There are two main areas in which Congress can enact meaningful reform. The first is to rein in regulatory guidance documents, which we refer to as “regulatory dark matter,” whereby agencies regulate through Federal Register notices, guidance documents, and other means outside standard rulemaking procedure. The second is to enact a series of reforms to increase agency transparency and accountability of all regulation and guidance. These include annual regulatory report cards for rulemaking agencies and regulatory cost estimates from the Office of Management and Budget for more than just a small subset of rules.
In 2019, President Trump signed two executive orders aimed at stopping the practice of agencies using guidance documents to effectively implement policy without going through the legally required notice and comment process.
Featured Posts
Blog
Free the Economy podcast: Political drinking with Jarrett Dieterle
In this week’s episode we cover student loans, revenue from tariffs, democracy in Hong Kong, and the impact of podcasts…
Blog
From cuts to costs: Why federal paperwork keeps piling up
The Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) release of the 2023 Information Collection Budget (ICB) paints a troubling picture of not just of growing federal…
Blog
This week in ridiculous regulations: Mergers and mail
The 2024 Federal Register topped 90,000 pages and is now the second-longest ever, dating back to 1936, with more than a month still to go.
Search Posts
Forbes
Lame Duck Update: Here’s How the 115th Congress Tried to Streamline Agency Guidance Documents
Despite surprisingly deep bipartisan pedigree of significant regulatory reforms and proposals of the past, few Democrats in the 115th Congress were inclined to work with Republicans and President Trump…
Blog
This Week in Ridiculous Regulations
Former President George H.W. Bush was laid to rest, and no Federal Register was published on Wednesday. President Trump created a new superhero, Tariff Man,…
Watertown Public Opinion
Deregulation Contributing to Growing Economy
Watertown Public Opinion cited CEI on the cost of regulations. Trump promised to reduce regulations for small and big businesses. While much has…
Blog
This Week in Ridiculous Regulations
In the news, The new NAFTA was signed (but still needs legislative approval in all three countries), General Motors announced major layoffs and plant closures,…
IA InsideARM
Senate Vote On Kraninger To Lead BCFP Expected Tomorrow
IA InsideARM cited CEI’s Senior Fellow John Berlau and Policy Analyst Daniel Press on BCFP nominee Kathleen Kraninger. As insideARM reported earlier,…
The Washington Times
Free-Market Group Calls On Senate To Confirm Kathleen Kraninger To Lead Consumer Bureau
The Washington Times cited CEI’s Policy Analyst Daniel Press on BCFP nominee, Kathleen Kraninger. A conservative free-enterprise group urged the Senate Wednesday to…
The Florida Times-Union
Sunday Editorial: Be Smart With Federal Regulations
The Florida Times-Union cited CEI on the federal regulatory state. But regulations serve little purpose when they are unnecessary, encourage crony capitalism or…
Blog
This Week in Ridiculous Regulations
It was another short work week due to Thanksgiving, while Black Friday’s ritual tramplings put a damper on that day’s productivity. Last week agencies published…
Blog
This Week in Ridiculous Regulations
It was a short work week due to Veterans Day, as most Americans took time to reflect on the centenary of the World War I…
Washington Examiner
Self-Driving Car Bill’s Backers Seek Senate Vote Before It’s Too Late
Washington Examiner cited CEI’s Senior Fellow Marc Scribner on self-driving vehicle regulatory framework. Lawmakers and American car manufacturers are mounting a last-ditch effort…
The Daily Caller
ACLU Criticized For Suggesting Title IX Proposal ‘Inappropriately’ Favors The Accused
The Daily Caller cited CEI’s Senior Fellow Marc Scribdner on ACLU stance towards DOE’s Title IX reform. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is…
The Hill
Time For A Regulatory Budget
The Hill cited CEI on the burden of federal regulations. America’s regulatory burden has thrived in solitude because it’s uncounted, and therefore uncontrolled.The…
News Release
New FDA Rules on E-Cigarettes Will Limit Adult Smokers’ Access to Safer Alternatives
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced new regulations restricting the sale of flavored e-cigarettes. The new rules would restrict sales at convenience stores…
Reason
Trump Brags About Deregulation, But A Huge Number Of His Deregulatory Actions Were Started Under Obama
Reason cited CEI’s Senior Fellow Wayne Crews on Trump deregulation policy. President Donald Trump likes to brag about his record of cutting regulations.
