News Release
Statement of Support for the Unfunded Mandates Accountability and Transparency Act
The Unfunded Mandates Accountability and Transparency Act (UMATA) represents a timely and necessary modernization of federal oversight. Nearly three decades ago, the original and overwhelmingly…
Blog
How CEI helped advance sound energy and environmental policy in 2025
When I started at CEI in December 2024, the energy and environment team already had its foot on the gas pedal. As the new administration…
Blog
Executive order embraces limited government approach to housing affordability
A March 13 Trump executive order, “Removing Regulatory Barriers to Affordable Home Construction,” offers a number of good ideas for addressing high housing costs.
Blog
The Jones Act: High seas, higher costs than necessary
As the war with Iran intensifies, the Strait of Hormuz, through which about one-fifth of global oil flows, has seen dramatic disruptions that have…
Pacific Legal Foundation
Energy producers join lawsuit supporting repeal of EPA’s 2009 greenhouse gas rule
Washington, DC; March 19, 2026: A group of energy producers filed a motion today to join a lawsuit to support the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to repeal its 2009 Greenhouse Gas…
Litigation
American Public Health Association v. Environmental Protection Agency
Energy producers urge courts to affirm the repeal of the EPA’s 2009 greenhouse gas endangerment finding Case Stake(s): Restoring constitutional limits on agency power is…
Blog
Free the Economy podcast: Enduring policy principles with Richard Stern
In this week’s episode we cover housing affordability, labor unions and train safety, the late Paul Ehrlich (1932-2026), and the late…
News Release
Federal Reserve keeps interest rates steady, higher inflation likely to continue: CEI analysis
The Fed has decided to keep interest rates steady, with inflation still too high to warrant rate cuts. With Fed Chairman Jerome Powell’s term…
Blog
Remembering Brian Doherty (1968–2026)
Journalist and author Brian Doherty died last week at the age of 57. A longtime Reason magazine contributor and chronicler of the world of…
Blog
Idaho’s successful regulatory reform
Over at National Review, my colleague Hayden Stolzenberg and I examine some of Idaho’s recent regulatory reforms, as outlined in a recent CEI paper.
Op-Eds
Sunset for Regulations, Sunrise for Opportunity
Affordability is the big concern in households across the country, yet politicians are overlooking one big solution: regulatory reform. Federal regulations drive up the price of…
News Release
CEI commends US Senate for confirming nomination of attorney Anna St. John for judicial appointment
The Senate voted today to confirm the nomination of attorney Anna St. John, a former CEI attorney, to be a judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
Blog
The infrastructure cartel trap
At last week’s BlackRock US Infrastructure Summit in DC, federal and state policymakers, investors, and corporate leaders gathered to map out the next wave…
News Release
SEC to seek end to quarterly reporting mandate: CEI analysis
The Securities and Exchange Commission will propose to end mandatory quarterly reporting for public companies, and give companies the option to file semi-annually instead, according…
Blog
Shutdown woes show why it is time to privatize the TSA
Imagine arriving at the airport for a long-anticipated vacation, only to face a line longer than an airport runway. The excitement quickly gives way to…
Blog
The missing guardrail in crisis politics: Discipline
Modern American governance has developed a troubling pattern. Economic shocks like the 21st century’s financial panics and pandemic are often met with vast expansions of…
The Daily Signal
A Sneaky Effort to Undermine the Fight Against Carbon Taxes
President Donald Trump has shown bold leadership by rejecting the radical global climate agenda. But now some lawmakers, including a handful of Republicans, have set…
Blog
The week in regulations: Music royalties and avocado maturity
The Iran war continued to raise oil prices. The Trump administration took steps to raise tariffs under Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act, but…
Blog
Illiberalism: The bipartisan tradition
After experiencing the horrors of World War I and fearing a second World War could be imminent, Ludwig von Mises wrote Liberalism: The Classical…
Human Progress
Olive Oil Prices Are Falling—So Should Olive Oil Climate Hysteria
Summary: Olive oil prices spiked in 2023 amid heat and drought in Spain, prompting widespread claims that climate change was driving the industry into crisis.
