitute more than half of the total Council membership. The Chairman, the only full-time, compensated member of the Conference, appoints members representing the private sector with the approval of the Council for 2-year terms.
The entire membership is divided into committees. Each committee is assigned a broad area of interest such as adjudication, administration and management, judicial review, regulation, or rulemaking. The membership meeting in plenary session constitutes the Assembly of the Conference, which by statute must meet at least once, and customarily meets twice, each year.
https://www.acus.gov/historyThe agency's organizational chart is available in Portable Document Format (PDF) for viewing and downloading on the "Staff" web page.
https://www.acus.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ACUS%20Organization%20Chart_Oct%202019.pdfACTIVITIES
The Chairman develops subjects for inquiry, and the Council approves them. Government and nongovernment experts in administrative procedure often contribute to the development and approval process. The committees conduct thorough reviews of these subjects for inquiry and propose draft recommendations, which are based on supporting reports that expert consultants typically prepare for the ACUS.
Following the proposal process of the committees, the Council considers the supporting reports and the draft recommendations. The Council may then place them on the agenda for an upcoming plenary session of the Assembly. Members of the Assembly debate draft recommendations that the Council has placed on the agenda, and the Assembly's voting members then vote on their final adoption. The general public may attend deliberations of the committees and Assembly.
Recommendations adopted by the Conference may be addressed to administrative agencies, Congress, the President, or the Judicial Conference. Most recommendations call for action on the part of affected agencies or for new legislation. While a substantial number of recommendations have been implemented, implementation activities are continually ongoing.
The Chairman may make independent inquiries into procedural matters, including matters proposed by individuals inside or outside the Government. These inquiries help determine whether the problems should be made the subject of Conference study in the interest of developing fairer or more effective or efficient procedures.
Upon the request of a department or agency head, the Chairman is authorized to advise and assist on matters of administrative procedure. The Conference may collect information and statistics from departments and agencies and publish reports and sourcebooks that it considers useful for evaluating and improving administrative processes. The Conference also serves as a forum for the interchange among departments and agencies of information that may be useful for improving administrative practices and procedures.
Sources of Information
Archived Records
The "Guide to Federal Records in the National Archives of the United States" indicates that ACUS records have been assigned to record group 451. The Guide is accessible online, but no description is associated with this record group.
https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/000.htmlAssembly Membership
When the 101 statutory voting members of the ACUS meet in plenary session, they are referred to as the Assembly. The Assembly comprises three types of voting members: Council members, Government members, and public members. Nonvoting members—liaison representatives, special counsels, and senior fellows—may not make motions during plenary sessions and are not reckoned as part of the Assembly.
https://www.acus.gov/membersBlog
"Administrative Fix" is the agency's official blog.
https://www.acus.gov/administrative-fix-blogCalendar
A calendar of meetings and events is available online.
https://www.acus.gov/meetings-and-events/calendarCareer Opportunities
Current job openings and information on internships and the research fellow program are accessible on the "Opportunities" web page.
https://www.acus.gov/opportunitiesCommittees
The ACUS currently has standing committees on adjudication, administration and management, judicial review, regulation, and rulemaking.
https://www.acus.gov/committeesDocuments
The ACUS maintains a database of electronic documents that are accessible and searchable.
https://www.acus.gov/documents/advanced-searchFreedom of Information Act (FOIA)
The FOIA generally provides that any person has the right to obtain access to Federal agency records, except to the extent that those records are shielded from disclosure by the FOIA or another statute. Formal FOIA requests are unnecessary when seeking information that is publicly available. Before filing a formal FOIA request, an information seeker should search the ACUS website for relevant documents that are already accessible in the public domain and without charge. If the desired document cannot be found on the ACUS website, consider contacting the FOIA liaison. Getting assistance prior to filing a formal request may shorten the response time. Phone, 202-480-2080.
https://www.acus.gov/foiaNews
The ACUS posts news items on its "Latest News" web page.
https://www.acus.gov/newsroomPress Kit
The ACUS posted a press kit on its website.
https://www.acus.gov/press-kitPublications
Articles, books, papers, reports, and bibliographies are accessible online.
https://www.acus.gov/publicationsRecommendations
The ACUS maintains an online searchable database of recommendations. The 19 statements that the ACUS has adopted are also included in the database. A statement is adopted when the ACUS seeks to express its views on a matter without making a formal recommendation on the subject.
https://www.acus.gov/recommendationsSite Map
The website map allows visitors to look for specific topics or to browse content that aligns with their interests.
https://www.acus.gov/sitemapSocial Media
The ACUS maintains a Facebook account.
https://www.facebook.com/ACUSgovThe ACUS tweets announcements and other newsworthy items on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/ACUSgovStaff Directory
The ACUS maintains a staff directory on its website.
https://www.acus.gov/directory/staffThe Sources of Information were updated 12–2019.