Neomi Rao
The Senate on Monday confirmed Neomi Rao to serve as administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), a top regulatory position within the administration, with support from U.S. Sens. Deb Fischer (R-NE), Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and John Hoeven (R-ND).
Rao, a former staffer for Hatch, a former clerk for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and an associate law professor at George Mason University, will oversee the Trump administration’s efforts to reform government rules and regulations in her new post.
Fischer reintroduced the Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act on the same day that she voted in favor of Rao’s confirmation. The measure would require federal agencies to consider compliance costs before imposing mandates on states, local governments and private businesses.
“I was pleased to vote in support of Neomi Rao’s confirmation as OIRA Administrator (on Monday),” Fischer said. “In her role as the nation’s top regulatory official, I’m hopeful Ms. Rao will focus on eliminating the misguided federal regulations harming Nebraska families and communities. Cutting through reams of government red tape has long been a priority of mine and I look forward to working with Ms. Rao to continue to do so.”
As “regulatory czar,” Hatch said, Rao would play an instrumental role in helping the administration to fulfill its promise “to roll back unnecessary red tape and unleash the full potential of the American economy.”
“In selecting Professor Neomi Rao to head the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, the president has made an inspired choice,” Hatch, a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said. “Since first working on my staff many years ago, Director Rao has proven herself to be a sharp and principled public servant. She possesses a keen sense for our duty in Washington to help small businesses grow and make the lives of Americans easier — not more difficult.”
Hoeven said during a recent confirmation hearing that Rao committed to work with him to correct the benefit-cost ratio currently used by OMB for Army Corps of Engineers projects, which undervalues projects that have secured non-federal funding and undermines public-private partnerships.
“In order for our nation to continue to compete around the globe, we need to have a cost-effective, pro-growth regulatory environment,” Hoeven said. “As the head of OIRA, Neomi Rao is going to play a vital role in helping us to provide regulatory relief and make our country more competitive. Further, I appreciate her commitment to work with me to ensure public-private partnerships receive fair treatment by OMB and the Army Corps.”
Hoeven added that public-private partnerships will be formed to reduce the Army Corps’ backlog and advance key infrastructure projects across the nation, such as comprehensive flood protection in the Red River Valley.