Chairman Atkins expresses preference for regulatory clarity that boosts US markets’ appeal to businesses and investors.
On April 21, Paul Atkins was sworn in as Chairman of the SEC. He returns to the SEC from the private sector. Chairman Atkins is a securities lawyer who previously served on the SEC staff and as an SEC Commissioner from 2002-2008.
Chairman Atkins will soon begin naming his senior staff, including the Division Directors, and will identify the priorities for his term as
The order instructs the Attorney General to curb state and local climate initiatives and prepare a report within 60 days detailing those efforts.
By Jean-Philippe Brisson, Michael G. Romey, and Matthew Green
On April 8, 2025, President Trump issued an executive order titled “Protecting American Energy From State Overreach” (the Order). The Order asserts that certain state and local laws undermine American energy dominance and, by extension, national security.
For a high-level overview of the Order, see this
The order requires a review of acquisitions for non-commercial products and services.
By Dean W. Baxtresser, Kyle R. Jefcoat, Anne W. Robinson, Morgan L. Maddoux, Genevieve P. Hoffman, and Hannah Hsieh
On April 16, 2025, the White House issued an executive order titled “Ensuring Commercial, Cost-Effective Solutions in Federal Contracts” (the Order) that directs government agencies to procure commercially available products and services to the “maximum extent practicable, including pursuant to the Federal Acquisition Streamlining
The reforms called for could have a significant impact on how federal contractors and their subcontractors conduct business with the federal government.
By Dean W. Baxtresser, Kyle R. Jefcoat, Anne W. Robinson, Morgan L. Maddoux, Genevieve P. Hoffman, and Hannah Hsieh
On April 15, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order titled “Restoring Common Sense to Federal Procurement” (the Order). The Order calls for a comprehensive reform of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), the primary
The Trump administration continued to focus on increasing efficiency in government contracting, among other policy aims.
This week, President Trump issued several executive orders in furtherance of his policy aims, including orders relating to increasing efficiency in the government contracting process, assessing the impact of importation of critical minerals on national security, investigating how to reduce prescription drug prices, and changing the way the government evaluates environmental permits. Meanwhile, the tariff landscape continued to evolve, and California brought a legal
Contractors should anticipate increased use of alternative contracting methods and heightened scrutiny of efficiency and costs in defense programs.
By Dean W. Baxtresser, Kyle R. Jefcoat, Anne W. Robinson, Morgan L. Maddoux, and Genevieve P. Hoffman
On April 9, 2025, President Trump issued an executive order (the Order) to streamline the defense acquisition process and workforce, and potentially eliminate defense programs that are over budget or behind schedule. According to the Order, the current defense acquisition
The order directs the Secretary of Energy to designate certain generation resources as critical and work to prevent such resources from being retired or replaced.
On April 8, 2025, the White House issued an executive order titled “Strengthening the Reliability and Security of the United States Electric Grid” (the Order) that directs the Secretary of Energy to use an emergency provision of the Federal Power Act (FPA) to designate certain generation resources as critical and implement a plan to prevent
The order addresses various state-level initiatives deemed to burden the US energy sector.
By Betty M. Huber and Austin J. Pierce
On April 8, 2025, President Trump issued an executive order titled “Protecting American Energy From State Overreach” (the Order). The Order asserts that state and local laws and policies covering various aspects of energy policy undermine American energy dominance and, by extension, national security. In response, Order calls for sweeping action by the federal government to combat such localized
The Trump administration focuses on regulatory rollbacks, America’s defense industry, tariffs, and the environment.
This week, President Trump signed over 10 executive orders related to efforts to strengthen America’s defense industry, bolster coal production and electric grid management, and roll back other regulations it views as restrictive or potentially unlawful.
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 high-level overview of these actions
The president’s actions aim to bolster coal production and exports and coal-fired power generation, highlighting the importance of coal to US economic and national security.
By Karl Karg, Devin M. O’Connor, Stacey VanBelleghem, and Bisi Ogunmefun
On April 8, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order (Order) to boost coal production and exports, following other White House actions designed to spur domestic energy production and power generation. This latest Order emphasizes the economic and national security importance