Regulatory Action Center Review - May 3, 2019

Welcome to FreedomWorks Foundation’s eighth regulatory review of 2019! Our Regulatory Action Center proudly updates you with our favorite tidbits from the swamp. We want to smash barriers between bureaucracy and the American people by delivering regulatory news straight to FreedomWorks activists. Check back in two weeks for the next edition.

1) Video of the Week: In this video, The New American senior editor, Bill Jasper describes the mind blowing size, cost and wastefulness of our federal regulatory state. According to the Competitive Enterprise Institute’s “Ten Thousand Commandments” report, the federal regulations took nearly a two trillion dollar bite out the U.S. economy in 2013.

2) Interior Department to Roll Back Offshore Drilling Safety Rules: “Changes loosened requirements for real-time monitoring of offshore drilling operations and easing requirements for companies to hold third-party certifications of easy access emergency equipment in the case of explosions or oil and gas leaks from wells.” https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2019/05/03/Interior-Department-to-roll-back-offshore-drilling-safety-rules/7641556855295/

3) Neomi Rao’s DC Circuit Debut Features EPA Regulatory Fight: “Friday’s case centers on an environmental group’s challenge to the Environmental Protection Agency’s April 2018 decision to no longer enforce part of an Obama-era rule that regulated the use of hydrofluorocarbons, a greenhouse gas. The Natural Resources Defense Council, which sued the EPA, contends the agency unlawfully suspended the rule without providing sufficient explanation, or providing notice or opportunity to comment.” https://www.law.com/nationallawjournal/2019/05/02/neomi-raos-dc-circuit-debut-features-epa-regulatory-fight/?slreturn=20190403135031

4) Too Much Regulation Will Hand Tech Leadership to China: “‘Those companies have competitors,’” [Donald Graham] the chairman of Graham Holdings Company and former publisher of The Washington Post said on Squawk Box. ‘Those competitors are Chinese. And if Facebook and Google are hobbled by regulations, the world leadership in tech is going to be handed to Chinese companies, and I don’t think that will be very good for your privacy.’” https://www.cnbc.com/2019/05/03/donald-graham-too-much-regulation-will-hand-tech-leadership-to-china.html

5) CMS’ New Tech Innovation Strategy Targets ‘Outdated’ Regulation: “During remarks at the Medical Device Manufacturers Association’s annual meeting in Washington, Verma said the agency is removing what she called government barriers to innovation.” https://www.modernhealthcare.com/government/cms-new-tech-innovation-strategy-targets-outdated-regulation

6) Public Policy Towards Alternatives to Smoking: “The FDA’s deeming regulations will impose costly compliance measures on the e-cigarette industry. Proponents of harsh FDA regulations ignore or trivialize the health benefits and health care cost savings that tobacco harm reduction products, including e-cigarettes, provide. Policymakers should take sound science into consideration when deliberating new regulations or taxes on e-cigarettes. The imposition of bans, excessive regulations, or high taxes on e-cigarettes could encourage smokers to stay with more-harmful traditional cigarettes instead of switching to less harmful alternatives.” https://www.realclearpolicy.com/public_affairs/2018/12/31/vaping_e-cigarettes_and_public_policy_toward_alternatives_to_smoking.html

7) Drone Law – Federal Regulation May Displace State and Local Laws: “Last week, the FAA granted a Google affiliate the first “air carrier” certification for a drone delivery company. Many entrepreneurs may be wondering what it takes to take flight with a drone. Unfortunately, this is no simple task: when your drone takes flight, as many as three different governments (and several agencies within them) may take an interest.” https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/drone-law-federal-regulation-may-85499/