Overnight Regulation: Lawmakers grill soccer exec on FIFA scandal

Welcome to OVERNIGHT REGULATION, your daily rundown of news from Capitol Hill and beyond. It’s Wednesday evening her in Washington and though there weren’t any celebrity sightings today, but there sure were a lot of tourists on The Hill. So here’s to you, visitors. Washingtonians love you as long as your stand right on the escalator.

Here’s the latest.

 

THE BIG STORY

Senators on Wednesday pressed the chief of the U.S. Soccer Federation to say whether he or any other executives knew anything about the alleged racketeering, bribery and corruption that took place at FIFA.

“There were moments I would describe if I had a level of discomfort, I would not participate,” said Dan Flynn, CEO of U.S. Soccer and secretary general of the sport in the United States.

{mosads}When Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) asked when that level of discomfort began and whether he made any efforts to investigate, Flynn said he could not pinpoint a specific time and had no hard facts to pursue. 

“If there were cold facts, I would have brought that to the attention of the appropriate people,” he said. “There was nothing in the way of any facts I could take to anyone else.”

The questions came at a Senate Commerce subcommittee hearing called to examine the role of the United States in international soccer in the wake of the corruption scandal involving the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the sport’s governing body.

The Justice Department indicted FIFA executives in May, alleging they have paid more than $150 million in kickbacks and bribes for media and rights to market international soccer matches since 1991.

Blumenthal wanted to know why U.S. Soccer Federation Chairman Sunil Gulati declined the invitation to testify at the Senate hearing.

“Don’t you think he has an obligation to answer the questions that we’ve been directing to you?” he asked.

When Flynn said the federation would be more than happy to respond in writing if the senator is not satisfied with the answers he provided, Blumenthal made him promise Gulati would be the one to reply.

Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) wanted to know what specific instances at FIFA made Flynn feel discomfort.

As one of the 35 certified voting nations in CONCACAF, the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football, Flynn said certain ways ex-FIFA executive Jack Warner ran a meeting, including holding votes versus sealed votes, led to feelings of discomfort. 

“Is there a reason, if you were seeing these issues knowing what we know now, why you would not try to confront him or perhaps ask why he’s doing what he’s doing,” Daines asked. 

 

ON TAP FOR THURSDAY

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will hold a hearing to discuss global rights issues, including corruption and modern slavery, around the world. http://1.usa.gov/1e1i1c2

The Senate Foreign Relations’ Africa and Global Health Policy Subcommittee will hold a hearing to discuss wildlife poaching. http://1.usa.gov/1HO5Y9v

The Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs’ Regulatory Affairs and Federal Management Subcommittee will hold a hearing to review the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs’ role in the regulatory process. http://1.usa.gov/1Cst8Gq

 

TOMORROW’S REGS TODAY

The Obama administration will publish 157 new regulations, proposed rules, notices, and other administrative actions in Thursday’s edition of the Federal Register.

Here’s what to watch for:

–The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) will consider new protections for the Salt Creek Tiger Beetle.

The FWS will issue a draft recovery plan for the Salt Creek Tiger Beetle, which has been listed as an endangered species since 2005. For the beetle to be removed from the endangered species list, it must meet certain criteria to prove it is no longer at risk of extinction.

The public has 60 days to comment. http://bit.ly/1gCgoDo

–The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will propose new protections from the avian flu.

HHS’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is looking to add certain influenza virus strains, including the avian virus, to a list of select agents and toxins.

“We have determined that these influenza viruses have the potential to pose a severe threat to public health and safety,” the agency wrote.

The public has 60 days to comment. http://bit.ly/1K7JqYe

–The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) will consider new safety standards for nuclear reactors.

The agency is reviewing a petition that recommends new requirements for all nuclear power plants to use in-core monitoring devices throughout the reactor core. http://bit.ly/1HuYbk0

–The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will issue new housing discrimination rules.

The housing rules are intended to promote diversity. They will provide more affordable housing units in nicer neighborhoods, while also seeking to improve the state of poor communities.

HUD announced the rules last week, but is just now posting them in the Federal Register, starting the clock on their implementation.

The rules go into effect in 30 days. http://bit.ly/1MupMmD

 

NEWS RIGHT NOW

Parks and Rec: Nick Offerman, the actor from the hit comedy show, stars in a new video defending Michelle Obama’s prize school lunch regulations. http://bit.ly/1Mb3eKx

Kayaktivism: A group of kayakers will protest in front of the White House, demanding the Obama administration put an end to offshore oil and gas drilling in the Arctic Ocean. http://bit.ly/1O6KlpU

Revenge porn: A congresswoman is looking to criminalize non-consensual pornography when pictures are posted on the Internet without the consent of those depicted. http://bit.ly/1Maeg2J

Online gambling: Former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) is lobbying against Internet gambling websites. http://bit.ly/1OdSHg2

CFPB: The consumer watchdog is fending off a new round of attacks from Republicans. http://bit.ly/1HxQNCj

Dodd-Frank: The financial reform law has imposed $24 billion in regulatory costs with another $7.8 billion worth of pending rules in the pipeline, according to a new study. http://bit.ly/1f47e1x

 

BY THE NUMBERS

$24B: The cost of complying with rules stemming from the Dodd-Frank financial reform law.

$7.8B: The expected cost of complying with pending rules stemming from Dodd-Frank that will be imposed in the coming years. 

(Source: A study from the conservative American Action Forum).

 

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“The kayak has become this symbol of resistance against drilling in the Arctic,” –Marissa Knodel, spokesperson for Friends of the Earth.

 

We’ll work to stay on top of these and other stories throughout the week, so check The Hill’s Regulation page (http://digital-staging.thehill.com/regulation) early and often for the latest. And send any comments, complaints or regulatory news tips our way, tdevaney@digital-staging.thehill.com or lwheeler@digital-staging.thehill.com. And follow us at @timdevaney and@wheelerlydia.

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