Health and Safety Regulations

The federal government has played a central role in setting health and safety standards for the public for more than a century. But environmental advocates, product-safety experts and public health officials are concerned that the Trump administration's moves toward deregulation have weakened critical consumer safeguards in areas ranging from hog plants to baby strollers and much more. Meanwhile, fatal crashes of two new Boeing airplanes in less than six months have also put consumer safety back in the headlines, generating questions about whether companies have been given too much authority to self-regulate — a practice used in the aircraft industry that predates the Trump administration. Business officials and some conservatives argue that the shift toward deregulation is crucial for maintaining a strong economy. They also emphasize that no safety regime can protect consumers all the time. Still, policymakers continue to explore ways to improve the current system, including efforts to make product recalls more effective and to simplify the complex food safety network, among other initiatives.