Following the inauguration of President Barack Obama on Jan. 20, 2009, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel issued a “Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies,” regarding the Obama administration's desire to review all new and pending regulations.

Among the points in the memo are that, with certain exceptions, no proposed or final regulations should be sent for publication in the Federal Register unless reviewed by a department or agency head appointed or designated by President Obama. The memo also instructs agencies to consider extending the effective date of pending regulations by 60 days. This is common action incoming presidents take in order to evaluate regulations inherited by previous administrations, and it is a directive that both past Presidents Clinton and Bush issued as they took office for the first time.

A copy of the memorandum will be published in the Federal Register, and it is also available here.