Regulatory Process & OIRA | Testimony & Comments

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards

Jerry Ellig | Feb 27, 2013
Even if NHTSA does not develop a more cost-effective alternative, Congress and the public deserve an accurate assessment of the likely benefits and costs of the proposed rule. An accurate assessment of benefits would(1) acknowledge that benefits to blind and vision-impaired individuals are just a fraction of the figure in the preliminary RIA, (2) recognize that there are no benefits to pedalcyclists at the speeds covered by the regulation, and (3) base any benefit estimates for people with normal vision on research that identifies the causes of hybrid vehicle collisions with such individuals.

Perspectives on Retrospective Review and Analysis

Testimony Before the House Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Courts, Commercial and Administrative Law
Randall Lutter | Jul 12, 2012
More generally, greater data collection, access, and analysis can foster improved understanding of regulations and contribute to reducing regulatory burdens and improving their effectiveness.

The Impacts of Overdraft Programs on Consumers

Todd Zywicki, Asa Skinner | Jun 28, 2012
Profits gained from overdraft protection have been used by banks to expand services and accessibility for customers both rich and poor, and limiting overdraft protection may threaten many of the benefits that it makes possible.

Comment on OMB's Draft 2012 Report to Congress on the Benefits and Costs of Federal Regulations

Richard Williams | Jun 11, 2012
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has requested comment on the 2012 Draft Report to Congress on the Benefits and Costs of Federal Regulations and Unfunded Mandates on State, Local and Tribal Entities (hereafter referred to as “the OMB report”). This comment has been produced by Richard A. Williams, Ph.D., of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, an education, research, and outreach organization that works with scholars, policy experts, and government officials to bridge academic theory and real-world practice.

Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs: Federal Regulations and Regulatory Reform under the Obama Administration

Testimony Before the House Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Courts, Commercial and Administrative Law
Richard Williams | Mar 21, 2012
Richard Williams testified before the House Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Courts, Commercial and Administrative Law on how effective regulatory reform has been under the Obama Administration.

Improving Pre-Proposal Regulatory Analysis

Testimony Before the House Judiciary Committee
Jerry Ellig | Mar 29, 2011
Jerry Ellig testified before the House Judiciary Committee on improving pre-proposal regulatory analysis.

Competition, Consumer Welfare and State Alcohol Regulation

Written Testimony Submitted to the Committee on the Judiciary, U.S. House of Representatives
Jerry Ellig | Sep 29, 2010
The Commerce Clause allows states to discriminate against interstate commerce if they have actual evidence that such discrimination is necessary to accomplish a legitimate state goal that cannot…

Federal Rulemaking and the Regulatory Process

Testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law
Richard Williams | Jul 27, 2010
In this testimony, Richard Williams, Director of Regulatory Studies and Government Accountability at the Mercatus Center, addresses the key question of whether there are sufficient checks and…

Public Interest Comment on the Draft 2010 Report to Congress on the Benefits and Costs of Federal Regulations and Unfunded Mandates on State, Local, and Tribal Entities

Richard Williams, Jerry Ellig, John Morrall | Jul 06, 2010
As always, OMB has produced a very thorough report based on the instructions provided in the Regulatory-Right-to Know Act. Nevertheless, it is time to re-examine this report to see if it can be made…

Public Interest Comment on Lead Clearance and Clearance Testing Requirements

Jerry Ellig | Jul 01, 2010
The EPA recently proposed a regulation that requires dust wipe testing for lead dust generated by renovations covered by its 2008 Renovation, Repair, and Painting Program rule. Except for a small…