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
Latest Entries
“Strategic Autonomy”: Macron Splinters on Western Relations with China
Executive Summary This month, French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen met with Chinese President Xi Jingping in China to discuss political and economic ties between Europe and China. During the summit, Macron denounced American and European efforts to economically “decouple” from China and reiterated the French desire for European … Continue reading
The EPA is Forcing Power Plants into Submission
Executive Summary 1. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pushing a wave of regulations on air pollutants to advance the Biden Administration’s goal to zero out greenhouse emissions. 2. The EPA’s agenda to regulate the power industry aims to force coal plants to close or to switch to renewable energy. 3. A 19-state coalition pushes … Continue reading
“De-Dollarization”: BRICS Countries Propose New Currency
Executive Summary In late March, Russian officials announced that the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) countries are working on creating a new currency for use in international trade. BRICS has developed deep ties since its inception in 2009 through expanded access in trade, annual diplomatic summits, and the creation of the New Development Bank. … Continue reading
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Bank’s (SVB) failure was caused by the largest bank run in American history with a total of $42 billion in deposits withdrawn in less than 24 hours. 2.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
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: USTR Tai’s Week on Capitol Hill
Executive Summary Last week, United States Trade Representative (USTR) Katherine Tai delivered her annual congressional testimony to the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee to convey the Biden Administration’s trade agenda and to answer pertinent questions from members of Congress. Shifting from the Administration’s work thus far in trade, Ambassador Tai … Continue reading
The EPA is Pushing Regulations on PFAS to the Limit
Executive Summary • The cost to get levels of PFAS to adhere to proposed regulations could be astronomical, leading to costs falling on consumers. • States and rural areas with limited resources would be forced to push infrastructure objectives further on their backlog to adhere to drinking water regulations. • Water providers … Continue reading
Wine and Cheese: Europe’s Grating Support of Geographical Indications
Executive Summary In early March, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ruling that denied French and Swiss cheesemakers from the exclusive use of the term ‘gruyere,’ a designation requested for only cheese made in the region of Gruyere. Geographical indications have long been a contention point between the … Continue reading
The Potential Revision of NEPA Could Lead to Millions of Dollars Saved on Federal Projects
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The “Building United States Infrastructure through Limited Delays and Efficient Reviews (BUILDER) Act of 2023” would reform and streamline permitting, reduce litigation, and focus environmental reviews – helping reduce costs for Americans by speeding the development of more energy resources and innovation here at home while helping to lower global emissions. The House … Continue reading
The Windsor Framework: Tackling “Troubles” in post-Brexit Trade in Northern Ireland
Executive Summary On Monday, leaders from the United Kingdom and the European Union announced the Windsor Framework, a trade proposal that would alter the rules of the Northern Ireland Protocol within the Brexit withdrawal agreement. The Framework would establish a two-lane system for goods being exported from Great Britain in which tariffs and trade barriers … Continue reading
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