Blog
Good and bad trade news: Jones Act suspension, but more tariffs on the way
Two conflicting bits of trade news came out yesterday. The good news is that the Trump administration is considering temporarily suspending the Jones Act,…
Blog
Free the Economy podcast: Regulating finance with James Copland
In this week’s episode we cover the 250th anniversary of Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations, fighting fraud in broadband deployment, and cutting…
The National News Desk
Inflation steady in February, but war risks new price surge
The National News Desk cited CEI’s expert on CPI data “The longer the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, the greater the upward pressure on energy…
News Release
Inflation increases in February, predates new soaring energy prices: CEI analysis
The Consumer Price Index report for February shows a 0.3 percent increase across all sectors. The increase predates the escalation in the Middle East,…
Blog
The Senate housing bill’s road to socialism
In the last week of February, I expressed hope that members of Congress would “embrace free-market proposals to advance opportunities in the housing sector”…
Blog
Washington should resist the urge to overreact to high gas prices
Unfortunately, there has been a sharp increase in domestic gas prices since the conflict with Iran started.According to the Energy Information Administration, the national…
Blog
Mandates before proven safety: How the Railway Safety Act ignores rail safety
The Washington Post’s recent piece on the Railway Safety Act underscores an essential point: safety legislation must be grounded in evidence, not fear or…
Blog
Pardon me boys, is this the Special Interest Express?
The Washington Post published a smart editorial on Monday on why the proposed Railway Safety Act is a bad idea. The legislation is…
News Release
White House wrong to push Railway Safety Act
The White House is reportedly urging lawmakers to include new restrictions on freight rail operations in upcoming infrastructure or transportation legislation. CEI policy experts…
National Review
House Passes Bill Pushing Back on Federal Appliance Meddling
They’re the regulations that literally hit home, and rarely in a good way. The Department of Energy sets energy efficiency standards for just…
Blog
No free lunch: Price controls won’t make groceries more affordable
When Americans go to the grocery store, they expect to find food and drinks. Lately, many are encountering something else: sticker shock. According to…
Comment
CEI Comments on NIST’s Request for Information Regarding Security Considerations for Artificial Intelligence Agents
RE: Request for Information Regarding Security Considerations for Artificial Intelligence Agents Docket No.: NIST-2025-0035 The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) appreciates the opportunity to comment on…
News Release
CEI celebrates important free market leaders and anniversaries: Our Words
Today, in celebration of the 250th anniversary of Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations and the Competitive Enterprise Institute’s 42nd birthday, CEI is proud to…
Blog
Happy birthday to the Wealth of Nations – and to CEI
Today is the 250th anniversary of the publication of perhaps the seminal work of economics, Adam Smith’s An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of…
Blog
The week in regulations: Shellfish inclusion and paper manifest sunsets
The labor force shrank by 92,000 jobs in January. Oil prices spiked. Twenty-two state attorneys general filed a lawsuit against President Trump’s Section 122 tariffs.
