Commentaries & Insights

Our Commentaries and Insights are short-form publications intended to distill long-form research and synthesize current policymaking activity into easily understood concepts.


Organizing Agencies to Promulgate Rules

Rulemaking process can use hierarchical, team-based, or outside advisor models

OMB Report on Regulatory Costs & Benefits Leaves Room for Regulatory Reform

The Office of Management and Budget released its Draft Report to Congress on the Benefits and Costs of Federal Regulations (“the Report”), which provides a window into regulatory activity conducted by federal agencies toward the end of the Obama administration in Fiscal Year 2016.

Quality, not Quantity, is Key to Effective Commenting

Fear over the impact of fake comments appears overblown

President Trump's State of the Union claim on Regulation: The 2017 Data are In

The administration is reducing regulatory actions, but to what extent?

International Regulatory Indexes at a Glance

Deregulation remains a significant part of President Trump’s agenda and some credit his deregulatory promises with improving economic indicators.

2017 Regulatory Year in Review

This Regulatory Insight highlights ten important regulatory and deregulatory themes that garnered attention—and changed the regulatory landscape—in 2017. Regulatory policy was a focal point of 2017, and notable executive orders, rulemaking, and legislation all contributed to this theme.

Fall Unified Agenda outlines Progress of "Two-for-One" Reforms

In addition to the Unified Agenda, OIRA released a status report on implementation of President Trump’s two-for-one regulatory requirement.

Leave Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communication to Innovators, Not Regulators

Nixing a plan to mandate vehicle-to-vehicle communication technology in new vehicles may be the right call for technological progress and innovation.