Most people know that Congress creates new federal laws by passing bills, but that’s not the only way that federal requirements and restrictions are created. Federal agencies also can issue new regulations that have the same force and effect as the laws passed by Congress – regulations that affect many aspects of our everyday lives.

This fact sheet explains the legal process for creating those regulations, including how and when the public can provide input on proposed new rules. Examples of rules about which the public may provide input include regulations regarding graphic warnings on tobacco packages, which the FDA proposed in November 2010, and possible future proposed regulations on issues such as menthol-flavored cigarettes and dissolvable tobacco products.

Getting Your Voice Heard - Commenting on Federal Regulations is one of a series of fact sheets - called FDA Law Notes - that PHLP has produced to explain issues related to the 2009 FDA Law.

You may also be interested in these other TALC products about creating resolutions encouraging the FDA to regulate or ban menthol in tobacco products:

• Model Resolution Encouraging the Food and Drug Administration to Ban the Use of Menthol in Cigarettes to help cities and counties pass a local resolution to encourage the FDA to regulate or completely ban the use of menthol in cigarettes.

• Timeline of FDA Tobacco Law and Menthol Provisions contains key dates and steps in the FDA’s process for considering the regulation of tobacco products containing menthol and the process for submitting comments about such products to the FDA.