The Regulatory Review celebrates the end of 2015 by featuring our top news posts from the past year.
As the new year arrives, The Regulatory Review would like to reflect on the many important regulatory developments and debates that occurred in the United States and around the world throughout 2015. We also want to recognize some of the excellent work we had the privilege to feature on The Regulatory Review this past year. On these last three days of this year, we are presenting the top essays published on The Regulatory Review over the past twelve months, based on the number of page views for the work appearing in each of our opinion, news, and analysis sections.
Today we feature, in alphabetical order by author, the top news stories from 2015. Visit our “Regulatory Year in Review” series main page for information about the top analysis and opinion stories.
Alina Artunian | August 6
Earlier this summer, the House of Representatives voted to repeal a federal mandate requiring country-of-origin labels to be placed on beef, pork, and chicken sold in the United States. The mandate, adopted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), stemmed from a 2002 law aiming to further transparency between consumers and food industries.
Jessica Bassett | July 30
How would you define an excellent regulatory authority? Would you focus on the regulator’s outputs, such as how many regulations it completes or enforcement actions it takes? Or would you focus instead on its outcomes, such as how effective those regulations and enforcement actions prove to be?
New Regulation Emerges for Drone Use in Chile
Gustavo Donoso | May 11
The explosive growth in commercial and recreational drone use has caused aviation regulators worldwide to face the new dangers drones can pose to the public. In Chile, the civil aviation regulator recently responded to this growing concern by updating the nation’s drone regulations.
What Enable Chile’s Remarkable Recovery from Disaster?
Alexandra Hamilton | June 1
Within just a few minutes, buildings collapsed, infrastructure broke, and hundreds of people lost their lives. The earthquake that rocked Chile in 2010, one of the largest in history, measured a magnitude of 8.8. The ensuing damage wiped out roughly 18% of the country’s GDP. Yet the country demonstrated a miraculous recovery.
How Can Regulation Reduce the Risks of Fracking?
Alexandra Hamilton | May 4
Natural gas may be key in allowing the United States to transition away from dependence on harsh-polluting petroleum and toward greater use of cleaner energy sources. Accessing natural gas, however, comes with its own set of risks.
Recreational Drones Present Enforcement Issues for FAA
Kim Kirschenbaum | September 23
Hundreds of tennis fans gathered for the U.S. Open match between Italy’s Flavia Pennetta and Romania’s Monica Niculescu early this September witnessed an unexpected and controversial spectacle in between sets: a small, black object careening towards the stands.
First Biosimilar Drug Inches Closer to Entering U.S. Market
Grace Knofczynski | April 20
Biologics, pharmaceutical drugs made in or extracted from natural systems, are the cutting edge of biomedical research and sales are soaring. They potentially can treat a range of diseases for which there has previously been no treatment, and are often more effective at treating disease while presenting decreased toxicity risks.
Open Internet Regulation Faces Challenges
Claudio Matute | April 14
Following a process that elicited more than four million public comments, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in February approved a net neutrality regulation that supporters say is critical to protecting the freedom of the Internet.
CFPB Considers New Payday Loan Requirements
Marika Mikuriya | April 27
Consumer demand for quick credit has fueled the growth of a payday loan industry that, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), imposes significant costs on those borrowers least likely to be able to afford them. This March, after months of debate, the Bureau released an outline of a proposed payday loan rule designed to protect borrowers from debt traps while preserving access to quick credit.
Five States Allow Women’s Health Medicaid Programs to Lapse
Dori Molozanov | January 7
Women in five states may be without affordable access to important health and family planning services, including routine cancer screenings and contraception, as key programs expired at the end of last year.
How Philadelphia Ensured Public Safety During the Pope’s Visit
Dori Molozanov | September 30
Philadelphians who fled the city for the weekend to escape the anticipated madness know that something important happened here in their absence, as they come home to find residual fences and police barricades, temporary no-parking notices, and a few tired National Guard stragglers in the eerily empty streets.
Pennsylvania Seeks New Approaches to Long-Term Medicaid Services
Dori Molozanov | September 3
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) and Department of Aging (PDA) released a discussion document earlier this summer setting forth the state’s plan to transition its Medicaid long-term services and supports (LTSS) program to a managed care system.
Expanding U.S. Aquaculture to the Open Ocean
Sonya Shea | January 5
Recently, the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) proposed a rule that would create a new regulatory program to allow for open ocean aquaculture in the Gulf of Mexico. The proposed rule aims to increase the productivity of Gulf fisheries by permitting offshore commercial seafood farming operations, known as aquaculture, in U.S. waters.
White House Announces International Development Partnerships
Grayson Weeks | August 20
Recently, the United Nations held the Third International Conference on Financing for Development in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, speaking at the conference and representing a delegation of White House and executive agency attendees, discussed five new and recent international partnerships designed to further the goals of development finance worldwide.
