Dr . Winslow Sargeant is the sixth Chief Counsel for Advocacy...
Regulatory Alerts
Listed below are documents published in the Federal Register and open for comment that may significantly affect small businesses. Advocacy encourages affected small businesses to provide the Federal agency issuing the notice with comments on the proposed action and the agency's analysis of its potential impacts on small business. Please share with the Office of Advocacy your comments on these and other regulatory proposals of importance to small businesses.
The Office of the United States Trade Representative invites public comment on the U.S. Government and European Commission (EC) initiative to promote greater transatlantic regulatory compatibility.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will extend until September 24, 2012, the deadline for commenting on additional proposed modifications to the Children's Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA), which gives parents control over what information websites and online services may collect from children under 13.
The Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)propose to revise their regulations regarding economic impact analyses conducted for designations of critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act of 1973
The Fish and Wildlife Service, proposes to list the Austin blind salamander, Jollyville Plateau salamander, Georgetown salamander, and Salado salamander as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.
On August 16th, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) announced its plans to conduct a roundtable to obtain public input from organizations and individuals on issues relating to the USPTO's proposed implementation of the first-inventor-to-file provisions of the America Invents Act.
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has announced the establishment of a national committee to guide and oversee U.S. implementation of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (USEITI).
On Friday, August 10, 2012, the Federal Acquisition Council published in the Federal Register a proposed regulation: “Small Business Set Asides for Research and Development Contracts.”
On Monday, August 6, 2012, the SBA published amendments to its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Policy Directive.
On Monday, August 6, 2012, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announce that it will be holding public Webinars regarding the recent amendments to the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer Program (STTR) Policy Directives.
On Thursday, July 26, 2012, the USPTO published proposed rules and proposed examination guidelines for the first-inventor-to-file provision of the America Invents Act (AIA).
On July 18, 2012, The White House opened up its regulatory reform effort to the public, launching a website for tips on how the government can streamline or eliminate regulations.
On June 1, 2012, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released the draft economic analysis for the critical habitat designation for the Northern Spotted Owl under the Endangered Species Act.
On May 30, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued Notice 2012-40 to provide guidance on health flexible spending arrangements (health FSAs).
On May 18, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued final regulations on the health insurance premium tax credit.
The Bureau of Land management is proposing a rule that would require disclosure to the public of chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing on public and Indian land.
On May 10, 2012, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration proposed rules to withdraw the alternative tow time restriction and require all skimmer trawls, pusher-head trawls, and wing nets (butterfly trawls) rigged for fishing to use turtle excluder devices (TEDs) in their nets.
On April 19, 2012, the Fish and Wildlife Service proposed a special rule under authority of section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act with respect to the conservation of the polar bear.
On February 10, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) amended its informational webpage on credit card reporting requirements to announce that the IRS will not require reconciliation of gross receipts and merchant card transactions on Forms 1120, "U.S. Corporate Income Tax Return," and other business income tax forms.