Political Interference

Feb 8, 2016

Top 400 Taxpayers See Tax Rates Rise, But There’s More to the Story

As Americans were gathering party supplies to greet the New Year, the Internal Revenue Service released their annual report of cumulative tax data reported on the 400 tax r...

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Feb 4, 2016

Chlorine Bleach Plants Needlessly Endanger 63 Million Americans

Chlorine bleach plants across the U.S. put millions of Americans in danger of a chlorine gas release, a substance so toxic it has been used as a chemical weapon. Greenpeace’s new repo...

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Jan 25, 2016

U.S. Industrial Facilities Reported Fewer Toxic Releases in 2014

The Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data for 2014 is now available. The good news: total toxic releases by reporting facilities decreased by nearly six percent from 2013 levels. Howe...

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Jan 22, 2016

Methane Causes Climate Change. Here's How the President Plans to Cut Emissions by 40-45 Percent.

UPDATE (Jan. 22, 2016): Today, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released its proposed rule to reduce methane emissions...

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Baroody Withdraws Nomination

May 23, 2007 by Matthew Madia

The Associated Press is reporting Michael Baroody has withdrawn his nomination to be commissioner of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. As Reg•Watch reported last week, Baroody's industry ties were increasingly making him an untenable nominee. Consumer commission nominee withdraws [Associated Press]

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Senators Eye OMB's Risk Assessment Meddling

May 23, 2007 by Matthew Madia

Sens. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Joe Lieberman (I-CT) sent a letter to the White House urging OMB to abandon its Proposed Risk Assessment Bulletin. Recently, the White House intimated OMB may make a renewed push on the Bulletin. Bingaman and Lieberman want to make sure the White House knows the Senate is watching. OMB issued the Bulletin in its proposed form in January 2006. The proposal calls for a one-size-fits-all approach for agency risk assessments - a common procedure which studies the adverse effects of a wide variety of public dangers.

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House Vote on Ethics and Lobbying Reform Bill Set for Thursday

May 22, 2007 by Kay Guinane

On Thursday May 24, the House of Representatives is expected to vote on The Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 (H.R. 2316). This vote reflects the leadership's pledge to pass fundamental ethics and lobbying reform. The legislation contains several important reforms that represent progress in making the government more accountable and transparent to the electorate.

Requires electronic disclosure and public access on a searchable website

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OMB Watch Comments on FDA Conflict of Interest Guidance

May 22, 2007 by Matthew Madia

Yesterday, OMB Watch submitted comments on FDA's proposed conflict of interest guidelines for agency scientific advisory panels. Avoiding conflicts of interest on these panels is important to ensuring scientific integrity, responsible use of agency resources, and strong final regulatory actions.

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House Reform Members Might Get Slammed by "Revolving Door"

May 21, 2007 by Dana Chasin

Late last week, the House leadership agreed to remove the "revolving door" provision from the lobbying and ethics bill. The bill is scheduled to reach the House floor for a vote this Thursday, right before Congress leaves for Memorial Day. The revolving door provision in the Senate version of the bill calls for a two-year "cooling off period" after members retire from Congress before they are allowed to lobby their former colleagues.

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Beneath the Politicking, a Powerless CPSC

May 18, 2007 by Matthew Madia

As Reg•Watch blogged earlier, Democratic Sens. Dick Durbin (IL) and Bill Nelson (FL) sent a letter to President Bush asking him to withdraw the nomination of Michael Baroody for commissioner of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Separately, Nelson has threatened to put a hold on the nomination if Bush does not withdraw it. This would prevent the Senate from voting on Baroody.

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Senators Make a Case against Bush Product Safety Nominee

May 18, 2007 by Matthew Madia

On March 1, President Bush nominated Michael Baroody to be a commissioner on the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Many have criticized the nomination because of Baroody's record of opposing safety regulation in his role as a lobbyist for the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM). Yesterday, Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Bill Nelson (D-FL) sent a letter to President Bush asking him to withdraw the nomination. In the letter, the Senators really brought their A-game, citing statutory criteria for the qualifications of a CPSC commissioner:

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Two Lobbying Reform Bills Approved By House Judiciary Committee, But Grassroots Disclosure Amendment Rejected

May 17, 2007 by Kay Guinane

Earlier today, the House Judiciary Committee approved two lobbying reform bills — The Lobbying Transparency Act (H.R. 2317) and The Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 (H.R. 2316). A proposed amendment offered by Rep. Martin Meehan (D-MA) on grassroots lobbying disclosure, however, was rejected by the Committee. The Committee approved H.R. 2316 after Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) successfully added a Manager's amendment, which resulted in three key changes to the bill:

Stripped from the bill the proposed extension of the revolving door ban from one to two years;

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Dudley Nomination Just a Paperwork Requirement

May 17, 2007 by Matthew Madia

Reg•Watch apologizes for jumping to conclusions this morning regarding the renomination of Susan Dudley. Apparently, the renomination is a paperwork requirement.

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Regulatory Bureaucracy Blamed for Failing Miner Safety

May 17, 2007 by Matthew Madia

As Reg•Watch has reported, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has been absolutely abysmal in enforcing the MINER Act. Congress passed the MINER Act in the wake of the Sago and Darby mine tragedies and included some statutory deadlines. MSHA has failed to promulgate any meaningful standards related to the MINER Act.

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