Study
The Protection Paradox
The everyday American expects certain basic services from her government. She expects her roads to be maintained, her mail to be delivered, and her…
Comment
CEI Comments on DOE’s Proposed Appliance Standards Process Rule
I. Introduction The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) is a policy and analysis organization committed to advancing the principles of free markets and limited…
Blog
It’s not the (government’s) thought that counts
Good intentions are not enough to create an effective regulation. An executive agency, Congress, or the White House can have the best intentions in…
Open Market Blog
The regulatory costs we still aren’t counting
Several years ago, I assembled a “Costberg” working paper surveying the largely impenetrable and undisclosed costs of regulation. The project grew out of…
The week in regulations: Voting by mail and $100,000 visas
The number of new final regulations in 2026 topped the 2,000 mark. President Trump escalated his trade war against Canada and issued an executive…
Free the Economy podcast: The future of financial regulation with Thomas Hoenig
In this week’s episode we cover the status of occupational licensing in the 50 states, the coming crack-up over entitlement spending,…
News
FDA deserves credit for approval pancreatic cancer drug
The FDA on August 26 approved a new breakthrough drug to treat pancreatic cancer. CEI Senior Fellow and Economist Jeremy Nighohossian praised…
Consumers will pay the price of a trade war between US & Canada: CEI analysis
Today, Canada announced retaliatory tariffs against the US, ranging from 15 percent to 50 percent on approximately $20 billion worth of American imports.
New report calls for awareness of regulations’ adverse effects on Americans
Federal regulations claim they exist to protect the public. But what happens when those regulations achieve the opposite by blocking cheaper, safer, and more…
Special Projects
Dear Mr. President: The Letters of Julia Sand
Discover how one citizen motivated the President of the United States to throw supporters of the spoils system out of his sphere of influence and lead Congress to pass Civil Service Reform, ultimately bringing an end to the corrupt bureaucratic system that had made him. Coming April 2025.
Modernizing the EPA
Modernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congress is a major CEI project to reform the EPA and ensure that the agency regulates like it is 2025, not 1975. The first part of the Project is our book that lays out specific and concrete recommendations for legislators on how to modernize the agency. The next step is turning these ideas into legislative change. We hope you will join us in this effort.
Eye on FTC
The Federal Trade Commission is harming consumers and threatening innovation. CEI's new 'Eye on FTC' project spotlights the agencies overreach to help inform legislators, and, ultimately, to restore the agency’s core mission of protecting consumer welfare.
The Case for Small and Big Business in America
There’s growing sentiment in Washington that the size of a business alone might be a sign of danger—whether to its smaller competitors or consumers. This has pushed Congress and federal agencies to use antitrust policy to prevent mergers and acquisitions. However, this approach overlooks consumers and leaves unclear what qualifies as “too big.” Our latest video explains why our economy thrives and consumers benefit from both small and big businesses.
The Unconstitutionality Index
For decades, CEI has analyzed the expanding reach of unelected bureaucrats. Now, the Unconstitutionality Index—a concept pioneered by CEI scholar Wayne Crews—is shaping conversations at the highest levels of government.
Our Issue Areas
Op-Eds
National Review
Endangered Species Act reform restores property rights and common sense species conservation
For decades, the federal government’s misinterpretation of a single word (“harm”) in the Endangered Species Act (ESA) has had severe effects on…
Op-Eds
The Democracy They Warned Us About
The Democratic Socialists of America, an insurgency within the Democratic Party, is having a moment, and it is showing us something worth noticing: This…
National Review
Won’t Anyone Think of the Parents?
In an effort to address a perceived youth mental health crisis, online kids’ safety regulation is on the march in Congress and around the globe.
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