Financial agencies’ zealous pursuit of hundreds of regulations required by the Dodd-Frank Act has led to a proliferation of lawsuits and vacated rulemakings, a former member of the Securities and Exchange Commission said Monday.

“It has been a field day for lawyers,” former Commissioner Paul Atkins said during remarks to a conference of financial professionals. 

In a letter, McCain criticizes policy that allows Cabinet members to keep private email accounts for official business.

The Department of Homeland Security on Monday issued new regulations that will allow more Syrian refugees to temporarily settle in the United States.

The department estimates that about 9,000 people will be eligible to come to America under the 18-month extension to March 2015 of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Syrians. Another 2,600 or so Syrians already here will be able to apply to renew their status. The Obama administration first gave TPS designation to Syrian citizens and residents last year, and the status was set to expire on Sept. 30.

“The extension of the current Syria TPS designation and re-designation is due to the continued disruption of living conditions in the country that are a result of the extraordinary and temporary conditions that led to the initial TPS designation of Syria in 2012,” the Homeland Security Department said. “The extension is based on ongoing armed conflict in that region and the continued deterioration of country conditions.”

The 5-3 decision marks a limited victory for the Obama administration and allows regulators to challenge such deals in court.

Federal regulators are unveiling draft rules to make cable and television menus accessible to the blind and visually impaired.

The proposal from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will require that users have an option have onscreen menus read out loud, helping the blind understand what's playing on different channels. Cable and satellite menus, as well as other devices, will have to comply with the new rule once it is finalized. 

"It's incredibly important for our ability to access entertainment content through the home theater experience," said Eric Bridges, the director of advocacy and governmental affairs with the American Council of the Blind.

More than a dozen upcoming meetings of advisory panels and boards will be announced on Tuesday. Here they are:

The Veterans Affairs Department's research advisory council is holding a meeting June 19 in Washington to develop advice for the department's projects. 

A bunch of new rules will be proposed in the Federal Register in coming days. Here's what's coming:

Healthcare exchanges:
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is proposing standards for insurance exchanges under the Affordable Care Act.

The new marketplaces are a main component of President Obama's healthcare reform, and are set to start running in October. They will allow consumers to purchase insurance in statewide systems that account for their tax credits.

The draft standards cover oversight of the state exchanges, requiring that the programs are monitored and reported.

The 253-page proposal also includes measures to protect consumers, provide oversight of tax credits and outlines how states can operate their own programs for small businesses.

“The release of these guidelines signals that we’re ready to build on our ongoing efforts and ensure that the new systems are fiscally sound," said CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner in a statement.

New non-bank technology companies that have cropped up since the economic recession are under mounting scrutiny from regulators at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Yahoo Finance reports.

A second appeals court decision against the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) rule requiring workplace posters to notify workers of their right to unionize has likely killed the contentious regulation, according to Reuters.

U.S. and British regulators are preparing to increase their oversight of mining industry deals, Bloomberg reports.

Trucking companies are about to get hit with regulations further limiting the time a driver can spend behind the wheel.