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

Transportation TRA

Surface Transportation Reauthorization, High-Speed Rail Appropriations.

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

Health Issues HCR

H.R. 1206 The Access to Professional Health Advisors Act; H.R. 452 the Medicare Decisions Accountability Act; Strengthening and preserving the Independent Payment Advisory Board; Proposals to reduce health care costs and trim waste and special interest subsidies from Medicare spending.

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

Bills named: H.R. 1206 (112th), H.R. 452 (112th)

Environment/Superfund ENV

Support reauthorization of Superfund polluter pays tax.

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

Bankruptcy BNK

Support efforts to protect consumer housing, mortgage renegotiation and foreclosure protections. 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 Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

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

Chemicals/Chemical Industry CHM

Support proposals to expand EPA and DHS authority under Chemical Facilities Anti-Terrorism Standards to include drinking water, wastewater and port facilities and to require the use of safer technologies where feasible; oppose proposals to extend existing temporary CFATS program; support Safe Chemicals Act, all titles; support measures to ban or restrict use of Bisphenol A

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

Consumer Issues/Safety/Products CSP

Oppose efforts to weaken Consumer Product Safety Modernization Act (PL 110-314). Supported efforts to implement 2008 Consumer Product Safety Commission Improvement Act, which added resources, regulated dangerous and/or toxic products. Opposed Pomeo (KS) amendment tow eaken its database. Miscellaneous other support for consumer safety protection as needed. 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) to ban mandatory arbitration in consumer laws. 2) Supported aspects of Federal Aviation Administration reforms pertaining to Airline Passengers Bill of Rights 2) Support strong enforcement of antitrust laws, 3) Urged support for legislation (not yet filed) to overturn Supreme Court in Leegin, reinstating ban on resale price maintenance. 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. Filed comments to FTC and Department of Commerce on proposed privacy regimes. No formal position yet on proposed Internet privacy bills, but strongly oppose concepts that legalize current invasive practices, preempt state laws, fail to provide adequate eforcnement for consumers.

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

Food Industry (safety, labeling, etc.) FOO

Support implementation and funding of S.510 (the FDA Modernization Act); support measures to ban Bisphenol A in food packaging.

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

Bills named: S. 510 (112th)

Education EDU

HR 1 and other appropriation measures related to FY11 funding to maintain Pell grant and higher education funding and amendments against restricting regulations at the Department of Education.

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

Bills named: H.R. 1 (112th)

Banking BAN

1)Reform Financial Services Regulation. Provided comments to hill and administrative agencies -- signed letters, lobbied on all aspects of legislation and proposed regulations pertaining to implementation of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act which had become law 21 July 2010. Oppose all rollback legislation including Bachmann (HR 87), Moran (S 737), Shelby (S 746), DeMint (S 712) Bachus (HR 1121), Duffy (HR 1315 and any similar bills; 2) Emphasis on opposing Congressional efforts to weaken Title 10 of Dodd-Frank, its establishment of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Oppose efforts in HR 1 to weaken its budget. Oppose HR 1315 (Duffy). Oppose HR 1121 (Bachus). 3) Support various efforts re consumer and transparency protections in various regulations including gift cards, credit cards, overdraft fees, before Federal Reserve and other financial agencies. 4) Support Durbin interchange fee amendment in Dodd-Frank through comments to Federal Reserve and letters to hill opposing repeal/delay. Oppose bills such as Tester (S 575) to delay 5) Support efforts to increase consumer protection in international financial services treaty and trade negotiations.

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

Bills named: H.R. 1121 (112th), H.R. 87 (112th), H.R. 1 (112th), H.R. 1315 (112th)

Agriculture AGR

Support efforts to reform agriculture subsidies in appropriations and Farm bill.

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