Study
Giants of the Free Society
Introduction I was invited to deliver remarks to the Philadelphia Society on the subject, “Giants on Whose Shoulders We Stand: What We Owe to Adam…
News Release
21st Century Worker Act Aims to End Worker Classification Confusion
Today, Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced the 21st Century Worker Act, a much needed practical step to clear up persistent confusion surrounding worker classification under…
News Release
92,000 jobs were lost in February, turbulent labor market continues: CEI analysis
The latest Bureau of Labor Statistics’ report shows 92,000 jobs were lost in February, indicating a turbulent labor market. Given today’s report, attention will…
Blog
Free the Economy podcast: Mississippi renaissance with Douglas Carswell
In this week’s episode we cover housing abundance, capitalism’s approval rating, audits of state finances, and the consumer nostalgia of…
Blog
The problem with the EU’s deforestation regulation
The European Union’s (EU) Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) was adopted in 2023. The stated objective of the EUDR is “to reduce greenhouse gas emissions…
Blog
The Railway Safety Act would derail progress one provision at a time
On February 3, 2023, a Norfolk Southern freight train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio. The derailment spilled hazardous chemicals and prompted a massive, controlled burn that sent plumes…
Issues and Insights
Who’s The Biggest Monopolist Of All? (Hint: It’s Not A Corporation)
Policymakers often argue over whether capitalism works and how aggressively it should be restrained. But they rarely ask the more pertinent question: where, exactly, does…
Blog
Tariffs and inflation: Response to latest CPI release
On February 13th, the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ most recent CPI release showed a 0.2 percent month-to-month increase for January and a 2.4 percent…
Blog
The major questions doctrine at a crossroads
In Learning Resources v. Trump, the Supreme Court held that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not authorize President Trump’s tariffs. This…
The Daily Economy
‘Violent Saviors’: William Easterly’s Book on Imperialism and Conquest
While framed as a book about economic development theory and the history of colonialism, William Easterly’s latest tome is actually something grander and more ambitious:…
Blog
The most powerful monopoly isn’t a corporation: Introducing the Capitol Control Quotient
Policymakers often argue over whether capitalism works and how aggressively it should be restrained. But they rarely ask the more pertinent question: where, exactly, does…
Blog
The week in regulations: Fusion machines and suspicious health care
President Trump launched a preemptive war with Iran, leading many to question the true worth of the FIFA Peace Prize. The 2026 Federal Register topped…
Blog
Minimum lot sizes, maximum costs
When Americans think about the housing affordability debate, they tend to picture cranes, lumber prices, or mortgage interest rates. It is certainly important to focus…
National Review
Freedom from the Robinson-Patman Act Is Never More Than One Generation Away from Extinction
The National Review cited CEI’s new report on the Robinson- Patman law As I detail in a new report for the Competitive Enterprise…
Reason
Fight Government Corruption With Deregulation
Reason cited CEI’s expert on regulatory budgets “When regulatory systems become dense, opaque, and discretionary, they create perverse incentives for corruption,” Steve Swedberg, a regulatory…
Blog
The market has spoken: Consumers define the relevant video market
Washington loves drama, and recent debates over video industry consolidation have delivered plenty – billions of dollars at stake, congressional theatrics, and political posturing. But…
The Washington Examiner
Despite its reluctance, tariff setting is the job of Congress — not Trump
The Supreme Court’s recent ruling against the legality of President Donald Trump’s tariffs was fundamentally about the rule…
Blog
Déjà vu all over again as Trump administration move to protect freelancing
The Department of Labor has proposed a new worker classification rule to replace the previous administration’s 2024 rewrite. This new version would…
Blog
Free the Economy podcast: Big Tech, Europe, and free speech with Spence Purnell
In this week’s episode we cover the Supreme Court’s recent decision on tariff powers, myths of the Great Recession, and fiduciary duty…
Blog
Politicians should push deregulatory initiatives – not investor limits – to boost housing affordability
Both President Trump and Democrats in Congress seem to blame the high costs of housing on certain groups of real estate investors and to restrict…
News Release
Environmental problems deserve free market solutions: Our Words
Today, the Competitive Enterprise Institute is pleased to publish CEI President Kent Lassman’s lecture entitled The Environment, the Law, Markets, and the Path…
Study
The Environment, the Law, Markets, and the Path Forward
Introduction The Pharos Foundation at Jesus College, a constituent college of the University of Oxford, invited me to speak at an on-campus forum in May.
