Akin Space Law, Regulation And Policy Update | May 2, 2025

Freight markets are experiencing unprecedented divergence as transpacific ocean rates hold near peak levels while Asia-Europe lanes decline, trucking shifts from spot to contract dominance, and record diesel prices reset cost structures across all transportation modes. This comprehensive analysis examines how carrier capacity management, fuel cost pressures, and modal shifts are reshaping logistics economics heading into Q4 peak season.

The Surface Transportation Board has lifted its abeyance and established a procedural roadmap for the Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern merger proceeding, marking the official start...

The U.S. Department of Transportation has issued a final rule fundamentally restructuring how airlines report flight delays and cancellations, creating a new reporting category that removes ten specific events from the traditional "Air Carrier" category. This regulatory change, mandated by the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 and effective October 2026, will significantly impact how airline performance is measured and perceived by consumers, while reducing carriers' customer service obligations for certain

The Federal Aviation Administration has announced a significant policy shift affecting Cessna Citation CE-500 series aircraft, ending decades of single-pilot exemptions due to safety concerns and widespread noncompliance. The agency's decision, backed by accident data showing twice the rate of incidents in single-pilot operations compared to two-pilot configurations, will impact owners, operators, pilots...

The U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) published a Final Rule on October 9, 2025 that will add 26 entities and three addresses to the Entity List for a total of 29 new entries (effective immediately).

The trucking sector, responsible for moving nearly three-quarters of all goods in America, is experiencing a fundamental shift as freight capacity contracts due to carrier exits, fleet downsizing, and regulatory pressures. With spot market rates rising above contract rates for the first time since early 2022 and structural driver shortages expected to worsen, shippers who treat this as a temporary cyclical event may find themselves unprepared for sustained rate increases. Understanding the root causes of th

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) on September 3, 2026, released "America Leads: DOT's National Strategy for Automated Vehicles, Fiscal Years 2026-2030" (the Strategy) as guidance outlining its approach to automated vehicles (AVs).

On March 26, 2024, the container ship m.v. DALI lost power and struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, resulting in the catastrophic collapse of the bridge, deaths of six construction workers and destruction of a section of Interstate 695.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently announced that it would be issuing a proposed rule to codify NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01 on Reporting Requirements for Automated Driving Systems (ADS) and Level 2 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) in November of this year.

Federal regulators are accelerating autonomous vehicle deployment through sweeping policy changes while Congress introduces legislation to mandate emergency response protocols. As robotaxi rides scale into the hundreds of thousands weekly, the convergence of innovation and oversight is reshaping how driverless vehicles will operate on American roads.

On Friday, July 9, 2021, President Biden issued Executive Order (EO) 14036, "Promoting Competition in the American Economy".

On July 22, 2026, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) adopted a Third Report and Order and Third Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (covered separately here) in which the Commission advances its ongoing efforts to secure the U.S.

President Trump signed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, introducing unprecedented tariff authority that could impose duties up to 100% on goods from countries purchasing Russian energy or facilitating sanctions evasion. The legislation creates a novel framework where tariffs stack on top of existing duties while codifying Russia sanctions into statute...

On September 30, 2026, Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee Chair Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Ranking Member Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee Chair Mike Lee (R-UT), and Ranking Member Martin Heinrich (D-NM) unveiled the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026 (BAAJA; S. 5653), a comprehensive permitting reform package aimed at accelerating approvals for energy, infrastructure, transmission, mining, manufacturing, and other major projects. The legislation represents the most significant bipartisan permitting reform effort in years and follows months of negotiations between Senate Republicans and Democrats.

The European Union’s (EU) revamped sustainability reporting framework is now final. On September 21, 2026, the revised European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) and a new Voluntary European Sustainability Reporting Standard (VS) were published in the Official Journal, marking yet another significant step toward more proportionate sustainability reporting in Europe. In addition to previously raising applicable financial thresholds triggering compliance under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), the revised ESRS cut mandatory datapoints for in-scope companies (i.e., undertakings under CSRD) by more than 60% and total datapoints by more than 70%.

On September 16, 2026, President Trump issued a presidential memorandum titled “Restoring Reciprocity in Government Procurement”, directing the Director of the Office of Management and Budget and the United States Trade Representative, in coordination with the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council, to identify and take legally permitted steps to remove or restrict Canadian-origin items across the federal civil procurement system.

California's Legislature has unanimously passed SB 690, a landmark reform that could eliminate thousands of pending class action lawsuits based on website tracking technologies under the California Invasion of Privacy Act. The bill removes the private right of action for pen register claims arising from routine web analytics tools, potentially reshaping the data privacy litigation landscape while companion bills simultaneously expand substantive privacy obligations.

As prevention obligations expand across the UK, California, New York State, and New York City, employers face heightened duties to prevent workplace sexual harassment before it occurs. With the UK's new "all reasonable steps" standard taking effect in October 2026 and US jurisdictions lowering liability thresholds, how can multinational employers navigate these evolving transatlantic requirements?

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), together with other federal partners, issued a joint advisory on April 7, 2026 warning of ongoing Iranian‑affiliated cyber activity targeting U.S. critical infrastructure, including the energy, water, healthcare and manufacturing sectors.

The SEC Staff has issued new guidance addressing valuation challenges for private credit and other private assets held by public companies and registered investment companies. The statement emphasizes the need for robust valuation policies, market-based assumptions, and transparent disclosure practices as the private credit market continues to expand. Investment advisers managing private funds should carefully consider how these principles apply to their own valuation procedures and investor communications.