In what some see as a precursor to the passage of the 2009 Medical Device Safety Act, President Obama issued a memorandum to federal agencies rescinding the pre-emptive policies of the previous Administration. In the memorandum, Obama seeks to roll back aggressive federal regulations to override state laws concerning the environment, health, and public safety. The Bush Administration’s preemption policy protected large corporations, often making them immune from civil lawsuits designed to protect the health and welfare of consumers.
Ironically, it’s usually the Republicans advocating for state’s rights. However, in this strange new political world, it’s a Democratic president who is restoring the rights of states in order to protect consumers.