regulations news stories on Newser

FDA Bans the Term 'Sunblock'

Kevin Spak — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 13:05:05 CDT

You’ll never put on sunblock again. The FDA rolled out its long-awaited changes for sunscreen labels today, banning the word “sunblock” along with the terms “waterproof” and “sweat-proof.” From now on sunscreen can only boast that it’s “water-resistant” and specify whether users should reapply after 40 or 80 minutes of...

Obama Moves to Root Out 'Dumb' Regulations

Kevin Spak — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 07:45:39 CST

Republicans have said that deregulation will be a major part of their platform, but it looks like President Obama is beating them to the punch. The president will sign an executive order today mandating “a government-wide review of the rules already on the books” that aims to “root out regulations...

Regulators Let BP Blow Off Wildlife Permits

Kevin Spak — Fri, 14 May 2010 07:52:14 CDT

The Minerals Management Service appears to have blatantly ignored a law requiring new oil drilling operations to get permits from the agency that assesses risk to endangered species. The MMS gave the okay to the Deepwater Horizon rig and dozens of others without getting the permits, the New York Times...

NYC to Ban All Cabbie Phone Calls

Harry Kimball — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:29:29 CDT

New York City’s Taxi and Limousine Commission is cracking down on its drivers, proposing tough new rules today that ban the use of any electronic communication devices while on the job, hands-free included. "Every driver will be prohibited from even wearing a Bluetooth device on their ears and after three...

Greedy Farmers Battle Climate Bill That Benefits Them

Matt Cantor — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 07:49:14 CDT

Farmers are among those facing the highest risk from global warming—storms, droughts and swarms of insect pests are coming their way—yet “true to form,” they’re not interested in backing a bill to fight it without reaping even more government cash, sputters Steven Pearlstein in the Washington Post . What...

US to Expand Executive Pay Supervision

Matt Cantor — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 06:44:00 CDT

The Obama administration is set to announce new executive pay guidelines for banks and other corporations that have received bailout funds, the New York Times reports. Any company that’s taken two rounds of TARP cash—including Citigroup, Bank of America, AIG, GM and GMAC—will have to get pay changes...

Obama Overrules the Overruling of State Laws

Gabriel Winant — Fri, 22 May 2009 08:03:14 CDT

President Obama is rewriting another set of rules inherited from his predecessor. This time, the Washington Post reports, it’s President Bush’s policy of overriding state laws with federal regulations, known as “preemption.” Says an activist, “It's environmental law, it's drug law, it's mortgage law, it's a whole host of areas...

Market-Regulation Bill No Longer on Fast Track: Frank

Clay Dillow — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 09:47:19 CDT

Once on the fast track to President Obama’s desk, a bill that would grant the government powers to place large companies into receivership has been pushed to the slow lane, Rep. Barney Frank tells the Wall Street Journal . The bill’s complexity, and a slow-moving Senate, led the Financial Services Committee...

Obama Reviews Abortion Rules

Kevin Spak — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 08:07:01 CST

Barack Obama’s transition team is hard at work deciding how and when to undo the Bush administration’s abortion policies, the Wall Street Journal reports. Bush’s ban on federal stem cell research funding will be among the first to go—a move that has broad bipartisan support—along with Reagan’s “global...