New Research on Regulation in Nebraska, the Ex-Im Bank, Rural Health, and Privacy in Technology

Cutting Red Tape in Nebraska

James Broughel | Testimony

In the realm of government oversight, some cases may call for regulation, but regulatory accumulation and introducing one regulation after another can have some serious consequences. Before sudden policy changes, regulators should prioritize quantifying regulation in order to get answers on the effects of regulatory policy. Specific reforms mentioned in this testimony are red tape reduction efforts, regulatory reset, and economic analysis requirements, innovative measures which deserve more emphasis. Examining Nebraska shows that they are one of the most well-positioned states to adopt these reforms. 

Comments on the Ex-Im Bank's Proposed Additionality Criteria

Veronique de Rugy | Public Comments

De Rugy adds new considerations to her initial submission for policymakers regarding the $40 billion in funding for the Ex-Im bank. She comments that the Private Export Funding Corporation (PEFCO) has a loan portfolio which is heavily concentrated in the aircraft sector and therefore abundant in private capital. She also notes that PEFCO’s business model creates a moral hazard and not the purported additionality. Her proposal is for Congress to take into account the interest of US taxpayers by making the unwinding of PEFCO a condition of reauthorization for the Ex-Im bank. 

Mitigating Privacy Risks While Enabling Emerging Technologies

Jennifer Huddleston, Anne Hobson, Anna Parsons | Public Comments

Public comments from Mercatus scholars give insight on the draft of a new document from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), called "Privacy Framework: A Tool for Improving Privacy through Enterprise Risk Management." The Framework outlines efforts to empower stakeholders within the data processing world to mitigate risks while also recognizing the potential impact of standards on new technology. The authors explain how the Framework empowers and educates society and individuals on how to mitigate privacy risks, propose resources to include in the Framework, highlight the importance of clarification in the delineation between privacy and cybersecurity risk, and recommends that the Framework include guidance on risks associated with government access to data.

Promoting Maternal Health in Rural and Underserved Areas

Darcy M. Brian, MD | Policy Brief

The lack of obstetrical care in maternal and newborn health is a crisis being tackled by legislative initiatives and government programs. However, these initiatives are often limited in scope and impact, focusing mainly on academic research. The underlying causes require fundamentally different solutions to those usually suggested. Some of the obstacles in maternal and newborn health include state-level public policies which initiate and even exacerbate barriers to the quality and accessibility or rural healthcare. These regulatory roadblocks need to be critically re-examined, while innovate technological strategies need to be taken much more seriously to help improve healthcare in rural America.