Liberty Unyielding
Protectionism Kills Jobs And Candidacies
Liberty Unyielding cited CEI on Trumps deregulation policy. In the 2016 election, the GOP benefited from farm-state opposition to the Obama administration’s bureaucratic…
Liberty Unyielding
Tuesday’s Election Was Nothing For Republicans To Smile About
Liberty Unyielding cited CEI on Trump’s deregulation policy. The ideological composition of the judiciary matters for the economy. Yesterday, a judge blocked the Trump…
Study
How Antitrust Regulation Hinders Innovation and Competition
Few economic concepts elicit such strong reactions as that of monopoly, and the policy intended to address it—antitrust regulations (called competition policy in the European…
Blog
This Week in Ridiculous Regulations
The midterm elections finally happened. The good news is no more political ads for a while; the bad news is that a bunch of politicians…
Forbes
The Midterm Election Results Should Inspire A New Trump Executive Order On Federal Regulations
As part of its economic reform agenda, the Trump administration emphasized cutting red tape. It reaffirmed Office of Management and Budget (OMB) cost-benefit review of significant agency rules…
Blog
What Do the Midterms Mean for Regulatory Reform?
A divided Congress probably means the status quo will reign on regulation. This is a mixed bag from a free-market perspective. President Trump made…
Cayman Financial Review
The Administrative State
King George III, decried Thomas Jefferson in America’s Declaration of Independence, “has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to…
The Patriot Post
Airline Deregulation At 40: Flying The Friendly Skies
The Patriot Post cited CEI’s Senior Fellow Marc Scribner on airline deregulation. Despite those fears about safety and loss of service to some…
Blog
This Week in Ridiculous Regulations
Regulators were relatively quiet during the week before the midterm election, though CEI wasn’t, with our colleague Ted Frank arguing a case before the Supreme…
Blog
RegData Tracks Extent of Federal and State Regulation
This week our old friend Chad Reese of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University hosts a new podcast about Mercatus’ RegData…
Letters
CEI Joins Coalition Letter Opposing Section 202 of S.3278 of the Protecting Taxpayers Act
The 17 undersigned organizations together ask Congress to oppose Section 202 of S. 3278, the Protecting Taxpayers Act, and similar efforts to grant the IRS…
Bloomberg News
NLRB Dodging Questions On ‘Joint Employer’ Rule, Democrats Say
Bloomberg News cited CEI’s Policy Analyst Trey Kovacs on the National Labor Relations Board’s ‘Joint Employer’ Rule. The NLRB responded to those separate…
CNS News
Economy Grew By Healthy 3.5% In Most Recent Quarter
CNS News cite CEI’s Senior Fellow Wayne Crews on Trump deregulation. As Wayne Crews of the Competitive Enterprise Institute noted in 2017, Trump has…
Blog
This Week in Ridiculous Regulations
Lots of contentious issues are in the news, from the midterm election to immigration to a disturbing rash of bombs sent to politicians and media…
Investor's Business Daily
Happy 40th Birthday, Airline Deregulation — Despite Complaints, You’re A Huge Success
Investor’s Business Daily cited CEI’s Senior Fellow Marc Scribner airline deregulation. Americans often express mixed feelings about today’s airlines, with their missed schedules,…
American Action Forum
The Community Reinvestment Act: A Primer
American Action Forum cited CEI’s Michelle Minton’s “The Community Reinvestment Act’s Harmful Legacy” report. In assessing the CRA, it is useful to look…
American Council On Science And Health
IARC Retraction Watch Begins: They Faked Images In Controversial Claims
American Council On Science And Health cited CEI’s Senior Fellow Angela Logomasini on IARC weedkiller claims. Schneider is not…
Legal Sports Report
What We Learned About Sports Betting In Congress: Questions And Answers
Legal Sports Report cited CEI’s Senior Fellow Michelle Minton on sports gambling. Minton’s testimony advocates for state regulation of sports betting, noting that…
Forbes
Trump Exceeds One-In, Two-Out Goals on Cutting Regulations, But it May be Getting Tougher
The Trump administration has released the Fall 2018 edition of the twice-yearly Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions.
