Semester in DC at the White House

On October 4, 2011, the Law School's Center for Energy and Environmental Law arranged for the Semester in DC Program’s class to be held on the White House grounds. The event was hosted by Michael Fitzpatrick, associate administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA). OIRA is commonly considered to be one of the most influential regulatory bodies in the Executive Branch. Associate Administrator Fitzpatrick provided an overview of the office’s operations and covered topics ranging from environmental and healthcare policy, inter-agency conflicts, the role of scientific and economic analyses in rule making, to the calling to public service. This engaging session ended with a robust question and answer period. The class, arranged by Professors MacDougald and Parker, was held in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building (EEOB) inside the recently restored office which formerly housed the Secretary of the War Department beginning in the 1870s. Following the lecture, students were treated to a tour of significant offices in the EEOB, including the office where  Secretary of State Cordell Hull received the Japanese Ambassadors on December 7, 1941. Class ended at the White House entrance abutting the front lawn, next to the Situation Room.