Category Archives: Uncategorized

It was a short work week due to Veterans Day, as most Americans took time to reflect on the centenary of the World War I armistice. Readers interested in learning more about that terrible war can turn to Barbara Tuchman’s The Guns of August, Adam Hochschild’s To End All Wars, or literature from the period such as Erich Maria Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front and Wilfred Owen’s War Poems. Owen, a soldier and a poet, was killed days before the armistice. Meanwhile, agencies issued new regulations ranging from RVs to commercial hogfish fishing.

On to the data:

• Last week, 40 new final regulations were published in the Federal Register, after 54 the previous week.
• That’s the equivalent of a new regulation every four hours and 12 minutes.
• Federal agencies have issued 2,926 final regulations in 2018. At that pace, there will be 3,296 new final regulations. Last year’s total was 3,236 regulations.
• Last week, 1,619 new pages were added to the Federal Register, after 1,007 pages the previous week.
• The 2018 Federal Register totals 58,174 pages. It is on pace for 65,512 pages. The all-time record adjusted page count (which subtracts skips, jumps, and blank pages) is 96,994, set in 2016.
• Rules are called “economically significant” if they have costs of $100 million or more in a given year. Five such rules have been published this year, none in the last week.
• The running compliance cost tally for 2018’s economically significant regulations is a net savings ranging from $348.9 million to $560.9 million.
• Agencies have published 96 final rules meeting the broader definition of “significant” so far this year.
• So far in 2018, 559 new rules affect small businesses; 23 of them are classified as significant.

Highlights from selected final rules published last week:

• Tax increase for fresh pears from Texas.
• RVs are no longer subject to all of the same procedural and enforcement regulations as mobile homes.
• Sanctions against the Congo.
• Rules concerning marine mammals that die during military training exercises.
• Commercial hogfish fishing is done for the year.
• Updates to health care regulations concerning preventive care and preexisting conditions.
• Arizona lead.

For more data, see Ten Thousand Commandments and follow @10KC and @RegoftheDay on Twitter.

The midterm elections finally happened. The good news is no more political ads for a while; the bad news is that a bunch of politicians won election or reelection. Democrats won a House majority, while Republicans retained the Senate. CEI analysts have had plenty to say on what this means for a variety of issues for thenext two years. Meanwhile, agencies issued new regulations from granting asylum to quahog quotas.

On to the data:

• Last week, 54 new final regulations were published in the Federal Register, after 68 the previous week.
• That’s the equivalent of a new regulation every three hours and seven minutes.
• Federal agencies have issued 2,886 final regulations in 2018. At that pace, there will be 3,310 new final regulations. Last year’s total was 3,236 regulations.
• Last week, 1,007 new pages were added to the Federal Register, after 1,066 pages the previous week.
• The 2018 Federal Register totals 56,253 pages. It is on pace for 64,511.                                                         pages. The all-time record adjusted page count (which subtracts skips, jumps, and blank pages) is 96,994, set in 2016.
• Rules are called “economically significant” if they have costs of $100 million or more in a given year. Five such rules have been published this year, none in the last week.
• The running compliance cost tally for 2018’s economically significant regulations is a net savings ranging from $348.9 million to $560.9 million.
• Agencies have published 95 final rules meeting the broader definition of “significant” so far this year.
• So far in 2018, 553 new rules affect small businesses; 23 of them are classified as significant.

Highlights from selected final rules published last week:

• The IRS is expanding its authority to penalize tax preparers.
• Medicare is adjusting some of its premiums.
• Commercial Aggregated Large Coastal Shark and Hammerhead Shark Management Group Retention Limit Adjustment.
• Don’t tell Peter Griffin: new quahog quotas.
• Underground electric distribution.
• Some tinkering to food nutrition labels.
• Iran sanctions.
• Qualifications for crane and derrick operators.
• Tax decrease for orange and grapefruit growers in Texas’ Lower Rio Grande Valley.
• Here is the interim rule for changes in asylum policy.

For more data, see Ten Thousand Commandments and follow @10KC and @RegoftheDay on Twitter.

