All Publications

The Limits of Irrationality as a Rationale for Regulation

May 13, 2015

James Madison was speaking of the structural checks on governmental power when he wrote those words, but it is worth recalling his advice when we contemplate the role of benefit-cost analysis as a check on the unconstrained exercise of the government's regulatory powers, and the implications of the reality that people's behavior, both in and out of government, sometimes falls short of what we might incorporate into an economic model or hope for in a perfect world.

Point/Counterpoint: Valuing Internalities in Regulatory Impact Analysis

May 13, 2015

In this Point/Counterpoint series of 4 articles in the new issue of the Journal of Policy Analysis & Management, Brian Mannix & Susan Dudley engage in a back-and-forth with Hunt Allcott & Cass Sunstein on the advisability of regulatory interventions based solely on "internalities," which Allcott & Sunstein define as "costs we impose on ourselves by taking actions that are not in our own best interest."

Recommendations for Improving the Regulatory Process

May 1, 2015

The George Washington University Regulatory Studies Center is pleased to respond to the request by Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee Chairman Johnson, Ranking Member Carper, Subcommittee Chairman Lankford, and Ranking Member Heitkamp for recommendations for improving the regulatory process.

Why the Federal Government Struggles to Hire and Fire

April 29, 2015

Through evidence-based reforms, the government can foster a federal workforce that is even more productive and capable.

FAA's Proposed Rule: Operation and Certification of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems

April 24, 2015

The FAA suggests that this rule will be the first step in a long, complex path of integrating unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) into the National Airspace System. However, it will be a challenge for the Administration to ensure that this incremental approach occurs at a pace that closely mirrors market and technological changes.

Vague Net Neutrality Rule Impedes Innovation

April 21, 2015

FCC's recent order imposing common carrier and net neutrality obligations on broadband Internet access providers creates a complex new regulatory structure.

DOL's Proposed Rule: Discrimination on the Basis of Sex

April 14, 2015

The DOL Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) enforces Executive Order 11,246 (Executive Order), a 1965 order that prohibits Federal contractors and subcontractors and federally assisted construction contractors from discriminating on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin and requires them to take affirmative action to prevent discrimination based on these protected categories.

Does Reducing Ozone Really Improve Human Health?

April 8, 2015

EPA recently concluded that current NAAQS standards do not fully suffice to protect public health. Does causal evidence support this conclusion?

CFPB Should Consider a More Dynamic Approach to Prepaid Debit Card Regulation

April 1, 2015

Little evidence suggests that CFPB's proposal will have desirable consequences, but it will likely increase compliance burdens.

Justices Debate Benefits and Costs of EPA Mercury Power Plant Rule

March 31, 2015

Supreme Court considers whether EPA factored costs properly in its 2012 case on Mercury and Air Toxics Standards