Inertia Wins!

Unemployment is back under 6 percent, and it’s looking more and more like the economy is reverting back to trend. We’re not there yet, but the trajectory is good. The good news is that a lot of planned stimulus and infrastructure spending is now clearly unnecessary. The bad news is that Congress will likely spend the money anyway. President Biden’s proposed $6 trillion budget will not become law, but it will serve as a starting point. The 2021 Federal Register also topped 30,000 pages on Friday. Meanwhile, agencies issued new rules ranging from water testing to authenticating calls.

On to the data:

• Agencies issued 54 final regulations last week, after 62 the previous week.
• That’s the equivalent of a new regulation every three hours and 7 minutes.
• With 1,314 final regulations so far in 2021, agencies are on pace to issue 3,099 final regulations this year. 2020’s total was 3,149 final regulations.
• Agencies issued 32 proposed regulations in the Federal Register last week, after 36 the previous week.
• With 904 proposed regulations so far in 2021, agencies are on pace to issue 2,132 proposed regulations this year. 2020’s total was 2,021 proposed regulations.
• Agencies published 297 notices last week, after 467 notices the previous week.
• With 9,318 notices so far in 2021, agencies are on pace to issue 21,976 notices this year. 2020’s total was 22,480.
• Last week, 956 new pages were added to the Federal Register, after 1,373 pages the previous week.
• The average Federal Register issue this year contains 284 pages.
• With 30,065 pages so far, the 2021 Federal Register is on pace for 70,908 pages in 2021. The 2020 total was 87,352 pages. The all-time record adjusted page count (subtracting 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. There are two such rules so far in 2021, none from the last week. Agencies published five economically significant rules in 2020 and four in 2019.
• The running cost tally for 2021’s economically significant rules ranges from net savings of $100.7 million to net costs of $362.5 million. The 2020 figure ranges from net savings of between $2.04 billion and $5.69 billion, mostly from estimated savings on federal spending. The exact numbers depend on discount rates and other assumptions.
• Agencies have published 17 final rules meeting the broader definition of “significant” in 2020, with none in the last week. This is on pace for 40 significant rules in 2021. 2020’s total was 79 significant final rules.
• In 2021, 257 new rules affect small businesses. Five are classified as significant. 2020’s totals were 668 rules affecting small businesses, 26 of them significant.

Highlights from last week’s new regulations:

• Uniform federal auditing requirements.
•  Income tax rate changes for the American Forest & Paper Association.
• Remimazolan is now a Schedule IV controlled substance.
• Inflation-adjusted mining penalties.
• The Environmental Protection Agency is making its scientific findings less transparent to the public.
• Radiographic operations training.
• Burma sanctions.
• Drinking water tests.
• Hook-and-line fishing for golden tilefish.
• Nuclear evidence.
• Ethical standards for special counsel.
• The Department of Energy is making its guidance documents less transparent to the public.
• Authenticating calls.

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

The Endless Frontiers Act remains the big story in Congress. After an 850-page trade was added via amendment in the Senate, the bill has been delayed until June 8, after the Memorial Day recess. The 2021 Federal Register will likely pass 30,000 pages next week. Meanwhile, agencies issued new rules ranging from collective investment funds to mammalian seabird research casualties.

On to the data:

• Agencies issued 62 final regulations last week, after 62 the previous week.
• That’s the equivalent of a new regulation every two hours and 42 minutes.
• With 1,260 final regulations so far in 2021, agencies are on pace to issue 3,088 final regulations this year. 2020’s total was 3,149 final regulations.
• Agencies issued 36 proposed regulations in the Federal Register last week, after 29 the previous week.
• With 872 proposed regulations so far in 2021, agencies are on pace to issue 2,137 proposed regulations this year. 2020’s total was 2,021 proposed regulations.
• Agencies published 467 notices last week, after 421 notices the previous week.
• With 9,019 notices so far in 2021, agencies are on pace to issue 22,105 notices this year. 2020’s total was 22,480.
• Last week, 1,373 new pages were added to the Federal Register, after 1,164 pages the previous week.
• The average Federal Register issue this year contains 286 pages.
• With 29,171 pages so far, the 2021 Federal Register is on pace for 71,498 pages in 2021. The 2020 total was 87,352 pages. The all-time record adjusted page count (subtracting 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. There are two such rules so far in 2021, none from the last week. Agencies published five economically significant rules in 2020, and four in 2019.
• The running cost tally for 2021’s economically significant rules ranges from net savings of $100.7 million to net costs of $362.5 million. The 2020 figure ranges from net savings of between $2.04 billion and $5.69 billion, mostly from estimated savings on federal spending. The exact numbers depend on discount rates and other assumptions.
• Agencies have published 16 final rules meeting the broader definition of “significant” in 2020, with none in the last week. This is on pace for 39 significant rules in 2021. 2020’s total was 79 significant final rules.
• In 2021, 241 new rules affect small businesses. Five are classified as significant. 2020’s totals were 668 rules affecting small businesses, 26 of them significant.

