Overnight Regulation: Feds unveil new rules for catfish

Welcome to Overnight Regulation, your daily rundown of news from Capitol Hill and beyond. It’s Tuesday even here in Washington, and here’s the latest.

THE BIG STORY

The Obama administration is cracking down on sales of catfish.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is moving forward with new inspection standards for catfish before it can be sold as food. The new rules stem from a congressional mandate.

The catfish inspection standards will broadly apply to “all fish of the order Siluriformes.” 

“Fish with unusual gross deformities caused by disease or chemical contamination are not to be used for human food,” the USDA wrote in the Federal Register.

The agency is also issuing labeling standards for defining catfish, listing the country of origin and including safe-handling instructions for consumers.

The inspection standards stem from the 2014 farm bill.

Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) praised the rules, saying they would ensure “catfish served to American families is safe and nutrition.”

But critics say the inspection standards amount to government waste. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) said the rules will be burdensome for the seafood industry to comply with.

She called for the rules to be repealed.

“I am extremely disappointed with the Obama administration’s decision to implement these unnecessary and harmful regulations,” Shaheen said. “These regulations have nothing to do with food safety and are an egregious waste of taxpayer dollars.”

The rules go into effect in 90 days.

ON TAP FOR WEDNESDAY 

The House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Government Operations will hold a hearing to discuss the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and its efforts to coordinate drug control policy and related spending across the federal government. http://1.usa.gov/1l5VGhK

The Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry will hold a hearing to discuss the agriculture industry’s role in combating global hunger. http://1.usa.gov/1EO8uNW

The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing to examine the administration’s “criminal alien removal policies.” http://1.usa.gov/1lto8tC

TOMORROW’S REGS TODAY

The Obama administration will publish 47 new regulations, proposed rules, notices and other administrative actions in Wednesday’s edition of the Federal Register.

–The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) will formally issue new regulations for catfish.

The inspection requirements will apply to food made from catfish before they are served to the public.

The rule goes into effect in 90 days. http://bit.ly/1Qc6Ht4

–The Federal Reserve will loosen some capital requirements for banks.

The Fed says it is delaying stress test requirements for medium-sized banks. It is also delaying the supplementary leverage ratio and removing tier 1 capital requirements for larger banks.

The changes go into effect Jan. 1, 2016. http://bit.ly/1jxhHo9

–The Department of Commerce will propose new reporting requirements.

The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security is proposing new reporting requirements to “offset agreements in connection with” defense sales.

The public has 60 days to comment. http://bit.ly/1Rk72uL

NEWS RIGHT NOW 

Kind Snacks petitions FDA to define ‘healthy’ http://bit.ly/1SuZd3K

Congress pressed to drop gun control research ban http://bit.ly/1l5RNcP

Capitol Police: Man arrested after bringing gun to Senate office building http://bit.ly/1RkeTZh

Supreme Court limits international reach of U.S. courts – USA Today http://usat.ly/1PYzfI9

Supreme Court says woman injured in Austria can’t sue in U.S. – The New York Times http://nyti.ms/1Qch4gE

The annual congressional waste-watching ritual gets a new twist – The Washington Post http://wapo.st/1OBOxiR

FIFA sponsors demand ‘independent oversight’ of reform – The AP http://bit.ly/1NoLTOc

BY THE NUMBERS

2,000: The number of doctors who are petitioning Congress to drop a ban on gun violence research.

1996: The year Congress began blocking the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) from studying gun violence prevention.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“In some ways, [climate change] is akin to the problem of terrorism and ISIL [The Islamic State],” Obama said Tuesday at the climate talks in Paris, according to a report by The Hill’s Tim Cama. http://bit.ly/1Tj3urf

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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