The House passes the REINS Act requiring Congressional approval of major regulations, the FWS investigates the alleged killing of a lion by a trophy hunter, and more…
IN THE NEWS
- In an effort to curtail the executive branch’s authority and increase transparency in the rulemaking process, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Regulations From the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act, which would require Congressional approval of all new major regulations.
- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) launched an investigation into the killing of Cecil, a well-known lion in Zimbabwe who was allegedly killed by an American trophy hunter after being lured out of a national park.
- The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit held that under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Cross-State Air Pollution Rule—which sets limits on the amount of air pollutants certain states can emit—the emission reduction obligations imposed on 14 states are invalid, and the EPA must reconsider and adjust these prescribed limits accordingly.
- The U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Economic Policy, the Council of Economic Advisers (CEA), and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) released a report that examines the costs and benefits of occupational licensing and provides recommendations for policymakers on its use.
- The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit held that the State National Bank of Big Spring, Texas has standing and a ripe claim in its lawsuit alleging that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is an unconstitutional agency.
- The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) proposed a rule intended to reduce the environmental impact of surface coal mining by amending current regulations to require a maximum level in permits above which mining causes “material damage” to the environment, and create new groundwater monitoring requirements, among other changes.
- U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch introduced the Employee Rights Act, legislation which he says would “allow[ ] workers the liberty to maintain and embrace their rights as individuals in the workplace” by imposing new requirements on unions, including mandating secret ballots for elections concerning whether to unionize or strike.
- The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) requested comments on its proposed guidance aimed at increasing the security of information maintained electronically by contractors for federal agencies.
