Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 108 Part 4.djvu/605

 PUBLIC LAW 103-354—OCT. 13, 1994 108 STAT. 3239 SEC. 802. FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS OF EMPLOYEES OF THE UNITED 7 USC 2231b. STA'Ii:S DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no employee of the United States Department of Agriculture shall be peremptorily removed, on or after February 15, 1994, from the position of the employee without an opportunity for a public or nonpublic hearing, at the option of the employee, because of remarks made during personal time iu opposition to poUcies, or proposed poUcies, of the Department, including poUcies or proposed policies regarding homosexuals. Any employee removed on or after February 15, 1994, without the opportunity for such a hearing shall be reinstated to the position of the employee pending such a nearing. SEC. 303. ADJUSTED COST OF THRIFTY FOOD PLAN. (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3(o)(ll) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2012(o)(ll)) is amended by inserting "and (in the case of households residing in Alaska) on October 1, 1994," after " 1992,". (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.— The amendment made by subsection (a) 7 USC 2012 note, shall be effective beginning on September 30, 1994. SEC. 304. OFFICE OF RISK ASSESSMENT AND COST-BENEFTT ANALYSIS. 7 USC 2204e. (a) OFFICE OF RISK ASSESSMENT AND COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS. — The Secretary of A^culture shall establish in the Department of Agriculture an Office of Risk Assessment and Cost-Benefit Analy- sis, which shall be under the direction of a Director appointed by the Secretary. (b) FUNCTIONS.— The Director shall ensure that any regulatory analysis that is conducted under this section includes a risk assessment and cost-benefit analysis that is performed consistently and uses reasonably obtainable and sound scientific, technical, economic, and other data. (1) IN GENERAL. —Effective six months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall publish in the Federal Register, for each proposed major regulation the primary purpose of which is to regulate issues of human health, human safetj,^, or the environment that is promtdgated by the Department after the enactment of this Act, an amdysis with as much specificity as practicable, of— (A) the risk, incluaing the effect of the risk, to human health, human safety, or the environment, and any combination thereof, addressed by the regulation, including, where appHcable and practicable, the health and safety risks to persons who are disproportionately exposed or particularly sensitive; (B) the costs associated with the implementation of, and compHance with, the regulation; (C) where appropriate and meaningfiil, a comparison of that risk relative to other similar risks regulated by the Department or other Federal Agency, resulting fix)m comparable activities and exposure pathways (such comparisons should consider relevant distinctions among risks, such as the voluntary or involuntary nature of risks and the preventability or nonpreventability of risks); and (D) the quantitative and qualitative oenefits of the regulation, including the reduction or prevention of risk expected from the regulation. Federal Register, publication.

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