Townhall
Trump Regulatory Reform Saved Taxpayers $23 Billion
Townhall cited CEI’s Senior Fellow Clyde Wayne Crews’s “Ten Thousand Commandments 2018” annual report. The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) puts out a report…
Blog
This Week in Ridiculous Regulations
The fall 2018 edition of the semi-annual Unified Agenda was released on Wednesday. It lists upcoming regulations from every rulemaking agency. This marks the…
Blog
Fewer Regulations, More Energy, Lower Emissions
The Trump administration had cheery news to report this week about deregulation, U.S. energy production, and greenhouse gas emissions.
Blog
Help the Poor by Making Their Lives Less Expensive
The Cato Institute’s Ryan Bourne has a great new study (and accompanying video) out about social welfare, government spending, and regulatory reform.
The Daily Caller
12-To-1: That’s How Many Regulations Trump Reportedly Repealed For Every New One Issued
The Daily Caller cited CEI’s Vice President for Policy and Senior Fellow Wayne Crew’s “An Annual Snapshot of the Federal Regulatory State” report. …
Blog
What Regulations Has the Trump Administration Eliminated So Far?
The fall 2018 Regulatory Plan and Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions just appeared today. Notably, this is the first time the fall…
Blog
This Week in Ridiculous Regulations
In a Columbus Day-shortened work week, agencies issued more than 50 new regulations from deregulated TVs in TV commercials to POSTNET.
The Heartland Institute
Research & Commentary: Two New Regulatory Reform Ideas For West Virginia
The Heartland Instituted cited CEI’s “Ten Thousand Commandments” annual survey and Fellow Ryan Young’s “REINing in Regulatory Overreach” article. “Ten Thousand Commandments” is the Competitive Enterprise…
Blog
Bricks and Wood Heaters Also Need Relief from Obama-era Overreach
Several of the Obama-era Environmental Protection Agency’s most expensive and far-reaching Clean Air Act regulations are back in the news now that the Trump administration is…
Blog
Deregulation Coming from Labor Department
Deregulation is a topline goal of the current administration. Leading the pack in terms of costs savings from reducing red tape is the Department…
The Hill
The Risks And Rewards Of This Conservative Supreme Court
The Hill cited CEI on Herman Gundy v. United States case. Many of these future challenges would be motivated, at least in part,…
LifeZette
Trump Urged To Expose Bureaucrats’ ‘Regulatory Dark Matter’
LifeZette cited CEI’s Vice President for Policy and Senior Fellow Clyde Wayne Crews on regulatory dark matter. President Donald Trump has slashed a…
Blog
This Week in Ridiculous Regulations
In the news last week, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) got a new name (USMCA) that nobody will use, and President Trump…
Government Executive
Trump Deregulatory Effort May Just Be Getting Started
Government Executive cited CEI’s Vice President for Policy Clyde Wayne Crews on Trump administration deregulation. The topic is of great interest to the conservative…
Credit Union National Association
CUNA’s Nussle, Schenk Talk CU Regulatory Climate At CEI
Credit Union National Association cited CEI from CUNA event. CUNA President/CEO Jim Nussle and Deputy Chief Advocacy Officer for Policy Analysis Mike Schenk…
The Lane Report
Perspective | New Cars, Cleaner Air
The Lane Report cited CEI on CAFE standards. The Department of Transportation finds that the best way to achieve cleaner air is when…
News Release
CEI Report Calls for Executive Order to Shine Light on Guidance Documents and Other “Regulatory Dark Matter”
The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) released a new report today, calling on the White House to issue a new executive order to highlight and strengthen…
Staff & Scholars
Clyde Wayne Crews
Fred L. Smith Fellow in Regulatory Studies
- Business and Government
- Consumer Freedom
- Deregulation
Ryan Young
Senior Economist
- Antitrust
- Business and Government
- Regulatory Reform
Fred L. Smith, Jr.
Founder; Chairman Emeritus
- Automobiles and Roads
- Aviation
- Business and Government
Sam Kazman
Counsel Emeritus
- Antitrust
- Automobiles and Roads
- Banking and Finance
Marlo Lewis, Jr.
Senior Fellow
- Climate
- Energy
- Energy and Environment
