RTP's Fourth Branch Podcast
The Regulatory Transparency Project is a nonprofit, nonpartisan effort dedicated to fostering discussion and a better understanding of regulatory policies. On RTP’s Fourth Branch Podcast, leading experts discuss the pros and cons of government regulations and explain how they affect everyday life for Americans.
Episodes
July 10, 2025 • 46 mins
On June 27th, the Supreme Court ruled in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton that Texas’s age-verification law did not violate the First Amendment's Free Speech Clause. Justice Thomas wrote the Court’s opinion, holding that States had a right to protect children from obscenity, even if that meant incidentally burdening adults’ own access to that content. Many are celebrating the 6-3 decision as a victory f...
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On January 17, the Biden-Harris Administration added 15 new drugs, including Ozempic, to the list of drugs covered by the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Now there are a total of 25 drugs that are covered by the IRA’s requirement that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) pays only a “fair price” for selected drugs covered by Medicare Part D. Th...
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June 18, 2025 • 63 mins
On April 9th, President Trump signed E.O. 14267, Reducing Anti-Competitive Regulatory Barriers, which “commences the process for eliminating anti-competitive regulations to revitalize the American economy.” The order instructs the agency heads to review all regulations that may stifle economic competition or impose restraints on the free market. Many applaud the order, arguing that it addresses an overburdened economy, ...
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June 16, 2025 • 63 mins
On March 20, President Trump signed E.O. 14242, Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities, which directs the Secretary of Education to take steps to “facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return authority over education to the States and local communities while ensuring the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely...
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June 12, 2025 • 62 mins
Join us Monday, June 9th, at 12:00pm EST for a timely discussion examining how artificial intelligence is fundamentally upending existing data protection laws and reshaping the debate over privacy protections.
The rise of AI has created a tension between unlocking AI’s transformative potential and protecting personal data. As AI systems require vast amounts of data to function effectively, traditional privacy frameworks face u...
The rise of AI has created a tension between unlocking AI’s transformative potential and protecting personal data. As AI systems require vast amounts of data to function effectively, traditional privacy frameworks face u...
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June 12, 2025 • 55 mins
On April 23, President Trump signed E.O. 14281, Restoring Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy, declaring that “disparate-impact liability is wholly inconsistent with the Constitution and threatens the commitment to merit and equality of opportunity that forms the foundation of the American Dream.”
In this episode, experts explore the origins, evolution, and controversy surrounding disparate impact law—from Sec...
In this episode, experts explore the origins, evolution, and controversy surrounding disparate impact law—from Sec...
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June 9, 2025 • 59 mins
Shortly after taking office, President Trump reportedly removed two Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) commissioners and the general counsel. While this has effectively left the five-member Commission without a quorum, some legal experts have questioned the limits of presidential power to remove officials from agencies like the EEOC. Now operating under Acting Chair Andrea Lucas, the EEOC has shifted its priorities and ...
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Short-term rentals—popularized by Airbnb and Vrbo—have been given modern platforms for the customary alternative to hotels: in-home stays. Yet their rapid growth has prompted a wave of local and state regulations at odds with the practice, driven by lobbying from the hotel industry, concerns about housing affordability, neighborhood character, and other regulatory assertions. While some critics, including city official...
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May 28, 2025 • 40 mins
President Trump's budget bill, having recently passed the House of Representatives, is headed for the Senate with a proposed 10-year moratorium on AI regulations at the state level. How should lawmakers approach this rapidly-developing technology without stalling US progress in the AI "arms race," while still prioritizing consumers' data privacy and online safety?
Dr. Scott Babwah Brennen, Kevin Frazier, and Adam Thierer join the RT...
Dr. Scott Babwah Brennen, Kevin Frazier, and Adam Thierer join the RT...
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May 28, 2025 • 61 mins
In a little over 100 days, the Department of Government Efficiency, or "DOGE," has fundamentally remade the federal bureaucracy by slimming the workforce and ending federal contracts. So far, its major focus has not been on regulatory issues, but recent executive orders suggest that DOGE may soon set its sights on cutting back excess regulation. When it does, it should consider successful regulatory reform efforts that have been un...
