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Agencies must shift procurement of common goods and services to GSA, which is now the government’s executive agent for procurement of information technology.

By Dean W. Baxtresser, Kyle R. Jefcoat, Anne W. Robinson, Morgan L. Maddoux, and Chris Caulder

On March 20, 2025, President Trump issued an executive order titled “Eliminating Waste and Saving Taxpayer Dollars by Consolidating Procurement” (the Order), which consolidates under the General Services Administration (GSA) federal procurement of common goods and services…

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The announcement comes as global tariffs on steel and aluminum take effect.

The tariff landscape continues to shift. On April 2, 2025, the current pause on tariffs for many Mexican and Canadian imports is set to expire, while tariffs on all countries importing Venezuelan oil are set to take effect.

Canada

  • On February 1, 2025, in an executive order titled “Imposing Duties to Address the Flow of Illicit Drugs Across Our Northern Border,” President Trump ordered that products from Canada
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The order aims to coordinate government efforts to fast-track permitting and accelerate funding to enhance critical minerals value chains from the mine to finished products.

By Nikki Buffa, Devin M. O’Connor, and Austin J. Pierce

On March 20, 2025, President Trump issued an executive order titled “Immediate Measures to Increase American Mineral Production” (the Order). The Order, which we noted in our blog post Week 9 in Review, represents another step by the Trump administration to expand…

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An executive order and related legislation centralizes Bitcoin and digital asset holdings across the federal government to optimize oversight and management of crypto as a US reserve asset.

By Jenny Cieplak, Zachary Fallon, Arthur S. Long, Yvette D. Valdez, Stephen P. Wink, Connor Jobes, and Deric Behar

On March 6, 2025, President Trump issued an executive order for the “Establishment of the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and United States Digital Asset Stockpile” (the Order). As…

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The administration continues to roll back regulation while shifting its focus to trade, domestic production, and immigration.

This week, President Trump issued executive orders closing the Department of Education and invoking the Alien Enemies Act. Meanwhile, the administration continues its focus on DEI policies, while facing various lawsuits over its personnel, spending, and immigration actions.

Latham lawyers are carefully monitoring the rollout of President Trump’s policy priorities through executive orders, agency actions, and installment of new personnel. Below is a…

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The move furthers the administration’s agenda to challenge the status of independent agencies.

On March 18, 2025, President Trump removed two Democratic members of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC or the Commission). A Republican nominee for commissioner remains pending before the Senate. The removals, which leave the five-member Commission with two active commissioners, are consistent with the Trump administration’s stated intention to challenge the status of independent federal agencies.

The removals are unlikely to affect many operations of the FTC…

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In a break from restrictive Biden-era policies, OCC-supervised banks may now engage in crypto without supervisory nonobjection, potentially opening new avenues for innovation.

By Arthur S. Long, Parag Patel, Pia Naib, and Deric Behar

On March 7, 2025, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) reaffirmed that national banks and federal savings associations (collectively, banks) may participate in a range of cryptocurrency activities, including crypto custody, certain stablecoin activities, and participation in independent node verification…

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The future of GRAS: FDA considers new rules that could impact food product innovation.

By William A. McConagha, Meryl Bartlett, and Trevor Thompson

On March 10, 2025, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced in a press release that he has directed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to explore rulemaking to implement a seismic shift in how most companies introduce ingredients into the nation’s food supply. The shift would eliminate the…

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Latham lawyers discuss how recent developments may impact FDA approval and enforcement activities, including with respect to novel tobacco and nicotine products.

The initial months of the Trump administration have been marked by a flurry of executive orders and activity by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Those efforts, along with a recent Office of Management and Budget memorandum, may lead to drastic changes at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

In this episode of Connected With Latham…

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The EPA administrator announced 31 deregulatory actions the agency will prioritize.

On March 12, 2025, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a video and accompanying press release from Administrator Lee Zeldin identifying a list of 31 actions the EPA plans to take that are designed to “unleash American energy, lower cost of living for Americans, revitalize the American auto industry, restore the rule of law, and give power back to states to make their own decisions.”

The 31 actions implicate…