Learn about public commenting.

The following sections provide an overview of the public commenting process, how to comment, why you should comment and how CivicLens is trying to make commenting more accessible.

What is public commenting?

Public commenting is a process that allows individuals and organizations to provide feedback on proposed government regulations before they are finalized.

Here is how the process typically works:

Step 1: Rulemaking

Federal agencies draft proposed rules, rules, public notices or other documents they want to formalize into policy.

Step 2: Commenting

The Federal Register publishes the agency's draft for a “comment period”, typically 30 to 60 days, where individuals and organizations can provide feedback on the draft.

Step 3: Consideration

When the “comment period” closes, the agencies review and consider all feedback on the proposed regulation, responding to some comments directly or posting responses to common comments in the Federal Register.

Step 4: Finalization

The agency can integrate feedback into the final version of the proposed rule, rule, public notice or other document.

US Federal Commenting Process
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For a more detailed explanation, read more about the rulemaking process at the  Federal Register.

How do I contribute a comment?

Individuals and organizations can submit comments on proposed regulations through the following methods:

Online

Via the regulations.gov website, where users can find proposed rules and submit comments directly.

Mail

Sending written comments to the address specified in the notice of proposed rulemaking.

In Person

Attending public hearings or meetings where oral comments can be made.

Email

Some agencies accept comments via a dedicated email address provided in the rulemaking notice.

However, online methods for submitting comments can be inaccessible due to the unfamiliar jargon of regulations and the sheer scope of potential topics to comment on. This makes it difficult for the average person to find interesting regulations that they feel qualified to comment on.

This is where CivicLens comes in.

CivicLens offers a simple, easy to use app where you can search by a topic you care about and easily find open opportunities to comment. When you select a regulation you are interested in, you can learn more about how others have already commented on the topic and get a sense of the main topics highlighted in the existing comments. This helps you quickly learn about a regulation and decide what perspective you would like to contribute. After learning about the regulation, you can click on the “Add your comment” button and get sent directly to the relevant page at regulations.gov to contribute your insights.

Why should I comment?

Submitting a public comment holds federal agencies accountable by ensuring that decisions are informed by public input. When agencies review comments, they are required to consider the concerns and arguments presented, providing transparency in the decision-making process.

This helps prevent arbitrary or uninformed regulations and fosters trust between the government and the public. Ultimately, public comments help ensure that federal agencies are responsive to the needs and perspectives of the people they serve.

Influence Policy
Ensure Fairness
Protect Transparency
Protect Interests

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Why does CivicLens exist?

CivicLens is dedicated to enhancing public participation in commenting on federal regulations. We collect data nightly from regulations.gov and build upon previous projects to provide guides, improved search functionality, and meaningful analysis. Using advanced AI models, we make document titles more readable, identify unique and representative comments, and analyze comment topics and sentiment to provide a clearer understanding of public feedback.

Discover more about our mission and methods on our About page.