Washington Post
A simple step by Europe could loosen Iran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz
John Berlau is director of finance policy at the Competitive Enterprise Institute. As European nations ponder unilateral actions to bring shipping back to…
Blog
DOL gets flexible on overtime
The Department of Labor (DOL) will formally reverse a Biden-era rule that expanded the number of workers eligible for overtime on Friday. Courts…
Blog
How the Bank Holding Company Act helped shape modern banking consolidation
Back in the 1950s, Congress feared a future in which a small number of powerful banking organizations would dominate the financial sector.
Blog
Free the Economy podcast: Pension politics with Jarrett Skorup
In this week’s episode we cover more legal headaches for the Trump tariffs, keeping kids safe in an AI world, and…
Reason
A Circuit Split Gives SCOTUS an Opportunity To Overturn a Federal Law That Makes Home Distilling a Felony
Reason cited General Counsel Ondray Harris regarding 5th circuit decisions impacting private businesses. The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), which helped develop the…
News Release
April PPI shows inflation still a major problem for the Fed and the economy: CEI analysis
The April Producer Price Index (PPI) shows a 1.4 percent jump, the largest increase since 2022. Inflation remains a stubborn issue for the…
Blog
A federal gas tax holiday won’t do much to ease the pain at the pump
The best policy ideas for making gasoline more affordable – faster permitting for domestic drilling and pipeline construction alongside fewer regulations targeting refineries or…
News Release
FDA commissioner resignation opens opportunity for refocus on science over politics
After a somewhat tumultuous tenure, FDA commissioner Marty Makary is stepping down. While Dr. Makary made his mission to accelerate drug approval and bring…
Blog
Deputizing banks for citizenship verification could halt America’s financial greatness
A few weeks after he was confirmed as Treasury secretary last year, Scott Bessent delivered a message to the American Bankers Association that regulatory…
News Release
Inflation increases again in April, no end in sight for higher energy prices: CEI analysis
The Consumer Price Index for April shows inflation increased by 0.6 percent across all sectors, slightly lower than March’s 0.9 percent but still…
Blog
The compound interest of innovation: Wi-Fi and the power of unlicensed spectrum
Investors understand the power of compound interest. Over time, small gains accumulate into exponential growth. Innovation often works the same way. One breakthrough…
Blog
The week in regulations: Fluid milk options and battleship safety zones
The Court of International Trade struck down President Trump’s Section 122 tariffs. The labor force shrank by 92,000 people over the last year. Agencies…
The Hill
Trump, frustrated by courts, sees his tariff policies take new hit
The Hill cites senior economist Ryan Young on tariff policy. “If anything, it just pushes forward the administration’s timetable to turn to…
News Release
Economy added 115,000 jobs in April, modest boost amidst economic uncertainty: CEI analysis
The jobs report for April shows 115,000 jobs were added to the economy, a modest boost compared to previous months. While unemployment remains…
News Release
Court ruling against Trump tariffs upholds rule of law
The US Court of International Trade on Thursday ruled 2-1 against tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump, finding a 1970s era law did not…
Blog
Free the Economy podcast: Highway robbery with David Ditch
In this week’s episode we cover how to make the moral case for capitalism, affordable housing via regulatory reform, and tracking…
Town Hall
Data Center Freak-Out
Town Hall cites Research Fellow Paige Lambermont on data cen “If our economy was allowed to develop at the speed of Bernie Sanders, we…
Blog
A smoother path through security: Improving the TSA short of privatization
With Congress finally passing a Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill last week, the immediate crisis that left airport security strained is behind us.
News Release
SEC seeks end to quarterly reporting mandate: CEI analysis
The Securities and Exchange Commission today proposed to end mandatory quarterly reporting for public companies and switch to semiannual reporting. “The SEC…
The Washington Examiner
Kevin Warsh set up for failure with Powell staying on and markets expecting rate hike
The Washington Examiner cites senior economist Ryan Young on the Fed and the Department of Treasury. Ryan Young, senior economist at the Competitive…
Blog
Affordable manufactured housing versus unaffordable climate regulations
The Biden administration had a field day piling on one costly climate-related regulation after another, not knowing – or caring – that affordability would…
Blog
Deregulation by the numbers: One-third into 2026 — a rulebook rewrite?
