All Knowledge & Insights By Date

Current news on the government efficiency and reform front concerns the near-miss of a government shutdown last week (the budget would have lapsed at midnight on March 14, 2025). One reason some cited against allowing a shutdown to occur is how it might encourage or otherwise aid in attempts to eliminate positions if they were deemed “essential” or not. As one who has gone through the “who is essential” exercise in a senior management position...

After President Trump’s address to Congress on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, it is unclear if there will be much desire or willingness on behalf of the Democrats and Republicans to collaborate on legislation during the 119th Congress. President Trump and congressional Republicans are moving toward “one big, beautiful” reconciliation bill (that is possible to enact without Democratic support) that will reflect most of President Trump’s priorities. The question is: what happens after...

Much has been written about the Congressional Review Act (CRA), which Congress can use to repeal qualifying federal agency actions. The CRA was enacted as part of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (SBREFA). According to the Congressional Research Service (CRS), through 2024 the CRA was used to repeal 20 rules, including 16 during President Trump’s first term. The CRA was also used successfully one time in the 107th Congress (2001-2002) under...

March 14, 2025, looms as an important deadline in the middle of President Trump’s first 100 days in office, a milestone often used to evaluate the effectiveness of a new President. March 14 is the day that the American Relief Act, 2025 (Public Law 118-158), which provides temporary funding for the federal government, expires. The law was enacted during the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Biden. At the time, some questioned whether...

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin on February 4, 2025, announced the “Powering the Great American Comeback Initiative” (PGAC Initiative). It consists of five pillars and is intended to serve as a roadmap to guide EPA’s actions under Administrator Zeldin. The five pillars are:  Administrator Zeldin explained Pillar 3 by stating, “Any business that wants to invest in America should be able to do so without having to face years-long, uncertain, and...

In a development no one could have predicted several weeks ago, the first hearing of the 119th Congress in the House Committee on Energy and Commerce (E&C) focused on the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and amendments to TSCA that were enacted more than eight years ago. The E&C Subcommittee on Environment (the Subcommittee) hearing on January 22, 2025, “A Decade Later: Assessing the Legacy and Impact of the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for...

Representatives Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) introduced H.J. Res. 27, a resolution expressing congressional disapproval of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) rule on trichloroethylene (TCE). This joint resolution is an attempt to use the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to overturn EPA’s recent TCE rule issued under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Introduction of a resolution of disapproval is the first step in the process of overturning a...

The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) on January 23, 2025, advanced the nomination of Lee Zeldin to the full Senate for a vote to confirm him as the next Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The 11-8 vote to advance the nomination was largely along party lines, with Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) as the only Democrat to vote in favor of advancing Zeldin’s nomination. Zeldin is expected to be confirmed...

This week I discuss with my colleague, Mark Washko, Senior Government Affairs Advisor for B&C and The Acta Group, our consulting affiliate, the new 119th Congress and what might be key legislative actions our listeners should look for. The new Congress reflects many new members, new staffs, and a new Republican majority in both chambers. What can we expect? Will Congressional Review Act measures un-do key Biden initiatives? What might we expect in terms of a...

The Subcommittee on Environment of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce has announced that its first hearing of the 119th Congress will focus on the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The hearing, “A Decade Later: Assessing the Legacy and Impact of the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act,” is scheduled for January 22, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. in Room 2123 of the Rayburn House Office Building and will be webcast....