USDA reviewing advisory panel guidance
August 18, 2014 | 03:40 PM
Agriculture Department officials are reviewing the guidance from the Office of Management and Budget that federal advisory panels can be reopened to registered federal lobbyists, but have not made any decision on how to reopen the panels, an Agriculture Department spokesperson told The Hagstrom Report over the weekend.
“USDA is reviewing the revised guidance. No decisions on how to move forward have been made yet,” the USDA spokesperson said.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the Commerce Department are poised to reopen the trade advisory committees to lobbyists in the coming weeks, Inside U.S. Trade reported Friday.
In 2010, the Obama administration banned lobbyists from serving on federal advisory committees, but some lobbyists went to court over the matter saying that they had been denied their right to petition the government.
Last week OMB said the ban was being relaxed.
“USDA is reviewing the revised guidance. No decisions on how to move forward have been made yet,” the USDA spokesperson said.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the Commerce Department are poised to reopen the trade advisory committees to lobbyists in the coming weeks, Inside U.S. Trade reported Friday.
In 2010, the Obama administration banned lobbyists from serving on federal advisory committees, but some lobbyists went to court over the matter saying that they had been denied their right to petition the government.
Last week OMB said the ban was being relaxed.
