Dive Brief:

• President Donald Trump signed two executive orders Tuesday set to streamline the regulatory process for reviewing new infrastructure projects and reduce the regulatory burden on domestic manufacturers.
• In one order, the President tasked the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) to determine whether a project qualifies for "high priority" status within 30 days of its request, and to establish deadlines — in coordination with the executing agency — to meet for each relevant step of a high priority project's completion.
• In a separate memorandum to his cabinet, the President ordered the Secretary of Commerce to engage with stakeholders on the impact of federal regulations on domestic manufacturing, and request comments from them for a period not exceeding 60 days. Once comments are received, the Secretary of Commerce has 60 days to submit a report with high priority recommendations and suggested deadlines.

Dive Insight:

The two executive orders are a big win for transportation and manufacturing associations just days into the new administration. The new actions are a first step in President Trump's promise to revamp the United States' infrastructure and to emphasize American manufacturing.

The Association of American Railroads lauded the President's actions in a press release this morning. "From delays to double track in the West to necessary terminal and tunnel expansion in the East, the freight rail industry continually feels the brunt of inefficient government processes," wrote AAR President and CEO Edward Hamberger. "This, despite the fact privately owned freight railroads invest in their own projects, which offer cost-effective options for American industry, take cars and trucks off the road and reduce burdens on public infrastructure."

In addition, just prior to the President's inauguration, the National Association of Manufacturers released a report on the negative effect of the 297,696 federal regulations "holding back" domestic manufacturing. The report claimed 94% of surveyed manufacturers thought the regulatory burden had increased in the past 5 years, with another 72% stating it had significantly increased. 

"Manufacturers want to invest more and hire more in the United States, but too often the cost of doing business—and even just functioning on a daily basis—makes that difficult," NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons wrote in the press release.

The two executive orders highlighted are part of a string of orders signed by the President in the first week which seeks to advance his campaign goals. The President has also signed an order regarding the Affordable Care Act and issued memoranda to his cabinet on issues ranging from the Trans-Pacific Partnership to the development of the Keystone XL Pipeline. Although reports claimed the President would issue an order on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Monday, no such order is yet available on the White House website.