Regulators were relatively quiet during the week before the midterm election, though CEI wasn’t, with our colleague Ted Frank arguing a case before the Supreme Court on class action legal abuses. New regulations from the last week range from farm mortgages to military acquisition mentors.

On to the data:

• Last week, 68 new final regulations were published in the Federal Register, after 79 the previous week.
• That’s the equivalent of a new regulation every two hours and 28 minutes.
• Federal agencies have issued 2,782 final regulations in 2018. At that pace, there will be 3,344 new final regulations. Last year’s total was 3,236 regulations.
• Last week, 1,066 new pages were added to the Federal Register, after 1,349 pages the previous week.
• The 2018 Federal Register totals 54,227 pages. It is on pace for 65,167 pages. The all-time record adjusted page count (which subtracts skips, jumps, and blank pages) is 96,994, set in 2016.
• Rules are called “economically significant” if they have costs of $100 million or more in a given year. Five such rules have been published this year, none in the last week.
• The running compliance cost tally for 2018’s economically significant regulations is a net savings ranging from $348.9 million to $560.9 million.
• Agencies have published 90 final rules meeting the broader definition of “significant” so far this year.
• So far in 2018, 527 new rules affect small businesses; 22 of them are classified as significant.

Highlights from selected final rules published last week:

• Military acquisition regulations contain a mentor-protégé program.
• Another regulation for preventing collisions at sea. That’s 377 such rules since 1994; see them all here.
• Bank reserve requirements.
• The Farm Credit Administration is updating its Farmer Mac program to subsidize farm mortgages.
• An Federal Communications Commission regulation for 911 calls in Richardson, Texas.
• Revised ethical rules for National Mediation Board employees.
• Design standards for highways.
• Cod-fishing regulations, but only for boats over 60 feet long using a certain type of fishing gear.

For more data, see Ten Thousand Commandments and follow @10KC and @RegoftheDay on Twitter.

Lots of contentious issues are in the news, from the midterm election to immigration to a disturbing rash of bombs sent to politicians and media outlets critical of the president. The initial third quarter GDP estimate showed healthy 3.5 percent growth, but factors from Federal Reserve independence to government-managed trade threaten future growth. Meanwhile, agencies issued new regulations last week ranging from non-metallic panels to soybean boards.

On to the data:

• Last week, 68 new final regulations were published in the Federal Register, after 79 the previous week.
• That’s the equivalent of a new regulation every two hours and 28 minutes.
• Federal agencies have issued 2,782 final regulations in 2018. At that pace, there will be 3,344 new final regulations. Last year’s total was 3,236 regulations.
• Last week, 1,066 new pages were added to the Federal Register, after 1,349 pages the previous week.
• The 2018 Federal Register totals 54,227 pages. It is on pace for 65,167 pages. The all-time record adjusted page count (which subtracts skips, jumps, and blank pages) is 96,994, set in 2016.
• Rules are called “economically significant” if they have costs of $100 million or more in a given year. Five such rules have been published this year, none in the last week.
• The running compliance cost tally for 2018’s economically significant regulations is a net savings ranging from $348.9 million to $560.9 million.
• Agencies have published 90 final rules meeting the broader definition of “significant” so far this year.
• So far in 2018, 527 new rules affect small businesses; 22 of them are classified as significant.

Highlights from selected final rules published last week:

• Another rural call completion regulation. That makes 2,355 such regulations since 1994. See them all here.
• Viking airplane airworthiness.
• A regulation regarding board representation for the federal government’s United Soybean Board.
• Infant bath tubs.
• Airplane seats with “non-traditional, large, non-metallic panels.”
• The Election Assistance Commission has a new address.
• A marketing order for California raisins. Readers of a certain age will remember that a similar initiative from the state-level CalRAB, the California Raisin Advisory Board, once resulted in a Saturday morning cartoon.
• Airplane reporting requirements for mishandled luggage, wheelchairs, and scooters.

For more data, see Ten Thousand Commandments and follow @10KC and @RegoftheDay on Twitter.