▁the ▁heart ▁of ▁the ▁public ’ s ▁ability ▁to ▁particip ate ▁in ▁the ▁rule making ▁process . ▁ ▁The ▁ag ency ▁rule making ▁is ▁usually ▁required ▁to ▁consider ▁and ▁publish ▁a ▁written ▁response ▁to ▁all ▁comments . ▁ ▁Although ▁high - profile ▁rule m ak ings ▁may ▁include ▁public ▁hear ings , ▁most ▁rule m ak ings ▁are ▁simply ▁noticed ▁in ▁the ▁Federal ▁Register ▁with ▁a ▁call ▁for ▁written ▁comments ▁by ▁a ▁set ▁dead line . ▁ ▁Hold ing ▁ag encies ▁account able ▁for ▁objective , ▁fact - based ▁rule making ▁requires ▁maintain ing ▁a ▁formal ▁record ▁of ▁the ▁facts ▁and ▁analysis ▁behind ▁the ▁rule . ▁A gen cies ▁must ▁assemble ▁and ▁make ▁public ▁a ▁rule making ▁record ▁that ▁includes ▁all ▁information ▁considered ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁rule making ▁process . ▁▁ ▁These ▁records ▁can ▁be ▁enorm ous ▁and ▁can ▁easily ▁fill ▁scores ▁to ▁hundreds ▁of ▁boxes . ▁ ▁Inter ested ▁parties ▁generally ▁must ▁travel ▁to ▁an ▁ag ency ▁repository ▁to ▁inspect ▁and ▁copy ▁this ▁record . ▁In ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁the ▁Federal ▁government ▁is ▁moving ▁toward ▁posting ▁rule making ▁do ckets ▁online ▁at ▁www . reg ulations . gov . ▁ ▁Support ing ▁documentation ▁for ▁ 3 7 % ▁of ▁new ▁rule m ak ings ▁was ▁available ▁on - line ▁as ▁of ▁August ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁ ▁By ▁August ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁it ▁was ▁available ▁for ▁ 8 0 % ▁of ▁new ▁rule m ak ings . ▁ ▁Inter ested ▁parties ▁frequently ▁comb ▁through ▁the ▁ag