Executive Office of the President October 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) requests comments on its Draft 2015 Report to Congress on the Benefits and Costs of Federal Regulations, available at: https:// www.whitehouse.gov/omb/inforeg_regpol_reports_congress/. The Draft Report is divided into three chapters. Chapter I examines the benefits and costs of major Federal regulations issued in fiscal year 2014 and summarizes the benefits and costs of major regulations issued between October 2004 and September 2014. It also discusses regulatory impacts on State, local, and tribal governments, small business, wages, and economic growth. Chapter II offers recommendations for regulatory reform. Chapter III summarizes agency compliance with the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act. OMB requests that comments be submitted electronically to OMB by December 21, 2015 through www.regulations.gov.

On July 2, 2015, the Executive Office of the President (EOP) issued a memorandum (Ref. 1) directing the primary agencies that regulate the products of biotechnologythe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)to update the Coordinated Framework for the Regulation of Biotechnology (51 FR 23302; June 26, 1986) (Ref. 2), develop a long-term strategy to ensure that the Federal biotechnology regulatory system is prepared for the future products of biotechnology, and commission an expert analysis of the future landscape of biotechnology products to support this effort. The memorandum's objectives are to ensure public confidence in the regulatory system and to prevent unnecessary barriers to future innovation and competitiveness by improving the transparency, coordination, predictability, and efficiency of the regulation of biotechnology products while continuing to protect health and the environment. The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to solicit relevant data and information, including case studies, that can assist in the development of the proposed update to the Coordinated Framework for the Regulation of Biotechnology (CF) to clarify the current roles and responsibilities of the EPA, FDA, and USDA and the development of a long-term strategy consistent with the objectives described in the July 2, 2015 EOP memorandum. In addition to this RFI, the update to the CF will undergo public comment before it is finalized.