Latest Entries
Regulation

Child Labor Regulatory Rollbacks 

Executive Summary  1. A tight labor market has caused business leaders to seek child labor to fill the gaps.   2. States are following a trend to roll back regulations on child labor.   3. Safety risks and poverty risks endanger children.   Introduction   In 1938, Congress passed the Fair Labor Standards Act to stop companies from using … Continue reading

China / Europe / Trade

“Strategic Autonomy”: Macron Splinters on Western Relations with China 

Executive Summary  Introduction  On April 6th, 2023, French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen met with Chinese President Xi Jingping in his hometown of Guangzhou, China to discuss the bilateral relationship of Europe and China. The conversation centered on Sino-European trade relations, climate change and global solutions, the Ukraine war, and … Continue reading

Economy / Trade

“De-Dollarization”: BRICS Countries Propose New Currency 

Executive Summary  Introduction  A top Russian official stated at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in March that Russia and India are working together on a central digital bank currency (CDBC), with the assistance of other BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa). State Duma Deputy Chairman Alexander Babakov stated that the currency … Continue reading

Regulation

Two Sides of the Same Coin: A Comparison of Different Perspectives on Recent Bank Failures

Executive Summary  1. Silicon Valley Bank’s (SVB) failure was caused by the largest bank run in American history with a total of $42 billion in deposits withdrawn in less than 24 hours.   2. The failure of SVB and subsequentially, Signature Bank, marks one of the first true stress tests to the United States (U.S.) financial … Continue reading

Trade

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: USTR Tai’s Week on Capitol Hill 

Executive Summary  Introduction  On March 23rd and 24th, United States Trade Representative (USTR) Katherine Tai testified in front of the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee, respectively. Ambassador Tai provided her annual congressional testimony focused on the Biden Administration’s trade agenda and ongoing trade pursuits. In almost seven hours of questioning, … Continue reading

Europe / Trade

Wine and Cheese: Europe’s Grating Support of Geographical Indications 

Executive Summary  Introduction  “Like a fine cheese, this case has matured and is ripe for our review,” stated the judges of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in their decision of an extensive legal battle between European cheese producers and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The court ruled this month against the Swiss … Continue reading

Regulation

The Potential Revision of NEPA Could Lead to Millions of Dollars Saved on Federal Projects 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY  INTRODUCTION  On Tuesday, February 28, 2023, The House Committee on Natural Resources held a hearing to discuss the “Building United States Infrastructure through Limited Delays and Efficient Reviews (BUILDER) Act of 2023”. The BUILDER Act aims to increase efficiency through permitting reform by reducing repetitive and lengthy processes while focusing on environmental protection … Continue reading

Europe / Foreign Policy / Trade

The Windsor Framework: Tackling “Troubles” in post-Brexit Trade in Northern Ireland

Executive Summary  Introduction  Three years after Brexit, United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen announced the Windsor Framework. The plan would modify the Northern Ireland Protocol, the current trade rules that were agreed upon in the Brexit withdrawal agreement. The Protocol established EU compliant custom checks for products … Continue reading