Links take you to pages from our old website Two Regulatory ‘Reform' Provisions Enacted (12/23/98) The last-minute budget deal reached between the Clinton Administration and the congressional majority includes two broad, problematic regulatory "reform" provisions that apply to the operations of all federal agencies. Regulatory Reformers Make Few Gains in 105th Congress (12/23/98) Even with the anti-regulatory riders, Citizens for Sensible Safeguards — a broad-based coalition of more than 300 public interest groups, which is chaired by OMB Watch — fared quite well during the 105th Congress, despite repeated attacks on public protections. Budget Filled with Riders; Two Touch on All Regulatory Activity (10/21/98) The budget deal reached between the Clinton Administration and the congressional majority includes a host of riders that have an impact on the regulatory operations of agencies -- including a provision that OMB conduct a burdensome, cumulative regulatory analysis and an unrealistic requirement that agencies assess impacts of rules on families. OMB Issues Draft of Regulatory Accounting Report (08/22/98) On Aug. 17, the Office of Management and Budget issued a draft of its second report on the cumulative costs and benefits of federal regulation. But instead of coming up with specific dollar figures, as it did in last year's report, OMB provides ranges — $170 billion to $224 billion in annual costs and $258 billion to $3.55 trillion in annual benefits — to underscore the uncertainty of such an undertaking. Senate Approves Regulatory Accounting Rider (06/29/98) The Senate voted by voice vote to attach an amendment to the Treasury-Postal Appropriations bill mandating that OMB conduct a new, more intensive cumulative cost-benefit analysis for all federal regulation. Stop the Thompson Regulatory Accounting Bill (06/22/98) Sen. Fred Thompson (R-TN), chairman of the Governmental Affairs Committee, is pushing a slanted bill that would require the cumulative analysis of all federal regulation. Stop the Pombo ‘Peer Review' Rider (06/22/98) Rep. Richard Pombo (R-CA) has indicated that he intends to offer an all-encompassing peer review amendment to every appropriations bill, even though it has not been the subject of a single hearing. Special Interest Legislation Threatens Public Protections (05/26/98) The bill would waive fines for small business and place a special small business advocate within each agency. House Passes Bill on Private-Sector Mandates (05/19/98) The House passed H.R. 3534 -- the Mandates Information Act of 1998 -- on May 19, by the substantial margin of 279-132. But some encouraging votes on amendments, along with a number of missing members, could mean that the veto promised by the Clinton administration could still be sustained. Neighborhood Charities Cooperative Efforts Act: Analysis of a Kasich Draft Bill (04/22/98) Rep. John Kasich (R-OH) has circulated an April 20 draft bill for comment that would allow local governments to pass an ordinance to waive most federal statutory and regulatory requirements imposed on charities that are involved in service delivery. What's In the McIntosh Paperwork Reduction Act? (04/07/98) Regulatory Notebook (04/07/98) Congress discusses Congressional Office of Regulatory Analysis, regulatory accounting, and private-sector mandates. Regulatory ‘Reform' Meets Bipartisan Opposition (04/07/98) Sens. Fred Thompson (R-TN) and Carl Levin (D-MI) began their attempt at regulatory "reform" expecting that they could achieve broad bipartisan support. But after months of pushing their bill (S. 981), the only bipartisanship being displayed is that of concern or outright opposition. House Passes Bill Waiving Fines for Small Business (04/07/98) Currently, when small businesses make a good-faith effort to correct mistakes, federal agencies almost always waive fines for first-time violators anyway. But under HR 3310, agencies would not have the flexibility to take steps against willful violators. And in fact, the bill could encourage more violations since small businesses would know they could avoid reporting requirements -- without fear of fine -- until they are caught for the first time. Lott Introduces Risk Assessment Bill (03/18/98) In a surprise move on March 6, 1998, the weekend before the mark-up of a regulatory "reform" bill (S. 981) that contains a section on risk assessment, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-MS) introduced his Federal Regulatory Risk Assessment Act (S. 1728), which raises questions about his intent for floor action. Statement of Gary Bass, OMB Watch Director, on HR 1074 (03/11/98) Testimony by Gary Bass, Executive Director, OMB Watch, Against the Congressional Office of Regulatory Analysis Creation Act Reactions to the Thompson-Levin Regulatory Reform Bill (02/05/98) Senators Fred Thompson (R-TN) and Carl Levin (D-MI) have made public a substitute to their Regulatory Improvement Act (S. 981). That substitute makes a few improvements over the original S. 981. But the new bill also makes significant changes that move in the wrong direction. Combined with the fact that most of the bill remains unchanged, OMB Watch once again must strongly oppose S. 981. Major Changes to the Thompson-Levin Regulatory Reform Bill (02/05/98) The following analysis compares S. 981, the Regulatory Improvement Act, as introduced by Senators Fred Thompson (R-TN) and Carl Levin (D-MI) on June 27, 1997, to the proposed substitute to S. 981 that Senator Levin intends to offer. Thompson, Levin Offer Regulatory Substitute (02/05/98) Bliley Pushes Regulatory Accounting Bill (02/02/98) Every two years OMB would be required to prepare and submit to Congress an "accounting statement" that estimates the cumulative costs and benefits of federal regulation for the previous five fiscal years. OMB Watch Comments on Sally Katzen's Resignation as OIRA Administrator (01/14/98) Regulatory Vote Charts