  We derive the representation of the nonequilibrium steady-state distribution
function which is expressed in terms of the excess free energy production. This
representation resembles the one derived recently by Komatsu and Nakagawa
[Phys. Rev. Lett. 100 (2008), 030601] resting on the use of microscopic
time-reversal symmetry, but our representation applies also to sheared granular
systems in which such a symmetry is broken.
