U.S. PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP for U.S. PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP

Consumer Issues/Safety/Products CSP

Supported efforts to implement new Consumer Product Safety Commission Improvement Act, add resources, regulate dangerous and/or toxic products. Provided comments to hill, signed letters, lobbied on all aspects of legislation and proposed regulations pertaining to reform. Testified in previous quarters. Specific new law is PL 110-314 (HR 4040, Consumer Product Safety Modernization Act). 2) Supported efforts, Medical Device Safety Act (S. 540, HR 1346) to overturn Supreme Court decision in Riegel v. Medtronic limiting state common law remedies against certain medical device manufacturers. 3) Broadly support all other efforts to preserve consumer private rights of action and to oppose preemption of stronger state consumer financial or health and safety laws. 4) Supported Representative Weiners amendment to H.R. 3200, Americas Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009, to require transparency by pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) who contract with health plans in the national insurance exchange or with the public plan. OTHER ACTIVITIES: Supported various efforts to protect consumers from unfair business or marketplace practices by signing letters, lobbying or commenting on various proposals: 1) Mandatory Arbitration: Support (letters) for HR 1020, the Arbitration Fairness Act to ban mandatory arbitration in consumer laws. 2) Opposed (letter) S. 202 and S. 164, the "Passenger Vehicle Loss Disclosure Act of 2009" 3) Letters limited to opposition to elimination of inequitable conduct defense in the Patent Reform Act (S 515, HR 1260), to encourage generic substitutes for brand name pharmaceuticals. 4) Opposition to the Consumer Rental Purchase Agreement Act, S 738, HR 1744, which would legalize unfair practices of predatory rent to own stores. 5) Supported aspects of Federal Aviation Administration reforms pertaining to Airline Passengers Bill of Rights (HR 915, FAA Reauthorization and S. 213 (Boxer-Snowe). 5) Support strong enforcement of antitrust laws, including opposition to merger of Ticketmaster and LiveNation (testimony in House in previous quarter). Supported DOJ action against Mastercard and Visa re credit card fees. 6) Signed letters to White House urging amendments to GM/Chrysler bankruptcy negotiations to reinstate compensation rights of injured victims. 7) Supported variety of efforts, including Equal Employment for All Act (Cohen, House) to amend Fair Credit Reporting Act. 7) Urged support for legislation (not yet filed) to overturn Supreme Court in Leegin, reinstating ban on resale price maintenance. 8) Opposed aspects of Chrysler car company bankruptcy negotiations with administration that limited crash victim rights. 9) Supported Congressional efforts to overturn limits on oil company spill liability. PRIVACY: Support efforts to ensure that federal law provides consumers with strong privacy protection, prevents identity theft, and holds companies and government agencies accountable when they lose consumer data. Support includes lobbying, letters, and communications as necessary. Support HR 2221 in part/oppose in part. 2) Testified on Internet privacy on 22 July 2010 on HR 5777 (Rush) and a discussion draft (Boucher) on notice and consent on Internet-- supported in part/opposed in part.

Contacted: Natl Economic Council (NEC); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC); Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS); Food & Drug Administration (FDA); SENATE; Executive Office of the President (EOP); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Federal Reserve System; Justice, Dept of (DOJ); State, Dept of (DOS); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Federal Trade Commission (FTC); Natl Credit Union Administration (NCUA); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Treasury, Dept of; Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC); White House Office; U.S. Trade Representative (USTR); Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC); Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC)

Bills named: H.R. 915 (111th), H.R. 4040 (111th), H.R. 1744 (111th), H.R. 1346 (111th), S. 202 (111th), S. 213 (111th), H.R. 1260 (111th), H.R. 5777 (111th), S. 164 (111th), S. 540 (111th), H.R. 3200 (111th), H.R. 2221 (111th), H.R. 1020 (111th)

Banking BAN

1)Reform Financial Services Regulation. Provided comments to hill, signed letters, testified, lobbied on all aspects of legislation and proposed regulations pertaining to reform Consumer Financial Protection Agency (HR 3126, HR 4173) and other reforms to expand prudential regulation and add mortgage reforms and improve safety net as the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act--HR 4173 and the (S 3217) Dodd companion bill in the Senate, Restoring American Financial Stability Act. Became Law 21 July 2010. 2) Support efforts against unfair bank fees, including support for HR 1456, the Consumer Overdraft Protection Fair Practices Act (testified in House in March 2009). 3) Support reinstatement of federal usury ceilings on financial transactions (S. 500/HR 1608). 4) Support efforts to implement strong consumer and transparency protections in various regulations including gift cards, credit cards, overdraft fees, before Federal Reserve and other financial agencies. 5) Testify (6/16/2010) before Senate Appropriations in support of Durbin interchange fee amendment to S 3217/HR 4173 and 4/28 before House Judiciary re support for antitrust interchange legislation, HR 2695. 6) Support efforts (Sec. 4901, HR 4173) to grant greater authority to FTC to better protect consumers against financial fraud and impose greater sanctions against wrongdoers. 8) Urged administration/DOJ to support state causes of actions/state attorneys general enforcement authority in various state and federal cases including Cuomo vs. Clearinghouse and OCC. 9) In various fora, urged administration, State and USTR to support international financial rules as floor not ceiling of consumer protection; 10) Support S 1595, Deceptive Loan Check Elimination Act.

