OMB Watch Sees White House Science Memo as a Step Forward
Dec 17, 2010
WASHINGTON, Dec. 17, 2010—The White House today took another step toward securing the independence of federal scientists and ensuring the integrity of scientific information used in government decision making. President Obama's top science advisor, John Holdren, issued a memo to executive branch agencies outlining the administration's position on key scientific integrity issues and instructing agencies to implement reforms.
read in fullCorporate Failures Not Enough to Trigger Meaningful Regulatory Change in 2010
Dec 14, 2010
In 2010, Big Business was often in the news for the wrong reasons. The BP oil spill disaster, the explosion at a Massey Energy mine that killed 29, and the recall of millions of Toyota vehicles, to name a few, made headlines throughout the year, both for their human, economic, and environmental toll and for the negligence they exposed. Despite these failures, 2010 was an excellent year for America's corporate elite. Profits skyrocketed, lobbyists fended off new regulation, and corporate access to Washington decision makers grew even more robust.
Report Shows Obama Administration Stepping Up Enforcement of Labor, Consumer Protection, Environmental Laws
Dec 8, 2010
WASHINGTON, Dec. 8, 2010—In a new report released today, OMB Watch examines the regulatory enforcement actions of the Obama administration at its midterm point. The report, The Obama Approach to Public Protection: Enforcement, illustrates that executive branch agencies under Obama have stepped up enforcement of a number of important labor, consumer protection, and environmental laws and regulations. The report is the second in a series of three publications on the Obama administration's approach to public protections and the federal regulatory process.
Food Safety Bill Starts, Stalls in First Week of Lame-Duck Session
Nov 23, 2010
The U.S. Senate, hampered by politics and process, recently failed yet again to pass food safety reform legislation. The Senate is in the process of considering both related and unrelated amendments to the bill during the lame-duck session.
OMB Watch Criticizes U.S. Chamber of Commerce over Irresponsible Attack on Public Protections
Nov 17, 2010
WASHINGTON, Nov. 17, 2010—OMB Watch today criticized the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for an irresponsible attack on government regulation, a key mechanism for providing public safeguards. The rebuke was in response to news that the Chamber will target environmental and worker protections and health care and financial reform regulations in the coming months.
All Eyes on Regulation in Post-Election Environment
Nov 9, 2010
Facing a Republican majority in the House and a slimmer Democratic majority in the Senate, President Obama and administrative agencies may increasingly turn toward regulation to accomplish policy goals. In contrast, new lawmakers and congressional leaders vow to use their power to roll back regulations, cut spending, and shrink the size of government.
White House Sued over Delayed Scientific Integrity Policy
Oct 27, 2010
The nonprofit organization Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) is suing the Obama administration over a long-delayed policy to limit interference in federal scientific research and to protect government scientists from censorship and harassment.
read in fullCommentary: Did OMB Block Worst-Case Estimates of Oil Spill?
Oct 27, 2010
A working paper by the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling has ignited a controversy about the role of the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in controlling information about the spill. The working paper alleges that, soon after the April 20 explosion of BP's Deepwater Horizon rig, OMB blocked plans to disclose the government's worst-case models of the spill. The administration's response to the allegations leaves several key questions without clear answers, which can only be resolved by disclosing the drafts and feedback through which these critical documents were developed.
New Report Examines Agency Rulemaking Activity at Mid-term Point of Obama Administration
Sep 20, 2010
WASHINGTON, Sept. 20, 2010—Some agencies under the Obama administration have energetically laid out a clear rulemaking agenda, while others have been stymied by a variety of factors, according to a new OMB Watch report. The report, The Obama Approach to Public Protection: Rulemaking, was released today and evaluates the regulatory activity of several environmental, worker safety, and consumer protection agencies within the federal government.
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Food Safety Bill Pushed after Salmonella Outbreak
Sep 14, 2010
A salmonella outbreak that has sickened more than 1,500 people and led to the recall of 550 million eggs highlights the need for Congress to pass legislation that would empower the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to better protect the food supply, advocates say.
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