List: Rules and Regulations Suspended Due to COVID-19.
In the wake of COVID-19, the Trump administration and state and local governments are wisely suspending several rules and regulations in order to expand health care access, expand access to medical supplies and food, and to ultimately reduce the spread of the virus.
These are regulations that, presumably, should not have been implemented in the first place, given their tendency to reduce innovation and access to care, not to mention their needless restriction on American liberty.
Below is a list of examples of these suspended rules and regulations. We will be continuously updating this collection. If you have another example to add, please send it to ideas@atr.org
Overturned federal rules and regulations:
FDA allows state leeway in virus testing
“The FDA will allow states to take responsibility for tests developed and used by laboratories within their borders. The labs will not have to pursue Emergency Use Authorization from the agency, an emergency clearance that is normally required.” – STAT News (3/16/20)
FDA loosens regulations on distribution of newly developed tests
“Under certain circumstances, the agency will not object to any manufacturers that distribute newly developed tests before the FDA grants emergency clearance, and a similar stance will be taken toward labs that use these new tests.” – STAT News (3/16/20)
“This deregulatory action will allow greater flexibility for truck drivers transporting goods such as necessary medical supplies, testing equipment, hand sanitizer, disinfectants and food required for emergency restocking of stores.” – Americans for Tax Reform (3/16/20)
Not all test kits required to be sent to a CDC lab
“The administration removed a regulation that required all test kits to be sent to a CDC lab to be confirmed by federal authorities, a process that extended the wait times for patients to be notified about their results.” – Washington Examiner (3/13/20)
The “requirements that physicians or other health care professionals hold licenses in the State in which they provide services, if they have an equivalent license from another State (and are not affirmatively barred from practice in that State or any State a part of which is included in the emergency area)” are being waived. – U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (3/13/20)
TSA allowing hand sanitizer containers up to 12 ounces
“TSA is allowing passengers to bring liquid hand sanitizer containers up to 12 ounces in carry-on bags until further notice. Passengers can expect that these containers larger than the standard allowance of 3.4 ounces of liquids permitted through a checkpoint will need to be screened separately…” – Transportation Security Administration (3/13/20)
A lot more here
When this is over and analyzed, if done with any honesty, it will be the best argument against big government ever made.
Hmmmmm, states easing the sales and handling of drinking alcohol. Allowing purchasers to buy take out drinks. Now how is that helping the COVID-19 infestation?
Let’s have drive through daiquiris like Louisiana. Nummy. Drown the virus, I guess.
It seems a good way to drive people to riot quickly. Let the criminals go, don’t police, and free flowing liquor.
If regulations can be suspended, then they can, and probably should, be repealed.
“Allowance of licensed health care professionals to work in a different state from which they are licensed.”
This makes a lot of sense — especially when an RRT is already credentialed by the NBRC. Individual state licensing is a burden to the RRT, prospective patients, and hospitals.
The only thing it isn’t a burden to is the clowns collecting fees for licenses.
Make Work Projects for Paper Pushers.
That is why a$200 part costs $1000 installed.
And I didn’t mean my focusing on “Allowance of licensed health care professionals to work in a different state from which they are licensed” to exclude the goodness of binning the rest of the red tape.
The one thing out of that list that bothers me is “DOT provides hours-of-service regulatory relief to commercial vehicle drivers transporting emergency relief.”
Under normal DOT regulations many of the truckers voice concerns about fucked up nonsense. And I don’t mean trucker nonsense, I mean they are being abused. This may open the doors to further blackguardly shit. There’s a huge shortage of truckers and health care professionals in this country. There’s a reason for that.
Whilst I am with you Erik……….FUKC TSA! I will never fly again as long as the fed can illegally search me. I will not go anywhere I cannot drive. Perhaps that was the gwb plan….
In two months, TSA will man the entrances to grocery stores…