Good catch by Think Progress. The president is going to nominate Susan Dudley, a longtime opponent of federal regulations, to head the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, which “manages the federal regulatory process.” Among other things, Think Progress finds, Dudley is an opponent of action on global warming, air bags in cars, and stronger regulations for arsenic in drinking water.
But okay, what does this position even mean? According to this executive order, OIRA is tasked with reviewing regulations in other federal agencies to make sure they comply with the president’s rules, “such as consideration of alternatives and analysis of impacts, both benefits and costs.” Now I can’t figure out what sort of impact Dudley could have on federal regulations from this perch, but it’s safe to say that the administration’s ongoing effort to dismantle the regulatory state will continue apace.
