FTC chair calls for improved internet privacy, President Obama renews bank charter, DOMA declared unconstitutional, and more.
- A federal appeals court held that the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutionally denies federal benefits to married gay couples.
- President Barack Obama signed legislation that renews the charter of the Export-Import Bank for three years and increases the bank’s lending cap to $140 billion from the current $100 billion.
- The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) could improve oversight of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) according to a government report.
- European leaders considered forming a banking union to avert further euro crises.
- The chair of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Jon Leibowitz, said at the D10 conference that internet companies should provide better, more customizable, privacy protections for consumers.
- New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg proposed a ban on the sale of large-sized sodas and other sugary beverages.
- A Nebraskan congressional delegation inquired about the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) practice of flying airplanes over Midwest cattle feedlots to ensure compliance with clean water regulations.
- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) denied a Corn Refiners Association petition to rename high-fructose corn syrup “corn sugar”.
- After a year-long investigation by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the Department of Transportation (DoT) shut down 26 bus operations, declaring them a hazard to public safety.
