April 6, 2007 The Pump Handle

The Supreme Court’s decision in Massachusetts v. EPA was big news this week; Justin Pidot at Gristmill takes an in-depth look at the ruling’s implications, while Kevin Grandia at DeSmogBlog scrutinizes the stances of the parties opposing it. Then, of course, there was Bush’s recess appointment of Susan Dudley to head the Office of Information […]

April 5, 2007 The Pump Handle 3Comment

When President Bush nominated Susan Dudley to head the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) last year, her nomination didn’t make it out of the Senate committee. (See Celeste Monforton’s post on Dudley’s underwhelming performance before the committee.) Yesterday, Bush avoided Senate opposition by giving Dudley a recess appointment. As head of OIRA, Dudley will […]

April 4, 2007 The Pump Handle

By David Michaels The Wall Street Journal (sub required) is reporting that the White House will bypass the Senate confirmation process and announce later today that President Bush has given a recess appointment to Susan Dudley to head the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA). The office, part of the Office of Management and […]

March 31, 2007 The Pump Handle

By David Michaels The Center for Public Integrity has launched an exciting project examining the work of the federal advisory committees. It’s been named “The Shadow Government,” and it is directed by veteran journalist Jim Morris. The project’s first report focuses on the Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health, a panel that provides advice […]

March 30, 2007 The Pump Handle

For those who’ve been following the investigations into how the Bush Administration interfered with government climate science, the news about political interference into Interior Department science had a familiar ring. Chris Mooney sums it up well: “Substitute for Philip Cooney an Interior Department official named Julie MacDonald, and it’s basically the same story as it was […]

March 30, 2007 The Pump Handle

U.S. environmental regulations were on several bloggers’ minds this week. Frank O’Donnell at Blog for Clean Air explains that EPA’s new rule on particle soot is terrible, while Mike Dunford at The Questionable Authority warns that Bush administration is about to release a set of administrative rules changes that would completely eviscerate the Endangered Species […]

March 26, 2007 The Pump Handle

OMB Watch is reporting that the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Chaired by Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) will soon hold a confirmation hearing on Susan E. Dudley. nominated to be Administrator of the White House’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA). The office, part of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), […]

March 23, 2007 The Pump Handle

By David Michaels It is starting to feel like a groundswell. Last week, a group of 22 experts on drug safety and regulation issued an open letter to lawmakers asking Congress not to reauthorize the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA), the system that funds the Food and Drug Administration’s drug review process. In that […]

March 16, 2007 The Pump Handle

By David Michaels OMB Watch has just released its newest report on the recent changes President Bush has made to the federal regulatory process. The report A Failure to Govern: Bush’s Attack on the Regulatory Process explains in clear, compelling language how two arcane but pernicious documents, one amended the other new, threaten to significantly […]