Biden Administration Signals An End to Trump’s Deregulatory Nightmare

 Within hours of being sworn in as the 46th President of the United States, Joe Biden signed an Executive Order designed to protect worker safety in the age of Covid, specifically requiring OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) to protect workers and ensure equity in enforcement of worker safety statutes and rules. In other words, Biden was telling OSHA to do what the former administration failed to do, namely to do their job and protect workers. As we all know, President Biden, also within hours of his inauguration, issued a mask mandate for all government employees and on all government sites, including the White House, as well as mandating mask-wearing during all forms of interstate travel (bus, train, plane, etc.)...all in the name of public safety. 

Probably sensing that there was a new sheriff coming to town, the CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission), one week before the Biden swearing-in, issued the first major U.S. consumer penalty in almost three years against North Carolina-based Kidde Company, manufacturer of a very popular fire extinguisher. Kidde was fined $12 million when the CPSC determined that they failed to report significant fire-extinguisher defects in a timely manner to the CPSC, thus violating Federal Statutes that call for product manufacturers to report any known defects associated with their products to the CPSC. The problem with their popular fire extinguishers was linked to defective plastic handles which either failed to discharge or required dangerously excessive force to operate, according to the CPSC, who linked one death directly to the failure of a Kidde extinguisher to operate properly. In 2017, Kidde recalled approximately 38 million extinguishers manufactured since 1973 and sold at WalMart, Home Depot, Amazon and elsewhere. Their problem wasn't the recall; their problem was that they waited too long to notify the CPSC and at least one consumer advocate, Sally Greenberg, executive director of the National Consumers League, believes their failure to notify the CPSC was intended to "minimize the extent of the defective fire extinguisher." Could this be still another example of a greedy corporation placing their profits over your safety? Shocking! 

What's also shocking is that this penalty was ONLY THE SECOND MAJOR PENALTY HANDED OUT BY THE CPSC SINCE TRUMP TOOK OFFICE! Aside from Kidde, the only other major penalty administered by the nation's top consumer watchdog agency was a $27 million fine against ATV manufacturer, Polaris, in 2018 for a fire hazard linked to their ATV's. Perhaps, in what could be the understatement of the year, consumer advocate and legislative director at the Consumer Federation of America, Rachel Weintraub, concluded that "Enforcement has been down under the Trump administration, not only at the Consumer Product Safety Commission, but at many, many agencies." 


The penalty against Kidde could signal a big shift in enforcement, establishing meaningful regulations intended to protect consumers, certainly not a concern of the Trump presidency which left the CPSC practically rudderless without any permanent head since 2018. As further evidence of his scorn for consumer safety and the CPSC, Trump in 2019 tried to nominate Nancy Beck, a former chemical industry executive who pushed to relax rules on toxic chemicals at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as the new head of the CPSC. Fortunately, the Senate blocked this dangerous nomination, leaving Robert Adler, a holdover from the Obama administration, as Acting Chair of the CPSC.


In addition to searching for a strong consumer advocate to head the CPSC, Biden is also searching for a strong scientist to lead the FDA, which many believe was heavily politicized by outgoing Commissioner Stephen Hahn. The current acting FDA Commissioner, Janet Woodcock, a longtime drug regulator and career civil servant, is currently viewed as the frontrunner for the position. Further evidence of Biden's intention to lead on consumer, environmental and public safety is his pick to head the EPA, Michael Regan, head of North Carolina's Department of Environmental Quality, whose opening remarks to Congress included a pledge to "restore science and transparency at the agency while focusing on marginalized communities and combating climate change with a strong sense of urgency."


All of these fines, executive orders, appointments and nominations definitely signal that Trump's deregulatory nightmare, which led to thousands of deaths and injuries, may finally be over. I first wrote about the threat and consequences of haphazard deregulations in the February, 2017 and June, 2017 issues of this newsletter. And, in the October, 2018 issue, I stated that "regulators need to regulate." Let's hope that this new administration recognizes the need for meaningful regulations (and their enforcement) from the government agencies that have been specifically designed to protect consumers, workers and the general public from potentially bad actors who, when left to their own desires, would prefer to place their profits over our safety.


Check out my book "Murder, Inc.: How Unregulated Industry Kills or Injures Thousands of Americans Every Year...And What You Can Do About It". Available in Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle & Audiobook on Amazon now.

LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES: A GROWING FIRE RISK IN OUR HOMES

By Dr. Gerald Goldhaber • March 31, 2026
Lithium-ion batteries power much of modern life. From smartphones and laptops to e-bikes, power tools, and even home energy storage systems, these compact and efficient batteries are everywhere. But as their use has expanded, so too has a serious and often underestimated danger: the risk of fire. Lithium-ion battery fires are not like typical household fires. They burn hotter, spread faster, and can reignite even after appearing to be extinguished. These fires are caused by a process known as “thermal runaway,” where damage, overheating, or internal defects trigger a chain reaction inside the battery. Once this process begins, it can release flammable gases, cause explosions, and produce intense flames that are difficult to control.

