introduction to administrative law and practice · university of houston law center statutory...
TRANSCRIPT
![Page 1: Introduction to Administrative Law and Practice · University of Houston Law Center Statutory Interpretation and Regulatory Practice March 30, 2020. ... fashion FERC, FCC Informal](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022042918/5f5cf343ca6998022e3a5597/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Introduction to Administrative
Law and Practice
Prof. Tracy Hester
University of Houston Law Center
Statutory Interpretation and Regulatory Practice
March 30, 2020
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Comments and Feedback – A Judicial Perspective on Statutory Interpretation
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Quick look back
• Last class – Llewellyn’s challenge – the canon conundrum and
“picking your friends in a crowded room”
• Coherence Canons
– Presumption on Use of Common Law
Terms
– Reenactment Canon
– Borrowed Statute Canon
– Presumption against Implied Repeals
– Presumption against Rejected Proposals
• Bob Jones University v. U.S. (1983)
– Meaning of “charitable”
– Notions of Elemental Justice
– Legislative Acquiescence
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Welcome to Administrative Law
• The fundamental question – how to translate law into action?
• Quick reminder: what, exactly, is an “agency”?
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Welcome to Administrative Law
• The fundamental question – how to translate law into action?
• Quick reminder: what, exactly, is an “agency”?
“agency” means each authority of the Government of the
United States, whether or not it is within or subject to review
by another agency”
![Page 6: Introduction to Administrative Law and Practice · University of Houston Law Center Statutory Interpretation and Regulatory Practice March 30, 2020. ... fashion FERC, FCC Informal](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022042918/5f5cf343ca6998022e3a5597/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Welcome to Administrative Law
• The fundamental question – how to translate law into action?
• Quick reminder: what, exactly, is an “agency”?
“agency” means each authority of the Government of the United
States, whether or not it is within or subject to review by another
agency”
• NOT
– Congress
– Courts
– D.C. gov’t or territories
![Page 7: Introduction to Administrative Law and Practice · University of Houston Law Center Statutory Interpretation and Regulatory Practice March 30, 2020. ... fashion FERC, FCC Informal](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022042918/5f5cf343ca6998022e3a5597/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
Welcome to Administrative Law
• The fundamental question – how to translate law into action?
• Quick reminder: what, exactly, is an “agency”? (APA 551)
“agency” means each authority of the Government of the United
States, whether or not it is within or subject to review by another
agency”
• NOT
– Congress
– Courts
– D.C. gov’t or territories
• So what about czars?
![Page 8: Introduction to Administrative Law and Practice · University of Houston Law Center Statutory Interpretation and Regulatory Practice March 30, 2020. ... fashion FERC, FCC Informal](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022042918/5f5cf343ca6998022e3a5597/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
Welcome to Administrative Law
• The fundamental question – how to translate law into action?
• Quick reminder: what, exactly, is an “agency”? (APA 551)
“agency” means each authority of the Government of the United
States, whether or not it is within or subject to review by another
agency”
• NOT
– Congress
– Courts
– D.C. gov’t or territories
• So what about czars?
![Page 9: Introduction to Administrative Law and Practice · University of Houston Law Center Statutory Interpretation and Regulatory Practice March 30, 2020. ... fashion FERC, FCC Informal](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022042918/5f5cf343ca6998022e3a5597/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
Welcome to Administrative Law
• The fundamental question – how to translate law into action?
• Quick reminder: what, exactly, is an “agency”? (APA 551)
“agency” means each authority of the Government of the United
States, whether or not it is within or subject to review by another
agency”
• NOT
– Congress
– Courts
– D.C. gov’t or territories
• So what about czars?
![Page 10: Introduction to Administrative Law and Practice · University of Houston Law Center Statutory Interpretation and Regulatory Practice March 30, 2020. ... fashion FERC, FCC Informal](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022042918/5f5cf343ca6998022e3a5597/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
Administrative Law Building Blocks
• Legally, it’s where the action is at
• Administrative Procedure Act – “The Magna Carta of Administrative
Law”
• Sets out requirements for both rules and orders
• Also specifies how courts review administrative actions
– Section 706 – “arbitrary and capricious” (much more details
later)
– Beware: “mini-APAs” hidden in substantive statutes
• NOTE – we’ll cover ultra vires and agency appointment later
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Agency Rulemaking Processes
Rules Orders (or
Adjudications)
Formal
Informal
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Agency Rulemaking Processes
Rules Orders (or
Adjudications)
Formal
Rule by trial – APA
section 556-557
Limited to parties;
rarely used
Informal
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Agency Rulemaking Processes
Rules Orders (or
Adjudications)
Formal
Rule by trial – APA
section 556-557
Limited to parties;
rarely used
Developing rules
via case-by-case
decisions in
common law
fashion
FERC, FCC
Informal
Agencies can
choose how much
process to give
for informal
orders, but Due
Process Applies
(Matthews v.
Eldrige)
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Agency Rulemaking Processes
Rules Orders (or
Adjudications)
Formal
Rule by trial – APA
section 556-557
Limited to parties;
rarely used
Developing rules
via case-by-case
decisions in
common law
fashion
FERC, FCC
Informal
Notice-and-
comment process
Vast majority of
agency
rulemaking
activity
Agencies can
choose how much
process to give for
informal orders, but
Due Process
Applies (Matthews
v. Eldrige)
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Agency Rulemaking Processes
Notice of Data
Availability
Notice of
Proposed
Rulemaking
Proposed Rule Notice-and-
Comment
Period
Close of
Period, and
Agency
Internal
Review
Revised
Proposed
Rule
Executive
Review of
draft Final
Rule (OIRA
and OMB)
Final Rule Judicial
Review
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Additional Procedural Steps for Agency
Rulemaking
• Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980
• Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995
• Paperwork Act
• Congressional Review Act of 1995
– 60 days to report new rule to Congress
– Congress can pass resolution to disapprove
– NO FILIBUSTER
– Resolution subject to veto
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Executive Oversight of Rulemaking
Process
• Fundamental question – is it appropriate for President to intervene?
How much is too much?
• Executive Order 12,866 (1993)
– Planning + Review
– Include independent agencies now
– No rulemaking can commence w/o regulatory political officer
assent
– Disputes resolved by Vice-President and/or President
• Touchstone – “significantly regulatory action” allowed “only upon a
reasoned determination that the benefits of the intended regulation
justify its costs”
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OIRA
• Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs,
within Office of Management and Budget
• Tools:
– Cost-benefit assessments
– Return letters
– Prompt letters
– Review letters
• The endless do-loop
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Tracy Hester
University of Houston Law Center
713-743-1152 (office)