F.A.A. to Review Rules on Use of Electronic Devices

The following is an excerpt from an article in 

The New York Times
Wednesday, August 29, 2012

F.A.A. to Review Rules on Use of Electronic Devices

By JAD MOUAWAD

Air travelers carrying smartphones, digital tablets and other electronic devices have long complained about having to turn off their gadgets until reaching an altitude of 10,000 feet.

On a clear day with no air traffic, that could mean shutting off the devices for 20 minutes or so. But if a flight is delayed, this form of electronic solitary confinement can last a lot longer — and pose a significant hardship for those desperate to connect.

“People are addicted to their phones and there is a lot of dead time when you are taxiing or in the air,” said Anne Banas, the executive editor of SmarterTravel.com, a consumer travel Web site.

Now the Federal Aviation Administration may be softening a bit on the restrictions, taking a first step in possibly accommodating the growing pervasiveness of digital technology.

The agency has initiated a review of its policies about electronic devices in all phases of flight, including takeoff and landing. The F.A.A. said Monday that it would set up a group composed of technology manufacturers, plane makers, pilots and flight attendants to examine the issues this fall. The group would report back within six months.

Their mission will be to figure out whether electronic devices can cause interference with the cockpit and when to allow their use without compromising safety. The F.A.A. said it was not considering lifting the prohibition on the use of cellphones during flight.

For more, visit www.nytimes.com.

WI Governor Signs Bill to Limit Regulatory Burderns

Governor Walker Boosts Small Businesses (Wednesday, February 22, 2012)

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Governor Signs Executive Order to Bolster Small Business Regulatory Review Board; Ensure Job Creators Are Not Hampered by Unnecessary Regulation

Madison—Today while visiting Dynamic Displays in Eau Claire, Governor Walker signed Executive Order (EO) 61 which will further empower the Small Business Regulatory Review Board to determine the economic impact of rules on small business and increase the flexibilities government must give employers when complying with regulations.

“Today we are taking another important step toward making our state an easier place to start up, expand, or relocate a small business,” said Governor Walker.  “Giving small business owners a seat at the table when discussing state regulations will help get buy-in for rules and regulations from employers, assist state agencies in promulgating rules that are realistic, and ultimately grow jobs in Wisconsin.”

The Executive Order signed by the Governor requires all state agencies to cooperate with the Small Business Regulatory Review Board in the rule review process.  Under the Governor’s order all agencies will cooperate with the Board to identify rules that hinder job creation and small business growth.  Agencies will also work with the Board to recommend changes to the rules that will reduce the burden on job creators while continuing to comply with the intent of the statutes that created them.

According to the National Federation of Independent Business, Wisconsin small businesses spend eighty percent more per worker than large employers to comply with government regulations.  91 percent of small businesses said it was impossible to know about, comply with, and understand all of government’s regulations.  Regulations are cited as one of the top three concerns for small business growth.

The EO is an extension of 2011 Wisconsin Act 46, which was signed into law by Governor Walker and made changes to the makeup of the Small Business Regulatory Review Board.  2011 Wisconsin Act 46 coupled with EO 61 requires agencies to assist small businesses with complying with rules, establish reduced fines for minor violations, and consider written warnings for rule violations made by small businesses who act in good faith to comply with a rule.

Governor Walker signed 2011 Wisconsin Act 46 to increase small businesses’ representation on the Small Business Regulatory Review Board.  Previously, the board consisted of more members of state government than small businesses.

FedEx CEO on Job Growth & Competitiveness

This morning FedEx founder and CEO Frederick Smith was interviewed on CNBC's Squawk Box.  Smith said that changing certain policies, especially the tax code, is needed to make the U.S. an attractive place to do business.  Of course, more business means more jobs.  To watch the interview, click the link below:

http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000070059

Obama Defies Lawmakers with Recess Appointments to Labor Board

The following was gleaned from an article published by The Hill.

Obama defies lawmakers with recess appointments to labor board

January 5, 2012

The Hill

President Obama will recess-appoint his nominees to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), bypassing a likely filibuster from Senate Republicans to keep the controversial agency operating in 2012.

The president will use recess appointments to install Sharon Block, Richard Griffin and Terence Flynn as NLRB members. Block and Griffin are Democrats, while Flynn is a Republican.

The NLRB announcement came a few hours after the president made a public show of another recess appointment, for Richard Cordray, the new director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Republicans reacted with fury to that appointment, which the White House promptly ignored by making three more. 

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) blasted the president’s decision and said he is stripping the Senate of its oversight powers, since the NLRB nominees had not been vetted in a hearing.

The NLRB appointments are a huge victory for Obama’s union allies, which urged the president to use any means necessary to keep the NLRB functioning. Without additional members, the NLRB would have lacked the three-member quorum needed to issue rules and regulations.

Unions had been frustrated by the president’s moves on trade and regulations in 2011, and the NLRB appointments could help wipe the slate clean ahead of the 2012 campaign.

But the move also puts Obama at odds with business, which has clashed repeatedly with the NLRB in recent months. Bruce Josten, the chief lobbyist for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, denounced the recess appointments as political favoritism and said they will “further poison the well” at the labor board. 

The president is wading into uncharted waters with the appointments, made while the Senate is holding pro forma sessions. Dave Hirschmann, a top official with the Chamber, said a court battle over the constitutionality of Obama’s action is a near certainty.

The GOP’s blockade of NLRB nominees would have prevented it from issuing rules and regulations, since it needs at least three members to form a quorum. The recess appointment of Craig Becker expired Tuesday, leaving the NLRB with only two members.

With Block, Flynn and Griffin now members of the NLRB, the labor board is up to its full roster of five members.

Republicans tried to prevent recess appointments by keeping the Senate in pro forma session over the holiday break, but the White House said that maneuver is meaningless.

Lawyers for several business groups immediately began to explore their legal options to challenge the recess appointments.