No. 22-270

Ranchers Cattlemen Action Legal Fund United Stockgrowers of America, et al. v. Department of Agriculture, et al.

Lower Court: Tenth Circuit
Docketed: 2022-09-21
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2) Experienced Counsel
Tags: administrative-law agency-guidance constitutional-avoidance eleventh-circuit federal-advisory-committee-act judicial-construction plain-meaning public-citizen-v-us-dept-of-justice separation-of-powers statutory-interpretation
Key Terms:
AdministrativeLaw JusticiabilityDoctri
Latest Conference: 2023-03-03 (distributed 2 times)
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Should the word 'established' in the Federal Advisory Committee Act be construed in accord with its plain meaning or more narrowly?

Question Presented (from Petition)

QUESTION PRESENTED The Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 2 §§ 1 16, imposes detailed reporting requirements on federal advisory committees. The Act defines “advisory committee” as including any committee “established” or “utilized” by a federal agency “in the interest of obtaining advice or recommendations for the President or one or more agencies or officers of the Federal Government.” 5 U.S.C. App. 2, § 3(2). In Public Citizen v. U.S. Dep’t of Justice, 491 U.S. 440 (1989), this Court held that the word “utilized” should not be construed in accordance with its “straightforward” and “literal” meaning but rather should be read narrowly—in part because assigning “utilized” its commonly understood meaning would raise considerable doubt regarding FACA’s constitutionality. 491 U.S. at 465-67. Relying on Public Citizen, the courts below held—in direct conflict with a decision of the Eleventh Circuit—that “established” should also be construed more narrowly than its ordinary meaning would suggest. The Question Presented is: Should the word “established,” as used in FACA, be construed in accord with its “plain” meaning (as the Eleventh Circuit held) or should be it construed more narrowly (as the Tenth Circuit held)?

Docket Entries

2023-03-06
Petition DENIED.
2023-02-15
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 3/3/2023.
2023-02-14
Reply of petitioners Ranchers Cattlemen Action Legal Fund United Stockgrowers of America, et al. filed. (Distributed)
2023-01-27
Brief of respondents Department of Agriculture, et al. in opposition filed.
2022-12-19
Motion to extend the time to file a response from December 28, 2022 to January 27, 2023, submitted to The Clerk.
2022-12-19
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is further extended to and including January 27, 2023.
2022-11-09
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including December 28, 2022.
2022-11-08
Motion to extend the time to file a response from November 28, 2022 to December 28, 2022, submitted to The Clerk.
2022-10-28
Response Requested. (Due November 28, 2022)
2022-10-25
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 11/10/2022.
2022-10-20
Waiver of right of respondent Department of Agriculture, et al. to respond filed.
2022-09-19
2022-08-04
Application (22A98) granted by Justice Gorsuch extending the time to file until September 19, 2022.
2022-08-01
Application (22A98) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from August 18, 2022 to September 19, 2022, submitted to Justice Gorsuch.

Attorneys

Department of Agriculture, et al.
Elizabeth B. PrelogarSolicitor General, Respondent
Elizabeth B. PrelogarSolicitor General, Respondent
Ranchers Cattlemen Action Legal Fund United Stockgrowers of America, et al.
Richard A. SampNew Civil Liberties Alliance, Petitioner
Richard A. SampNew Civil Liberties Alliance, Petitioner