Experts map out reforms for reforming the U.S. regulatory system in the coming years.
During his first term, President Donald J. Trump professed a strong distaste for regulation, and his Administration took limited steps to roll back certain regulations. But after taking office for his second term in January 2025, the President and his Administration moved quickly, led in part by the efforts of the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency, to take additional steps to reshape the federal bureaucracy and modify existing regulatory structures.
The current Trump Administration’s efforts have included reductions in funding for certain agencies, presidential firings of the heads of various independent agencies, and the targeting of other federal workers. According to some estimates, the Trump Administration’s job cuts have reduced the size of the federal workforce by 10 percent within the last year. President Trump has also signed several executive orders directing agencies to reduce the number of existing regulations, such as his directive that agencies must identify ten regulations to eliminate for every new regulation issued.
Observers worry that, taken together, these changes have unraveled longstanding federal regulatory structures and hollowed out critical agencies with direct effects on the public. For example, as of July 2025, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had reduced its tracking of foodborne illnesses from eight to two pathogens. Cuts to the Social Security Administration have meant that certain regional offices have faced significant staffing challenges, leading to increased wait times and criticisms of reduced service quality. And according to a report published by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, workforce reductions at the Federal Emergency Management Agency have shrunk disaster response capacity at a time when extreme weather events are growing more frequent.
According to experts featured in this series in The Regulatory Review, these recent changes provide an opportunity for future administrations not just to restore previous governmental institutions and structures, but to rebuild better. What would it mean to “rebuild better”? That is the theme of this series of essays.
It is a theme reflected, as well, in comments by numerous elected officials and policy leaders today. Former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, for example, has noted that “it is not possible, or even desirable, to restore a previous status quo.” If a reform-minded administration takes office in 2029, and if it has sufficient support in Congress, it may find itself with a distinctive opportunity to do more than just reestablish administrative agencies as they existed prior to 2025 but to make changes that address more longstanding concerns about the regulatory system in the United States.
In this series, The Regulatory Review features essays by five regulatory experts outlining ideas for reforming the U.S. regulatory system: Vicki Bier of the University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Engineering; Adam M. Finkel of the University of Michigan School of Public Health; Robert Goble of Clark University George Perkins Marsh Institute; Martha G. Roberts of the New York University School of Law; and Joseph V. Rodricks of Ramboll. The Review thanks Professors Bier and Finkel for their roles in initiating and helping to organize this series.
Rebuilding Food Safety Regulation in the United States
September 14, 2026 | Joseph V. Rodricks, Ramboll
A unified food safety agency is needed to ensure that foods are safe for the consuming public.
Clarifying OIRA’s Role Will Yield More Durable, Responsive Policy
September 15, 2026 | Martha G. Roberts, New York University School of Law
Designating OIRA early as the lead project manager would allow for a more effective rulemaking process.
Solving, Not Shuffling, Environmental and Workplace Pollution
September 16, 2026 | Adam M. Finkel, University of Michigan School of Public Health
Addressing exposures to harmful chemicals requires an integrated agency.
The Political Context of Rebuilding Federal Regulatory Infrastructure
September 17, 2026 | Robert Goble, Clark University George Perkins Marsh Institute
Politics will inevitably shape how U.S. regulatory agencies can be restructured for better performance in the future.
Nonfederal Capabilities for Risk Management
September 18, 2026 | Vicki Bier, University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Engineering
When the federal government fails to act, state and private actors can fill the void.
