WASHINGTON--Cass Sunstein, a former University of Chicago law professor and an advisor to Barack Obama in the years running up to his presidency--who joined the administration at the start--is stepping down from his position as the
Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.

Sunstein was on the faculty of the U of C Law School between 1981 to 2008--during the time Obama also taught at the school. In 2008, Sunstein left to teach at Harvard Law--where he return in the fall.

Sunstein is married to Samantha Power, who serves in the Obama White House as the Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights. The two met during the Obama 2008 primary campaign.

Obama said in a statement, "For the last three and a half years, Cass Sunstein has helped drive a series of historic accomplishments on behalf of the American people. From putting in place lifesaving protections for America's families, to eliminating tens of millions of hours of paperwork burdens for our nation's citizens and businesses, Cass has shown that it is possible to support economic growth without sacrificing health, safety, and the environment. Cass has shepherded our review of existing rules to get rid of those that cost too much or no longer make sense, an effort that is already on track to save billions of dollars. With these reforms and his tenacious promotion of cost-benefit analysis, his efforts will benefit Americans for years to come. I can't thank him enough for his friendship and for his years of exceptional service."