Highlights from last week’s new regulations:

• The Federal Communications Commission issued a new regulation to close the homework gap.
• Loan guarantees for veterans affected by COVID-19.
• Ceiling fan energy tests.
• The Tennessee Valley Authority is making its guidance documents less transparent to the public.
• Notices of withdrawal requirements for collective investment funds.
• Fees and rates from the Delaware River Basin Commission.
• The penalty for violating notice posting requirements has been adjusted.
• Two rules for the conservation of Antarctic animals and plants.
• How to deal with marine mammal casualties caused by seabird research.
• Travel restrictions pertaining to Mexico and Canada.
• Lasmiditan, a medication for treating migraines, is now a Schedule V controlled substance.
• Energy resources on Indian Tribal lands.

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

CEI’s Wayne Crews looked at the Biden administration’s dismantling transparency reforms for guidance documents and warned that political spending on scientific research would become political. Meanwhile, agencies issued new rules ranging from effluent analysis to bank executive loans.

On to the data:

• Agencies issued 62 final regulations last week, after 60 the previous week.
• That’s the equivalent of a new regulation every two hours and 42 minutes.
• With 1,198 final regulations so far in 2021, agencies are on pace to issue 3,088 final regulations this year. 2020’s total was 3,149 final regulations.
• Agencies issued 29 proposed regulations in the Federal Register last week, after 48 the previous week.
• With 836 proposed regulations so far in 2021, agencies are on pace to issue 2,155 proposed regulations this year. 2020’s total was 2,021 proposed regulations.
• Agencies published 421 notices last week, after 408 notices the previous week.
• With 8,552 notices so far in 2021, agencies are on pace to issue 22,041 notices this year. 2020’s total was 22,480.
• Last week, 1,164 new pages were added to the Federal Register, after 1,933 pages the previous week.
• The average Federal Register issue this year contains 287 pages.
• With 27,796 pages so far, the 2021 Federal Register is on pace for 71,369 pages in 2021. The 2020 total was 87,352 pages. The all-time record adjusted page count (subtracting 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. There are two such rules so far in 2021, none from the last week. Agencies published five economically significant rules in 2020, and four in 2019.
• The running cost tally for 2021’s economically significant rules ranges from net savings of $100.7 million to net costs of $362.5 million. The 2020 figure ranges from net savings of between $2.04 billion and $5.69 billion, mostly from estimated savings on federal spending. The exact numbers depend on discount rates and other assumptions.
• Agencies have published 16 final rules meeting the broader definition of “significant” in 2020, with none in the last week. This is on pace for 41 significant rules in 2021. 2020’s total was 79 significant final rules.
• In 2021, 230 new rules affect small businesses. Five are classified as significant. 2020’s totals were 668 rules affecting small businesses, 26 of them significant.

Highlights from last week’s new regulations:

• Nationwide permits from the Engineering Corps.
• A vacatur for H-1B visas.
• Timekeeping requirements from the Legal Services Corporation.
• Analyzing effluent.
• New Guinea travel restrictions are being eased.
• The Environmental Protection Agency is scrapping some recent transparency improvements.
• A new Medicare rule for covering “innovative technology” is being delayed.
• Revised safety standards about children’s folding chairs and stools.
• Sanctions related to narcotics. Maybe that is what will win the drug war.
• Loans to bank executives.
• A response to comments on new aluminum import monitoring regulations.

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