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
The week in regulations: FAA ethics and Postal Service justice
Social Security will go bust in 2033. War with Iran is a real possibility. The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady, as expected. It is…
Blog
Free the Economy podcast: The Reagan legacy in the 21st century with Dan Rothschild
In this week’s episode we cover FreedomFest 2025, the FDA’s war on effective sunblock, good news about critical minerals, and Walmart’s…
Blog
The week in regulations: CAFE standards and Christmas tree promotions
Israel launched a military strike against Iran. US Senator Alex Padilla was detained for trying to ask a question at a Department of Homeland Security…
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The Conservative
VIDEO: Myron Ebell on The Conservative
April 3, 2017 – Director of the Competitive Enterprise Institute’s Center for Energy and Environment, Myron Ebell, discusses the environment, regulation, and government policy with…
Blog
Cut Crime By Repealing Useless Occupational Licensing Regulations
Many occupations that pose no special risks or need for regulation are off-limits to people who have criminal convictions, or never committed a crime, but…
Blog
This Week in Ridiculous Regulations
New rules from the last week are as wide-ranging as ever, from dental effluence to reciprocating engines.
Politico
The Radical Idea Behind Trump’s EPA Rollbacks
Politico discusses Trump’s environmental policy with Myron Ebell. The Trump administration isn’t just pushing to dramatically shrink the Environmental Protection Agency, chop a…
The Hill
Under Trump, Focus Shifts to Scrapping Regulations
The Hill discusses deregulation under President Trump with Wayne Crews. Federal agencies have shifted their focus under the Trump administration from writing regulations…
Blog
Federal Government Finally Powers Down on Y2K Crisis
Regulating new technologies is especially risky. The high-tech sector is an evolving frontier. Frontiers are always a bit chaotic, and it is inherent in their…
NPR
Trump Administration Gives Industry More Time to Adopt New Nutrition Fact Label
NPR covers the FDA’s decision to delay an Obama-era menu labeling rule. The Food and Drug Administration has delayed the deadline for food…
Blog
A Birthday Wish List for the President
Here are four gifts Congress should give the president before its annual July 4th recess.
Blog
The Key to Prosperity in the Southern Hemisphere and around the World
We have the potential to put developing economies on a path to avoid the mistakes made in America and among our European friends.
Reason
Trump Can Gut Obama-Era Labor Regs Because They Were Never Meant to Last
Reason covers the Secretary of Labor Acosta’s decision to eliminate independent contractor rules. Eliminating a set of Obama administration rules for independent contractors…
Las Vegas Review-Journal
EDITORIAL: The Obama Regulatory Frenzy
Las Vegas Review-Journal covers Ten Thousand Commandments by Clyde Wayne Crews Jr. With the 24/7 focus on Donald Trump’s every move and comment,…
Independent Journal Review
Bye-Bye, Regulations! Trump Cuts Regulations with a Zeal Not Seen Since Reagan
Independent Journal Review covers Ten Thousand Commandments by Clyde Wayne Crews Jr. Throughout his campaign, President Donald Trump promised to shrink the…
National Review
Here’s Three Things the President Should Do in His Executive Reorganization
Today is the last day for the public to submit ideas for the reorganization of the executive branch that the President announced in his…
WMAL
AUDIO: Marc Scribner Discusses Air Traffic Control Reform on WMAL
Marc Scribner, senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, discusses Air Traffic Control Reform on the Larry O’Connor Show on WMAL.
The Washington Times
Trump Wages Battle Against Regulations, Not Climate Change
The Washington Times discusses President Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement with Myron Ebell. WASHINGTON (AP) – While President Donald…
Washington Examiner
Trump Delivering Biggest Cut in Regulations Since Reagan
Washington Examiner covers Ten Thousand Commandments by Clyde Wayne Crews Jr. It was odd that a seemingly boring campaign line calling for…
Opposing Views
Trump the Most Anti-Regulation President Since Reagan
Opposing Views covers Ten Thousand Commandments by Clyde Wayne Crews Jr. While much of President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda has been stalled by…
Politico
Chao Floats ‘Page Limit’ for Environmental Reviews
Politico covers CEI’s Annual Dinner and Reception. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao tonight pitched the administration’s $1 trillion infrastructure vision to an audience of…
Politico
Out and About
Politico covers CEI’s Annual Dinner and Reception. The Competitive Enterprise Institute last night hosted their annual dinner, this time an Alice in Wonderland…
The Washington Times
Believe It: Fox News Tops the Ratings
The Washington Times covers CEI’s Annual Dinner and Reception. … CURIOUSER AND CURIOUSER An event of note on Wednesday…
The Denver Post
Colorado’s Costly “Demand-Side Management” Bill Makes No Sense
At the end of the legislative session, the Colorado General Assembly had an opportunity to stop a nonsensical electricity program that will cost Xcel Energy…
USA Today
MILLS: Massive Regulation a Drain on Economy, Study Finds
USA Today covers Ten Thousand Commandments. Regulations are a burden on consumers, businesses, and the economy, according to a new study by the…
The Hill
Trump May Restrict Length of Environmental Reviews Under Infrastructure Plan
The Hill covers Trasportation Secretary Elaine Chao’s remarks at CEI’s Annual Dinner and Reception. The Trump administration may enforce restrictions on the length…
Blog
This Week in Ridiculous Regulations
The majority of new regulations coming out are still of the routine procedural variety—Coast Guard safety zones for fireworks shows, Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness directives…
Inside Sources
Point: Net Neutrality Bad for Consumers
The FCC’s proposed rollback of its 2015 Open Internet Order has put the term “net neutrality” back in the political zeitgeist. The phrase itself is…
Blog
Cooking Up Fewer Regulations: Trump’s Significant Proposed Rules Down Over 70 Percent Compared To Obama
Whether looking at predecessors’ first or final years, Trump is so far the least regulatory president of all.
