May 9 : March 18 : February 13

May 9, 2002

• On May 8, C. Boyden Gray delivered an address discussing U.S. energy security and its relationship to U.S. environmental policy. Please click HERE to read the text of his address (pdf format).

March 18, 2002

• Here are some links addressing the Enron situation and electricity deregulation:
  • Enron was no Friend to Free Markets: http://www.cato.org/research/articles/taylor-020121.html
    
  • The Enron Blame Game: http://www.cato.org/dailys/01-29-02.html
  • The Death of an Energy Giant: Enron 1985-2002: http://www.cse.org/informed/jtcomment_enron.htm
    
  • Regulation and Reality: http://www.mises.org/fullarticle.asp?printFriendly=Yes&control=892&month=41& title=Regulation+and+Reality&id=41
    
  • American Energy Needs Private Markets, Not Haphazard Government Intervention http://www.cse.org/informed/issues_template.php?issue_id=370
    
  • Deregulation and its Discontents: http://www.techcentralstation.com/1051/techwrapper.jsp?PID=1051-250&CID=1051-021202C

February 13, 2002

• FDA Reform Working Group formed. The Federalist Society Administrative Law Committee has formed an FDA Reform Working Group. The group is working on a white paper on preemption and will address current reform topics.

  Anyone interested in joining or with reform topics should contact Bill Waller at:
  Venable, Baetjer, Howard & Civiletti, LLP
  1201 New York Avenue, NW, Suite 1000
  Washington, DC 20005-3917
  (202) 513-4652 (direct)
  (202) 962-4800 (general)
  (202) 962-8300 (fax)
  wcwaller@venable.com (email)

• Regulatory reform at HHS/FDA. The Department of Health and Human Services ("HHS") recently formed an Advisory Committee on Regulatory Reform. The Committee will make recommendations to the Secretary about potential regulatory changes to reduce the burden of HHS (including FDA) regulations. At its first meeting, January 7-8, the Committee indicated that it may wade into the legislative arena despite HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson's emphasis on regulatory changes that could be made quickly through administrative actions. The Committee asked FDA drug center director Janet Woodcock, currently on a bioterrorism detail at the agency-level, to present a case history of Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA). At this first meeting, Bob Britain, president of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), explained how third-party inspection called for in a House bill recently introduced by Reps. Jim Greenwood (R-PA) and Anna Eshoo (D-CA) could work. He said NEMA backs this type of inspection system.

The committee also likely will work to coordinate reviews among agencies so that agencies work in tandem instead of serially. This will shorten reviews, saving industries' money and speeding products to patients and consumers. The Committee is scheduled to hold meetings throughout the country over the next year and issue a final report to the Secretary in October 2002. For more information visit the Committee's website at http://www.regreform.hhs.gov.