Budget Office Nominee Wants Timely Review Of Rules

Ensuring that pending federal rules get timely review by the White House is a top priority for President Barack Obama’s nominee for the nation’s regulatory gatekeeper. Obama tapped Howard A. Shelanski, director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Economics, to be administrator of the White House Office of Management & Budget’s Office of Information & Regulatory Affairs (OIRA). During his confirmation hearing last week, Shelanski was asked about scores of pending rules or proposals that have been in limbo at OIRA long past the three- to four-month deadline for review completion. They include three EPA proposals related to commercial chemicals, one of which has been under review for three years (C&EN, Jan. 7, page 16). Shelanski told the Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee panel that he hopes to improve the timeliness of these reviews. He also wants to institutionalize periodic reviews of federal regulations to eliminate or update obsolete rules, continuing an effort that Obama launched in 2011. Shelanski also endorsed a chemical industry stance that key agency policy documents should undergo interagency review.