The executive branch
notice and comment
The core rulemaking procedure: an agency publishes a proposed rule, anyone may comment, and the final rule must respond to the significant comments received.
In full
Section 553 of the Administrative Procedure Act requires agencies to publish a notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal Register, give the public a chance to comment (usually 30 to 60 days), and explain their reasoning in the final rule. An agency that ignores significant comments risks having the rule vacated as arbitrary and capricious. Anyone can file a comment, and each one enters the public record.
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A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.