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Under the Clean Air Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is required to regulate emissions that “cause, or contribute to, air pollution which may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare.” The Supreme Court held in Massachusetts v. EPA that greenhouse gases are considered pollutants under the Act, so whether they can be regulated depends on whether they endanger public health. Th...
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April 28, 2025 • 61 mins
Amidst the flurry of new Executive Orders that launched the second Trump Administration, many questions have arisen concerning regulatory action and executive power. Our panelists will focus on the regulatory analysis guidance of Circular A-4, the role of benefit-cost analysis in regulatory and deregulatory actions, and the 10-for-1 Executive Order. Join us on Wednesday, April 23rd, at 11:30am EST for a discussion of regulatory ana...
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April 17, 2025 • 56 mins
In March of 2025, the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) released a major new publication, “Modernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congress.” This book explores numerous issues across the EPA and the statutes that it administers. The podcast discussion focuses primarily on how the EPA’s role has evolved, particularly as it relates to air regulation, including greenhouse gas regulation. In addition, the discussio...
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April 15, 2025 • 37 mins
In this Tech Roundup Episode of RTP's Fourth Branch podcast, Kevin Frazier and Aram Gavoor sit down to discuss the recent, fast-moving developments in AI policy in the second Trump administration, as well as the importance of innovation and procurement.
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March 28, 2025 • 61 mins
In a time of rapidly shifting administrative law norms, the Department of Labor and NLRB have had busy and in some ways aggressive dockets over the last year. Our panel of experts will assess the regulatory and enforcement approach and key initiatives at DOL and NLRB during the final year of the Biden Administration; how does it grade out compared to prior years? And during the early days of the Trump Administration, how is the r...
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March 18, 2025 • 40 mins
As the second Trump administration kicks off an ambitious AI agenda, individual states have been busy on this front as well. Should each state have their own approach, or should states like California and Texas lead the way?
Dean Ball, Sunny Gandhi, and Kevin Frazier join the Fourth Branch podcast to discuss these various efforts to cover the conversation of AI on the state level and the increasing need for public AI literacy.
Dean Ball, Sunny Gandhi, and Kevin Frazier join the Fourth Branch podcast to discuss these various efforts to cover the conversation of AI on the state level and the increasing need for public AI literacy.
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March 3, 2025 • 34 mins
An estimated 5% of foster youth qualify for Social Security benefits, but in many states, child welfare agencies use these funds to help cover the cost of care. In 2018 alone, agencies in 49 states and Washington, D.C., received at least $165 million in benefits intended for foster youth.
In this episode, Shoshana Weissmann interviews Maureen Flatley, subject matter expert in child welfare and child exploitation. They discuss how th...
In this episode, Shoshana Weissmann interviews Maureen Flatley, subject matter expert in child welfare and child exploitation. They discuss how th...
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February 26, 2025 • 44 mins
Hawaii leads the nation in high housing prices. Experts Ted Kefalas and Jonathan Helton from Grassroot Institute explain the regulatory obstacles to building sufficient housing for Hawaiians, and regulatory reform efforts that could increase the housing supply. It has been over 18 months since the fires that nearly destroyed the town of Lahaina in Maui County, Hawaii. Since that time, thousands of commercial and residential propert...
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February 18, 2025 • 44 mins
Artificial Intelligence has been rapidly brought to the forefront of the public conversation in recent months. President Trump has pledged to support AI innovation, while the newly-established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been working to streamline government processes through AI.
Join our panel of experts, including Dhruva Krishna, Dr. Megan Ma, and Kevin Fraizer, for a discussion on the benefits and legal ramifi...
Join our panel of experts, including Dhruva Krishna, Dr. Megan Ma, and Kevin Fraizer, for a discussion on the benefits and legal ramifi...
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February 14, 2025 • 47 mins
The 2025 Pacific Palisades Fire has underscored the challenges of building in California’s complex regulatory landscape. In response, Governor Newsom issued an executive order suspending CEQA and Coastal Act requirements to expedite reconstruction, raising important questions about the future of development in the state.
In this podcast, experts Jeremy Talcott and Donald Kochan examine California's regulatory environment ...
In this podcast, experts Jeremy Talcott and Donald Kochan examine California's regulatory environment ...
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