Blog
Through the Looking Glass: Washington Gets Curiouser and Curiouser
The following remarks were delivered by CEI President Kent Lassman at CEI’s Annual Dinner and Reception held on June 7, 2017. Thank you. Despite her…
Blog
Five Things You’ll Encounter at the CEI Dinner
This week, almost a thousand of Washington’s finest liberty lovers will travel through the rabbit hole to CEI’s Annual Dinner and Reception.
Blog
This Week in Ridiculous Regulations
After a lengthy delay, several Obama-era rules are starting to come into effect, especially energy-use rules ranging from refrigerators to ceiling fans.
Reason
Report: Obama’s Final Year Included a Mind-Boggling, Record-Breaking Number of Federal Regulations
Reason discusses CEI’s 10,000 Commandments with Clyde Wayne Crews Jr. During the final year of the Obama administration, federal regulations drained more than…
The Washington Times
Obama’s Regulations in 2016 to Drain Economy by $2 Trillion
The Washington Times covers 10,000 Commandments. The Obama administration issued a record number of new regulations on its way out the door in…
Washington Examiner
New Rules Surged in Obama’s Last Year to 3,853, Most Pages in Federal Register Ever
The Washington Examiner covers 10,000 Commandments. President Barack Obama’s last year in office set a high watermark for new federal rules and regulations…
The Daily Caller
This Is One GAME Congress Should Play… and Pass
The Daily Caller covers the GAME Act. With Congress hurtling toward a debt ceiling increase this summer and another budget showdown in the…
Investor's Business Daily
How Can Trump Make America’s Economy Great Again? By Deregulating It
Investor’s Business Daily covers CEI’s 10,000 Commandments, Regulation: If you wonder why President Trump’s promise to “drain the swamp” and roll back needless…
The Wall Street Journal
The $600 Billion Man: A New Report Highlights One Cost of the Obama Legacy
As if taxes haven’t been high enough, the U.S. Government also forced Americans to spend an eye-watering $1.9 trillion in 2016 just to comply with…
The Washington Times
Inside the Beltway: Obama’s Unprecedented ‘Surge’ of Regulations
The Washington Times covers 10,000 Commandments by Wayne Crews. Big government was not quite good enough, perhaps. As a kind of grand finale,…
Blog
Top Stats from ‘10,000 Commandments’ for 2017
The 2017 report is unique and will serve as a benchmark to measure President Trump’s efforts to cut red tape against those of his predecessors.
News Release
Costs and Burden of Federal Regulations Reach $1.9 Trillion
Today, the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) released the 2017 edition of Ten Thousand Commandments: An Annual Snapshot of the Federal Regulatory State that estimates…
Blog
Why Not a “Nuclear Option” for Legislative Vetoes?
For the sake of clarity, I start with questions presented in this blog, which serve as a useful guide: Is it constitutional for one Congress…
Blog
Breaking: Gambling Bill Could Restore Freedom to States
Congress may soon consider a bill that would repeal outdated federal gambling prohibitions, and thus allow states to legalize and regulate any form of gambling,…
Study
Ten Thousand Commandments 2017
The burden of federal regulations on the American public reached a record $1.9 trillion last year. That amounts to a hidden tax of nearly $15,000 per…
Forbes
In Today’s World, Trump’s Balanced Budget Will Require Regulatory Reform
It seems every American president’s fiscal budget gets declared DOA. Presidents signal priorities to Congress, which subsequently goes and does at it chooses. Sen. Mitch…
Study
Dirty Dozen
View Full Document as PDF…
News Release
Changes to the Regulatory State Make Trump’s Budget Unique
The White House released President Trump’s 2018 budget proposal this week. Regardless of who’s in power, the U.S. budget for the next fiscal year will…
News Release
CEI Reviews Trump Budget on Regulation, EPA, Transportation and Infrastructure
Policy experts offered their first takes on President Trump's budget, with a focus on regulatory reform, the EPA, and transportation and infrastructure reforms.
The Daily Caller
Former Official: Trump Is ‘Going To Go Farther’ Than Reagan In Cutting EPA
The Daily Caller covers CEI’s petition with the EPA to review the endangerment finding. A former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) official believes the…
The Daily Caller
Obama Administration’s Internet Regs Suffer First Huge Blow
The Daily Caller discusses the Federal Communications Commission’s vote on Net Neutrality with Ryan Commissioners at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted 2-1…
Foundation for Economic Education
The Progressives Took Away Our Right to Contract. It’s Time to Reclaim It
According to surveys, 77 percent of millennials want flexible work hours, which many say makes them more productive at work. Yet some recent…
Reason
Rand Paul’s REINS Act Finally Makes It to Senate Floor
Reason discusses Rand Paul’s REINS Act with Clyde Wayne Crews. A Senate committee vote on Wednesday is a new high water mark for…
Washington Free Beacon
Report: Net Neutrality Leads to Higher prices, Less Innovation
Washington Free Beacon covers CEI’s Net Neutrality report authored by Jessica Melugin and Ryan Radia. Keeping Obama administration-era net neutrality rules would result…
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