Editor’s Note: See also OIRA: Past, Present and Future (draft).
From: The Regulatory Review
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OIRA review fulfills a critical function from the perspective of a President. Fairly or not, Presidents get credit and blame for the actions of government agencies. No matter whether they are Democrats or Republicans, liberals or conservatives, Presidents face immense incentives to exercise careful oversight over agencies. Both OIRA review and, to a lesser degree, cost-benefit analysis help satisfy that demand for presidential oversight.
This gives us a clue as to the durability of the initiatives put forward by the Trump Administration. Of the major Trump Administration reforms to the regulatory process, only the extension of OIRA review to the IRS and to independent agencies will enhance presidential oversight and are likely to be retained by future administrations.