Government Performance & Results Act of 1993
Feb 22, 2002 by Guest Blogger
Text of the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA)
read in fullAdministration Kills Contractor Responsibility Rule
Feb 14, 2002 by Guest Blogger
Two days after Christmas, with no one around to object, the Bush administration quietly revoked a Clinton-era rule that promotes greater accountability for federal contractors -- to make sure they comply with important public protections. Specifically, this contractor responsibility standard instructed government contracting officers to look at a bidding company's compliance with the law (including tax laws, labor laws, employment laws, environmental laws, antitrust laws and consumer protection laws) before awarding taxpayer dollars.
read in fullOMB Identifies Regulations for Repeal
Feb 14, 2002 by Guest Blogger
As part of its annual report to Congress on the costs and benefits of federal regulation, released last week, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) published a list of 23 "high priority" regulations it believes should be rescinded or revised. Many of these regulations are health, safety, and environmental standards, including major clean air and water standards (e.g., New
Source Review and Total Maximum Daily Loads). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has the most rules on the list with eight, while the Department of Labor is second with five, including one under the Fair Labor Standards Act and another under the Family and Medical Leave Act.
OMB Watch Launches First Issue of the Executive Report
Feb 14, 2002 by Guest Blogger
This monthly report will provide an in-depth look at a variety of executive branch issues.
read in fullEPA Seeks to Delay Pollution Cuts for Utilities
Feb 14, 2002 by Guest Blogger
Though announcement serves as another example of how the Bush administration will cater to industry interests at the cost of public health, EPA spokesperson says it is not an attempt to roll back the rule.
read in fullThe Bush Administration Weakens Wetlands Rules
Feb 14, 2002 by Guest Blogger
On January 14 the Army Corps of Engineers announced changes to several wetlands rules that will make it easier for developers, mining companies and others to qualify for general permits to dredge and fill wetlands, according to the Washington Post. This action comes on the heels of an October 2001 decision in which the Army Corps of Engineers issued a policy that allows developers to offset losses of wetlands on one site by protecting wetlands, or even dry land, elsewhere.
read in fullScalia Escapes Senate Confirmation to Become DOL Solicitor
Feb 14, 2002 by Guest Blogger
As Solicitor, Scalia has jurisdiction over a wide range of legal and regulatory issues, ranging from mine safety and job training, to migrant workers and pension rights.
read in fullInformation Collection Requests up for Expiration
Feb 14, 2002 by Guest Blogger
Normally, when agencies have pending paperwork requests at OIRA that do not get reviewed by the expiration date, approval for one year is inferred under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA).
read in fullSenate Confirms Daniels for OMB in 100-0 Vote
Feb 13, 2002 by Guest Blogger
After a mere 20 minutes of debate, the Senate unanimously confirmed Bush's choice for director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Mitch Daniels. The decisions Daniels makes will be critical, and not just to OMB, but to the entire federal government. For a discussion of what Daniels may mean for OMB, see the January 22, 2001 Watcher.
read in fullSupreme Court Upholds Clean Air Rulemaking
Feb 13, 2002 by Guest Blogger
Feb., 28 2001
In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court ruled (on Feb. 27) that EPA had exercised proper authority in promulgating its 1997 clean air standards on ozone (smog) and particulate matter (soot).
This represents a major victory for public health advocates and a major blow to industry polluters – which argued, first, that EPA had taken on powers reserved to Congress and, second, that it had improperly excluded cost considerations in developing the rules.
The Supreme Court’s action overturns an earlier ruling by a U.S.
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