Our Commentaries and Insights are short-form publications intended to distill long-form research and synthesize current policymaking activity into easily understood concepts.
Executive Order No. 12866, signed by President Clinton, directs agencies to analyze the benefits and costs of regulations, and to try to maximize the excess of the former over the latter. It is a sound principle, but it needs to be applied with an appropriate measure of humility.
EPA’s Ozone Rule and the Scientization of Policy
EPA standards on Clean Air Act reflect hidden policy choices
Agencies could work more consistently to identify which regulations are likely to have a significant effect on international trade and investment.
Considering the Cumulative Effects of Regulation
Ex-ante regulation-by-regulation analysis may not account for the cumulative effect of regulations on society or specific sectors of the economy.
Learning from the Past: It's Time to Reevaluate the Renewable Fuel Standards
Congress should reevaluate whether the Renewable Fuel Standard is accomplishing its intended goals.
Regulatory Pay as you Go: Lessons from Other Countries
Different strategies and tools have been used to control the aggregate regulatory costs of new regulations and to reduce the burden of existing ones.
Hogan’s Had It with Burdensome Regulations
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan announced the establishment of a new Regulatory Reform Commission to combat regulatory burdens.
Senate Explores a Regulatory Budget to Increase Transparency, Oversight
On June 23, 2015, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs and Committee on the Budget held a joint hearing to explore the possibility of a regulatory budget. Two GW Regulatory Studies Center Scholars participated in the hearing.