At the close of the first third of the year, a spring 2026 Unified Agenda formally outlining agency priorities has yet to appear. In…
Chicago Tribune
Steve Swedberg: Springfield’s interchange fee ban takes a costly swipe at Illinois consumers
I have many fond memories of growing up in the Chicago suburbs, including eating out at Lou Malnati’s, visiting Chicago museums on weekends and…
Blog
Highway robbery in plain sight and how to fix the Highway Trust Fund
Established to provide a dedicated, user-financed stream for highway investment, the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) was once a model of fiscal alignment between…
Blog
The Little Red Hen goes digital: No data centers, no internet
The politics of data centers increasingly resemble the fable of The Little Red Hen. Everyone wants the bread — AI, cloud computing, streaming,…
Blog
From Ma Bell to FaceTime: Why the next Telecom Act must embrace innovation over regulation
This year is the 30th anniversary of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (Telecom Act), a landmark law that Congress is considering updating. Lawmakers…
Blog
The week in regulations: Marine terminal fires and marijuana rescheduling
The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady, and outgoing Chairman Jerome Powell will remain on the Fed’s Board of Governors when Kevin Warsh takes…
Blog
CEI leads coalition supporting OCC preemption of Illinois Interchange Fee Prohibition Act
CEI today sent a letter to Jonathan Gould, the Comptroller of the Currency, cosigned by 22 other free market groups, supporting his office’s…
Letters
CEI Leads Coalition Letter Supporting Preemption of the Misguided Illinois Interchange Fee Prohibition Act
Dear Comptroller Gould, On behalf of our organizations and the members they represent, we write to support your office’s moves to preempt the Illinois Interchange Fee…
Comment
CEI comments on OCC’s proposed implementation of GENIUS Act stablecoin regulation
Dear Comptroller Gould:On behalf of the Competitive Enterprise Institute, I appreciate the opportunity to submit comments on OCC-2025-0372, the OCC’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking…
Blog
Free the Economy podcast: The business of Federalism with Derek Kreifels
In this week’s episode we cover childcare in the 50 states, how to fix rising healthcare costs, the new Institute…
Blog
The limits of balance sheet runoff at the Fed
At his confirmation hearing last week, Kevin Warsh called for a smaller Federal Reserve balance sheet. This statement revives debate over how the…
Blog
Don’t hinder biosimilar development
In its most recent legislative session, the Florida legislature considered precluding pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) from holding an investment interest in biosimilar manufacturing.
Letters
CEI Joins American Commitment’s Coalition Letter Urging Passage of the Missouri REINS Act
The clock is running out on the current legislative session, and with it, a critical opportunity to establish effective legislative control of major regulations…
Blog
HUD and CFPB help housing by restoring free speech
Thanks to the commendable actions of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), April has been…
News Release
Fed keeps a hold on interest rates for now, debate on balance sheet a highlight for next Fed Chair-hopeful Warsh: CEI analysis
The Federal Reserve has decided to keep interest rates steady, aligning with economists’ and financial analysts’ predictions. With the Senate Banking Committee voting…
Blog
The party is over for Lori Chavez-DeRemer
Of all the Trump administration cabinet officials who have exited early and unceremoniously, Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer can arguably…
News Release
Foreign automakers’ threat to exit US market illustrates Trump tariff consequences
Foreign automakers are reportedly threatening to pull their most affordable models out of the US market if terms of the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement aren’t renewed.
Comment
CEI Comments on Federal Reserve Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Prohibition on Use of Reputation Risk or Other Supervisory Tools to Encourage or Compel Banking Organizations to Engage in Politicized or Unlawful Discrimination
The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) is pleased to have the opportunity to comment on the Federal Reserve’s current notice of proposed rulemaking,…
Blog
A quantitative easing hangover has the Fed in a balance sheet trap
As Kevin Warsh undergoes the Fed Chair confirmation process, debate has returned to the Federal Reserve’s balance sheet and how it should be managed…
Blog
Spirit Airlines shows mergers may prevent bankruptcies and bailouts
In 2024, Spirit Airlines, financially troubled since the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns, sought a lifeline through a merger with JetBlue Airways. Although neither…
Blog
The week in regulations: Pipeline safety and NFL Draft security
Federal Reserve Chair nominee Kevin Warsh had his confirmation hearing, and President Trump dropped his criminal investigation into Jerome Powell. The government is poised…
Letters
CEI Joins ATR’s Coalition Letter in Support of Ending European Attacks on U.S. Tech and Telecommunications Companies
Dear Mr. President:Europe’s campaign for “digital sovereignty” is nothing more than a euphemismfor targeting American businesses. We write to commend your Administration’sstrong and principled…
Letters
CEI Joins TPA Coalition Letter on Reducing Barriers to Affordable Medications
Chair Scott, Ranking Member Gillibrand, and Members of the Committee:We, the undersigned organizations, representing millions of taxpayers and consumers across the country, urge you…
Blog
The unseen costs of banning PBM-owned pharmacies in Tennessee
Tennessee lawmakers recently passed the FAIR Rx Act, which would bar companies from owning pharmacies while also operating a pharmacy benefit manager (PBM)…
News Release
Labor Department’s reworked joint employer rule restores common sense
The Labor Department came out with a draft rework of its joint employer rule. CEI labor policy expert Sean Higgins points to some…
The Daily Economy
From Shakespeare to Smith: Why Credit Exists in Every Western Society
Blog
Free the Economy podcast: Revisiting Earth Day with Todd Myers
In this week’s episode we cover the dwindling number of US public companies (via Todd Zywicki of George Mason University), a…
Blog
Quantitative easing and the Fed’s free lunch problem
As Kevin Warsh undergoes his confirmation process for Fed Chair, one of the most consequential yet least straightforward issues in modern monetary policy is…
Blog
The GUARD Act dis-GUARDs the First Amendment and competition
When looking at Sen. Josh Hawley’s (R-MO) GUARD Act (S. 3062 – Guidelines for User Age-verification and Responsible Dialogue Act), the puns write…