James Broughel

1 month ago | forbes.com | James Broughel

Congressional Republicans are moving one step closer to achieving their long-sought goal of overhauling the regulatory state. Tucked into the House Judiciary Committee’s section of the GOP’s reconciliation bill are two clever reforms. One creates automatic sunsets for federal rules and another incorporates a version of the REINS Act, which would require congressional approval for major regulations. These provisions attempt to strengthen legislative control over the administrative state.

1 month ago | tulipmania.substack.com | James Broughel

I’ve long been drawn to libertarian and classical liberal ideas, especially when it comes to specific policy issues. Arguments about limiting the scope of government, defending private property, and encouraging a free marketplace resonate with me. Yet for all my sympathies with libertarian philosophy and politics, I ultimately consider myself a conservative, not a libertarian or classical liberal. Why is that?

1 month ago | cei.org | James Broughel

Today, the Competitive Enterprise Institute released a new report on Michigan’s recent history of environmental permitting policies. “Michigan has undergone several attempts in recent years to improve its environmental permitting system, such as creating independent permit review panels in 2018, creating an online permitting dashboard, and implementing a fee refund system,” said report author and CEI Senior Fellow James Broughel. “Unfortunately, Michigan Gov.

1 month ago | cei.org | James Broughel

This report examines Michigan’s recent permitting reforms, highlighting how some productive efforts to enhance accountability and efficiency have largely stalled. While the state took steps to introduce independent oversight through bodies like the Environmental Permit Review Commission (EPRC) and the Environmental Rules Review Committee (ERRC), subsequent executive actions dismantled these panels, reverting authority back to the very agency they were meant to oversee.

1 month ago | cei.org | James Broughel

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is reportedly preparing to eliminate its Office of Research and Development, which houses the controversial Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). According to a recent New York Times report, this action could lead to more than a thousand layoffs and a fundamental reshaping of how EPA conducts scientific assessments.