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...

read in full

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...

read in full

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...

read in full

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...

read in full

more news

OIRA Back Door Open to Dudley?

Susan Dudley is likely to be named as a senior consultant in OMB's Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), according to a BNA story published Jan. 8. If true, Dudley would be in a position to influence OIRA decisions about regulations across all government agencies. Dudley was nominated by President Bush in 2006 to be the administrator of OIRA to replace John Graham, who resigned in February of that year. Thanks to widespread opposition from the public interest community, Capitol Hill, and individuals, the Senate failed to hold a vote on her nomination before the end of the 109th Congress because she lacked sufficient support in committee.

read in full

House Imposes New Ethics Rules

On Jan. 4, even before debate began on the Democrats' promised first 100 hours agenda, the House, by a 430-1 vote, approved rules changes aimed at ending the "culture of corruption" of the past Congress. The changes address relations between lobbyists and members of the House and are meant to curb abuses revealed in last year's scandals involving convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff and several members of the House. On the next day, the House approved additional rules changes.

read in full

President May Chill Bipartisan Climate with Dudley Appointment

Jan 8, 2007 by Matthew Madia

As Reg Watch blogged earlier today, the White House is considering naming anti-regulatory zealot Susan Dudley an OIRA senior advisor, once again prioritizing big business above public welfare.

read in full

Dudley May Occupy OIRA Office

Jan 8, 2007 by Matthew Madia

BNA news service (subscription required) reports today that controversial OIRA administrator nominee Susan Dudley may be named a senior OIRA advisor. This move by the White House would end Dudley's official nomination, yet allow her to have an active role in policy making within the highly influential OIRA office. Dudley's nomination stalled last year when the then Republican controlled Senate failed to schedule a vote.

read in full

House Adopts Lobby and Ethics Reform Package

Jan 5, 2007 by Dana Chasin

In the first legislative act of the 110th Congress, the House adopted an initial set of "honest leadership" rules changes yesterday by a vote of 430-1. A floor vote on a second set of rules changes, covering "civility and fiscal responsibility," is expected today. Yesterday's package of rules changes provides the following:

read in full

House and Senate Begin Ethics and Lobbying Reform

Jan 4, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

The House and Senate have recently convened, and as promised, the next two days will involve the adoption of new House rules that address ethics, lobbying, budget enforcement, and the disclosure of earmark sponsors. The text of the House rule changes can be read here. These new House rules include:

prohibiting members and staff from accepting gifts or meals from lobbyists or private organizations that have lobbyists.

read in full

Attempts to Roll Back, Delay Regulatory Protections Common in 2006

Throughout the past several years, attempts to roll back regulatory safeguards and delay new rulemaking have been common. 2006 proved to be no different, and several important issues garnered attention. Among these were sunset commission legislation, the nomination of Susan Dudley, and proposals to further complicate the regulatory process.

read in full

An Agenda to Weaken Protections

Dec 11, 2006 by Guest Blogger

Agencies released today the Fall 2006 Unified Agenda and Regulatory Plan, which sums up the work of the last six months and sets priorities for the coming year. Unfortunately, this year's regulatory plan has a few too many familiar faces. Agencies have failed to make progress on important regulations such as reducing worker's exposure to crystalline silica or upgrading energy efficiency standards. What's even more troubling about the Bush's regulatory plan for 2007 is the return of some industry favorites that aim to rollback health, safety and environmental standards.

read in full

Another Day, Another Deregulation

Dec 8, 2006 by Matthew Madia

On November 21, EPA issued a final rule that absolves pesticide users from obtaining a permit to apply pesticides over or near bodies of water. Today, the Detroit Free Press ran a Gannett News Service story about the ruling, which has been woefully undercovered in the media. The story also has a nice sidebar encapsulating some of the Bush administration's most objectionable deregulation decisions over the past six years; not to mention a pithy quote from OMB Watch Executive Director Gary Bass:

read in full

NY Times Chronicles Bush Administration's Lax Trucking Regulations

Dec 7, 2006 by Matthew Madia

On Sunday, The New York Times kicked off a series exposing the Bush administration's efforts at unabashedly pro-industry and often dangerous deregulation. The first in the series focuses on the trucking industry. The article states, "The federal government's oversight of the trucking industry is a case study of deregulation, as well as the difficulty of determining an exact calculus of its consequences." Despite opposition from public interest groups and even the insurance industry, trucking interests have rewritten rules at the expense of motorists and truck drivers alike.

read in full