The Daily Economy
The Old World’s Last Export
It used to be said that the sun never set on the British Empire, so far-flung were its possessions. Britain has long since retreated from…
Roll Call
Trump touts push to contain AI energy costs
Roll Call mentions CEI’s expert testimony on AI innovation. Earlier Tuesday, the House Science, Space and Technology Committee’s oversight panel held a hearing on data…
Blog
Trump’s State of the Union: A closer look at the claims
Last night, President Trump delivered a State of the Union address filled with optimism, applause lines, and bold claims about the country’s direction. There…
Blog
Abolish, shuffle, repeat: The SOTU’s ill omen for federal retrenchment
Shrinking the federal government and abolishing agencies sounds simple — decisive, even. In practice, however, it appears neither can be done under modern administrative-…
Blog
Yes, Trump has shrunk the government
President Trump’s big jobs boast in his State of the Union address Tuesday was that under his watch every job created in the US…
Blog
Freelancers want to be free
The labor movement has been trying for years to organize gig economy workers, claiming that they are traditional employees being exploited by their bosses. The problem is that gig employees don’t view themselves that way…
Newsweek
Expert Warns Tariff Refunds Could Hurt US Wallets as FedEx Launches Lawsuit
Blog
Red tape, green bribes: Deregulation as an anti-corruption strategy
Corruption in politics is often thought of in narrower terms, such as bribes, kickbacks, or high-profile scandals with millions of dollars of fraud. However, political…
Blog
House to consider two bills that would place limits on federal appliance meddling
It is time for Congress to place limits on costly and intrusive federal meddling in home appliances. Two House bills coming up for a vote…
Testimony
CEI’s Paige Lambermont testified this week before the House Science Subcommittee on policies driving U.S. AI growth
Chairman McCormick, Ranking Member Sykes, and distinguished members of the subcommittee, thank you for holding this hearing today and inviting me to testify. My name…
Blog
Trump’s SOTU conundrum: Deregulation today, swamp tomorrow?
Donald Trump’s 2026 State of the Union (SOTU) address presents an opportunity to confront the federal spending, entitlement, and regulatory behemoth in a new way…
Letters
Accountability in Action: Repeal the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation
Dear Representative/Senator, We appreciate your leadership in advancing President Trump’s agenda to reduce government spending and restore accountability by reining in bureaucracy and rooting out…
Blog
EPA repeals another costly rule targeting affordable and reliable coal
Though not nearly as far-reaching as the recently announced end to the Endangerment Finding, the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) February 20 final rule repealing…
Blog
The week in regulations: Grandfathered driver vision and socializing dogs
The Supreme Court declared President Trump’s IEEPA tariffs unconstitutional. The White House responded by enacting a 15 percent global tariff under a different statute. The…
Legal Brief
Amicus Curiae Submission on Consumer Choice and Energy Regulation
Blog
Supreme Court reaffirms that tariff power belongs to Congress, not the president
In Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump and the consolidated case Trump v. V.O.S. Selections, Inc., the Supreme Court delivered an important separation of powers ruling…
Blog
Free the Economy podcast: The impact of Trump’s trade war with Alex Durante
In this week’s episode we cover the sneaky federal cause of high housing prices, record outflows from ESG investment funds, and why…
Blog
Rule by Vibes, Ruined by Reality: Why the FTC’s HSR Loss Demands a Legislative Fix
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is doubling down on a losing hand. Despite a stinging courtroom defeat last week that vacated its 2024 premerger…
News Release
Supreme Court curtails runaway presidential tariff powers: CEI comment
The Supreme Court today ruled today in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not authorize the president to impose…
Blog
Merger relief vs. the consolidation regulators ignore
A federal court’s decision blocking a 2024 Federal Trade Commission’s expanded merger-disclosure rule is welcome. But its significance risks being overstated. Skirmishes over reporting…
Trib Live
Tariff ruling bolsters Supreme Court’s credibility in eyes of Duquesne President Ken Gormley
Trib Live cited CEI’s expert on business Major corporations have sought legal counsel in anticipation of filing lawsuits to secure these payouts, according to…
Citation
Trump’s New Tariff Plan Faces a Complicated Future In Congress
Notus cited CEI’s expert on tariffs and trade “The administration was expecting this decision to come out and strike down the 1977 IEEPA tariffs, so…
The Washington Examiner
Credit card companies are easy to vilify, but the wrong target for consumer ire
The Washington Examiner cited CEI’s expert on financial policy. John Berlau, a senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, said entrepreneurs turned to credit…
Comment
CEI comments on EPA’s proposed Clean Water Act Section 401 Rule
Dear Ms. Kasparek: On behalf of the Competitive Enterprise Institute, I appreciate this opportunity to provide comments on the proposed rule entitled “Updating the Water…
Blog
Cut the steel, cut the cost: Why Congress is right to scrap the chassis mandate
If buying a home in the US feels more expensive, that is not merely your imagination. A Harvard University study found that national single-family home…
Citation
‘Just the beginning of enormous growth’: White House heralds strong jobs report
The Black Chronicle cited CEI’s expert on job growth in healthcare Senior Economist with the Competitive Enterprise Institute Ryan Young also interpreted the siloed…
National Today
Cooling Inflation Faces Test as Stubborn Costs Linger
New York Today cited CEI’s expert on Tariffs & Trade. “The trouble is that most of what America imports is inputs for other goods, which…
Study
Zombie Antitrust: Is Robinson-Patman a Dead Law Walking?
