Introduction

• Author: William Funk - Jeffrey S. Lubbers
• Pages: xvii-xviii

xviiCONTENTS

Introduction

What a charming life that was, that dear old life in the Navy when I

kept grocery on a gunboat. I knew all the regulations and the rest of

them didn’t. I had all my rights and most of theirs.

Thomas B. Reed (R. Me.)

Speaker of the House, 1890-92, 1895-99

The fifth edition of the Federal Administrative Procedure Sourcebook, like

its four predecessors, has been compiled as a basic introduction and reference

book on major federal procedural statutes. The text of each statute is provided,

along with explanatory material, legislative history, related guidance docu-

ments, sources of additional relevant information, and a bibliography.

The Sourcebook is designed to be useful for both lawyers and non-law-

yers at federal agencies and for anyone who needs to know more about any of

the key federal procedural statutes. While this volume is designed to be a

convenient source of statutory, regulatory, and other materials, we emphasize

that the commentary is not intended to be a substitute for legal research or for

legal counsel. Readers with specific questions may have to consult the statute

directly, as well as judicial opinions, legislative history, or, where appropri-

ate, the lead agency or their own attorney.

Though the Sourcebook’s organization is largely self-evident, a few pre-

liminary comments may be valuable. These notes follow the format of most

chapters:

• Statutory Citations. This section includes U.S. Code, Public Law,

and Statutes-at-Large citations, including significant amendments.

• Lead Agency. This designation is a loose one, because a “lead”

agency’s role may vary from informal consulting and data collection

to issuance of binding regulations, from occasional technical guid-

ance to regular oversight of specific activities. The Overview section

usually elaborates on the lead agency’s role.

• Overview. This section summarizes the content of the statute and its

applicability. Any observations or conclusions represent only the judg-

ment of the editors.

xvii