On Feb. 4, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a new approach to regulating imported products – including food and medical devices – to enhance the agency's ability to respond to the increased globalization of commerce. The new risk-based approach to inspections and product tracking will be in place nationally in 2010.

Federal fiscal policy has been front and center throughout 2009 as the Obama administration and Congress have gone to extraordinary lengths to bring the country's economy back from the brink of disaster. It seems like every week, we saw a crucial vote or major policy proposal released. A massive Wall Street bailout, an economic stimulus effort with unprecedented transparency provisions, an attempted reform of the financial regulatory system, a new presidential effort to reform the contracting system, significant gains in proper enforcement of the tax code, and a Congress that continued to fail at passing appropriations and tax bills in a timely manner have made for a pretty exciting, if not chaotic, year. Below is a review of some of the major developments in federal fiscal policy in 2009 from an OMB Watch perspective.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cannot adequately verify lost-time injury and illness cases reported by employers, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Although injury and illness rates for workers have been declining in recent years, critics say the improvement has more to do with OSHA data collection procedures than occupational safety and health policy.

On Nov. 5, OMB Watch submitted comments and recommendations to the General Services Administration (GSA) on the new Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS). Required by the FY 2009 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the database is supposed to help contracting officials make better award determinations by providing timely information on the honesty and reliability of contractors.