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.


Space-Time Trading: Special Relativity and Financial Market Microstructure

High frequency traders attempt to exploit physics to gain an advantage

Senate Shows Continuing Interest in Regulatory Reform

Regulation is one of the primary vehicles by which federal policy is formulated, and it affects every household, employee, and business in the United States. Recognizing the importance of the regulatory process, the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee recently released a report, “Direct From the Source: Understanding Regulation From the Inside Out,” which features some practical solutions for regulatory reform submitted by the GW Regulatory Studies Center and other sources.

Looking Ahead to Regulation in 2016

Although Congress will not likely enact new legislation in President Obama’s final year in office, regulatory agencies are a different matter.

President Obama’s Regulatory Output: Looking Back at 2015 and Ahead to 2016

HHS leads the way in finalizing new economically significant rules

Are Chemical Risk Assessment and Benefit-Cost Analysis Compatible?

Executive Order 12866 requires benefit-cost analyses for all regulations; in many cases these economic analyses rely upon risk assessment for critical inputs. Usually this is not a problem; in principle, risk assessment and benefit-cost analysis are perfectly compatible.

Herding Genetically Engineered Animals to Market

FDA’s decision to approve a genetically engineered salmon for human consumption bodes well for people interested in cheaper fish.

Missed Opportunity for EPA to Cut Back Renewable Fuel Standard

Congress and EPA should reevaluate whether the Renewable Fuel Standard is accomplishing its goals.

Midnight Rules: A Comparison of Regulatory Output Across Administrations

Understanding Midnight Regulatory Activity and how it's used

One (un)remarkable problem?

The public policy world is not exempt misunderstandings, and the renewed emphasis on retrospective regulatory review is a case in point.