Contacted: Treasury, Dept of; Executive Office of the President (EOP); Natl Economic Council (NEC); Federal Trade Commission (FTC); U.S. Trade Representative (USTR); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); SENATE; Federal Reserve System; Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS); White House Office; Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC); Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Natl Credit Union Administration (NCUA); Food & Drug Administration (FDA); State, Dept of (DOS); Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC); Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC); Justice, Dept of (DOJ)

Bills named: H.R. 1456 (111th), H.R. 2695 (111th), H.R. 4173 (111th), S. 500 (111th), H.R. 1608 (111th), H.R. 3126 (111th)

Bankruptcy BNK

1) Restructure Mortgages in Bankruptcy and add foreclosure protections: Provided comments to hill, signed letters, lobbied on all aspects of legislation and proposed regulations pertaining to reform. Significant provisions added as Title 14 of HR 4173. Supported efforts to enact strongest possible provisions to allow bankruptcy judges to restructure first mortgages. Bills included S 61, HR 200 and HR 1106. 2) Support efforts to repeal/amend 2005 bankruptcy law (PL 109-8) restrictions on consumer rights. Previous testimony in House (House Judiciary) on credit cards and bankruptcy.

Contacted: Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC); Justice, Dept of (DOJ); Food & Drug Administration (FDA); Natl Credit Union Administration (NCUA); Executive Office of the President (EOP); U.S. Trade Representative (USTR); Federal Trade Commission (FTC); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC); Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS); Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Natl Economic Council (NEC); Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC); White House Office; State, Dept of (DOS); Treasury, Dept of; SENATE; Federal Reserve System

Bills named: H.R. 1106 (111th), H.R. 4173 (111th), H.R. 200 (111th)

Government Issues GOV

HR 5175, S 3268 DISCLOSE Act-Disclosure of campaign expenditures by Cs; HR 4790 Shareholder Protection Act; Election Protection; HR 6116, S 752 Fair Elections Now Act-public financing of congressional elections; HR 1719-Voter Registration Modernization-Online Registration

Contacted: Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC); Natl Credit Union Administration (NCUA); White House Office; Federal Reserve System; SENATE; Justice, Dept of (DOJ); Federal Trade Commission (FTC); Treasury, Dept of; Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS); Food & Drug Administration (FDA); Natl Economic Council (NEC); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; U.S. Trade Representative (USTR); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC); Executive Office of the President (EOP); State, Dept of (DOS); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC)

Bills named: H.R. 1719 (111th), H.R. 4790 (111th), H.R. 5175 (111th), H.R. 6116 (111th)

Health Issues HCR

Implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and Reconciliation Act of 2010

Contacted: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Natl Credit Union Administration (NCUA); Treasury, Dept of; Natl Economic Council (NEC); Federal Reserve System; Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC); Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC); Food & Drug Administration (FDA); SENATE; Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Executive Office of the President (EOP); Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); White House Office; U.S. Trade Representative (USTR); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Federal Trade Commission (FTC); State, Dept of (DOS); Justice, Dept of (DOJ)

Budget/Appropriations BUD

Closing corporate tax looholes. Fiscal reforms -- lobbied the President's Fiscal Responsibility and Reform Commission -- this commission was not available as a choice in the drop-down menu below.

Contacted: Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS); Natl Credit Union Administration (NCUA); White House Office; State, Dept of (DOS); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); SENATE; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Food & Drug Administration (FDA); Executive Office of the President (EOP); Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC); Federal Reserve System; Federal Trade Commission (FTC); Treasury, Dept of; U.S. Trade Representative (USTR); Justice, Dept of (DOJ); Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC); Natl Economic Council (NEC); Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS)

Chemicals/Chemical Industry CHM

Support Chemical Facilities Anti-Terrorism Act of 2008 (HR 2868), all titles; Drinking Water System Security Act (H.R. 3258), all titles; oppose proposals to extend existing CFATS program for another 4 years (S. 2996) support Kid Safe Chemicals Act (HR 6100; S3040 in 110th ; not yet introduced in 111th) all titles; support measures to ban or restrict use of Bisphenol A (HR 1523; S.593; S753)

Contacted: Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC); Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC); Natl Economic Council (NEC); Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC); Food & Drug Administration (FDA); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Federal Trade Commission (FTC); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Treasury, Dept of; U.S. Trade Representative (USTR); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Justice, Dept of (DOJ); White House Office; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Executive Office of the President (EOP); Natl Credit Union Administration (NCUA); Federal Reserve System; Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC); State, Dept of (DOS); SENATE

Bills named: S. 2996 (111th), H.R. 1523 (111th), H.R. 6100 (111th), H.R. 2868 (111th), H.R. 3258 (111th), S. 593 (111th)

Transportation TRA

Surface Transportation Authorization (not yet introduced) - all provisions

Contacted: Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS); Federal Trade Commission (FTC); U.S. Trade Representative (USTR); State, Dept of (DOS); Treasury, Dept of; Food & Drug Administration (FDA); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Federal Reserve System; Executive Office of the President (EOP); Natl Credit Union Administration (NCUA); Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Justice, Dept of (DOJ); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); White House Office; SENATE; Natl Economic Council (NEC); Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC); Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC); Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)