WARNING: THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S EPA IS DISMANTLING REGULATIONS PROTECTING US FROM PFAS, PUTTING OUR LIVES AT RISK

By Dr. Gerald Goldhaber • February 27, 2026
1. Weakening National Drinking Water Standards  In April 2024, the EPA finalized the first federally enforceable National Primary Drinking Water Rule (NPDWR) for six PFAS, including PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA (GenX), PFBS, and mixtures of these chemicals. These rules established maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) and required monitoring and treatment timelines for public water systems. Under Trump's EPA, this landmark public health rule is being undone :

THE SILENT WINTER THREAT: CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING DURING STORMS AND POWER OUTAGES

By Dr. Gerald Goldhaber • January 27, 2026
Winter in the Northern Hemisphere brings cold weather, snow, and often severe storms. These conditions can lead to power outages that last hours or even days. When electricity is lost and temperatures plummet, many households turn to alternative heating methods or portable power generators. While these actions are understandable, they can expose families to a perilous and often invisible threat: carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning . 

HOLIDAY FOOD SAFETY: PROTECTING YOUR FAMILY FROM SALMONELLA & LISTERIA THIS THANKSGIVING

By Dr. Gerald Goldhaber • November 24, 2025
As Thanksgiving approaches, kitchens across the country are about to come alive with the sounds and smells of holiday cooking. While this season brings family, gratitude, and plenty of delicious food, it also comes with a serious and often overlooked risk: foodborne illness. In the U.S., Salmonella and Listeria remain two of the most dangerous and persistent causes of food poisoning—especially during the holidays, when increased food preparation, crowded refrigerators, and large holiday meals create ideal conditions for bacterial growth.Whether you’re hosting your first Thanksgiving dinner or you’re a seasoned holiday chef, brushing up on a few key food safety practices can help you keep your loved ones healthy and your celebration memorable for all the right reasons.

ARE WAYMOS SAFER THAN HUMANS DRIVING A CAR?

By Dr. Gerald Goldhaber • October 30, 2025
The race to develop autonomous vehicles (AVs) has reached a pivotal moment. Alphabet-owned Waymo, widely regarded as the frontrunner in the field, has rolled out fully driverless taxis in Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, with plans to expand to additional cities. But as more Waymo vehicles hit public roads without human drivers, the question looms large: Are they truly safer than the people they’re replacing behind the wheel?

TACKLING SAFETY: FOOTBALL, CTE, AND WHAT ACTUALLY MAKES THE GAME SAFER

By Dr. Gerald Goldhaber • October 13, 2025
We are now in the middle of another football season, and the question, as asked every year: Is this sport safe enough for our high school, college, and professional athletes to play? Football has always been a violent sport of collision, glory, and growing concern. Over the last decade, research tying repetitive head impacts to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) has shaken parents, players, and the game’s governing bodies. The central realities are straightforward but sobering: repeated head impacts — both diagnosed concussions and the many “sub-concussive” blows players take — are linked to later-life brain pathology; helmets and add-ons can lower impact forces, but no helmet or cover has been shown to prevent CTE; and rule and culture changes that reduce the number and severity of head impacts are where the biggest gains lie.

CHAOS AT THE CDC: A THREAT TO AMERICA’S HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

By Dr. Gerald Goldhaber • September 10, 2025
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has long been viewed as the nation’s front-line defense against disease outbreaks, health emergencies, and public health threats. But today, the agency faces internal turmoil, political interference, and organizational confusion that experts warn could have dangerous consequences for the U.S. healthcare system—and for ordinary Americans.

TEXAS HILL COUNTRY FLOODS: DID WARNINGS FAIL VICTIMS?

By Dr. Gerald Goldhaber • August 7, 2025
From July 3–4, 2025, Central Texas—especially Kerr County and the Guadalupe River basin—experienced catastrophic flash flooding that claimed over 130 lives, including children and staff at Camp Mystic. As grief and outrage settle, survivors and officials alike are questioning whether enough was done to warn those most at risk.

TEXAS LEADS THE NATION: WARNING LABELS ON ADDITIVES

By Dr. Gerald Goldhaber • July 9, 2025
On June 22, 2025, Governor Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 25 (SB25), known as the Make Texas Healthy Again Act. Beginning January 1, 2027, Texas will require prominent on-pack warning labels whenever food sold in the state contains any of 44 specific additives—including synthetic colorants like Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1, titanium dioxide, bleached flour, and partially hydrogenated oils. The mandated label must declare the following:

WARNING: FDA DELAYS IMPLEMENTATION OF RULE THAT WOULD REQUIRE NEW NUTRITION LABELING

By Dr. Gerald Goldhaber • May 27, 2025
The FDA is delaying implementation of a rule that would require food companies to print nutritional information on the front labels of their products. The proposed rule was developed by President Biden’s Administration, with a comment period scheduled to close on May 16. The rule is designed to help consumers make better choices to avoid chronic health problems. Such problems—and consumer choices about nutrition—are things President Trump’s Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has repeatedly touted. Even though hundreds of comments have been filed about the proposed rule, Kennedy’s Food and Drug Administration is delaying the close of the comment period by 60 days. Most of the comments filed so far have come from food companies and food industry trade organizations. “ A 60-day comment period extension allows adequate time for interested parties to submit comments while also not significantly delaying rulemaking on the important issues in the proposed rule ,” according to the FDA’s announcement about the delay. 
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