February 1981 - February 17, 1981 (Tuesday)

February 17, 1981 (Tuesday)

• U.S. President Reagan "dramatically altered the political landscape" by issuing Executive Order 12291. Executive branch agencies could not issue new rules and regulations without first submitting proposals to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), along with a cost-benefit analysis that could demonstrate that "the potential benefits to society for regulation outweigh the potential costs".
• Born: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, American actor, in Los Angeles; and Paris Hilton, American socialite, in New York City;