Introduction Lawrence O’Brien, well-known confidant and aide to the Kennedys at the height of their 1960s power, entitled his political autobiography No Final Victories. What…
Study
Stop Making Sense: Reviving the Robinson-Patman Act and the Economics of Intermediate Price Discrimination
I. Introduction Early in the 20th century, a new model for retail sales arose: chain stores. One chain, the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company (A&P), became America’s largest retailer during 40…
News Release
FTC should return to bipartisan consensus deemphasizing Robinson-Patman enforcement in competition policy
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) under two consecutive administrations is reviving enforcement of a 1930s law that was dormant for decades after a bipartisan consensus…
News Release
Federal regulator fights state regulation of prediction markets – a gain for ordinary entrepreneurs and investors
Today, Commodity Futures Trading Commission Mike Selig announced actions to attempt to block state regulation of prediction markets that offer contracts on sports and political…
Blog
FDA’s Moderna decision demonstrates how science and government are incompatible
Last week, the FDA announced that it would not be considering Moderna’s application for a new flu vaccine because the control group Moderna used…
PCMA
No More Excuses After Pharma-Backed PBM Reform Becomes Law
Blog
George and Sam: A friendship forged in freedom and entrepreneurship
In August 1783, after General George Washington had secured victory in the Revolutionary War but was still awaiting negotiation of Great Britain’s surrender, he penned…
Blog
Congress should short-circuit the nation’s electric vehicle charging program
Congress recently finalized the fiscal year 2026 budget to end the partial government shutdown while spending billions of taxpayer dollars along the way. One line…
News Release
Inflation rose 0.2 percent in January, year-over-year numbers still above Fed’s target rate: CEI analysis
The Consumer Price Index report for January shows inflation rose 0.2 percent, lower than economists’ predictions. Inflation year-over-year remains above the Federal Reserve’s 2…
Las Vegas Review-Journal
EDITORIAL: Real progress on federal regulatory reform
Las Vegas Review Journal cited CEI’s expert on the Federal Register It was a herculean task, given President Joe Biden’s slavish devotion to a…
Blog
Free the Economy podcast: What’s wrong with Congress with Kevin Kosar
In this week’s episode we talk about we talk about Consumer-Regulated Electricity, the amazing falling US poverty rate, and how smart…
News Release
Trump EPA revokes endangerment finding, big win for the American people: CEI analysis
On Thursday, the White House and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the revocation of the 2009 endangerment finding regarding greenhouse gas emissions from new…
News Release
Statement by Competitive Enterprise Institute President Kent Lassman on Ed Crane’s passing
Ed Crane, libertarian activist and co-founder of the Cato Institute, passed on Wednesday, February 11. CEI President Kent Lassman remembers Crane for his profound legacy,…
Blog
Trump’s deregulation meets invisible rulemaking: The real 2026 challenge
After a brief shutdown, most fiscal year 2026 appropriations have been enacted, despite continued debate over Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding. We may soon…
Capitol Research Center
American Compass vs AFL-CIO battle isn’t what it appears to be
Capitol Research Center cited CEI’s expert on Labor & Employment The language of the title is notable, and evidence of where the Compass faction…
News Release
January adds 130,000 jobs, economists still cautious: CEI analysis
The economy added 130,000 jobs to the economy in January, exceeding economists’ expectations. While the news isn’t bad, lingering uncertainty regarding President Trump’s economic…