U.S. PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP for U.S. PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP
What was lobbied
11 issue areas, each in the filer's own words, with who lobbied on it and where.
Banking BAN
1) Reform Credit Card Practices. Provided comments to hill, signed letters, lobbied on all aspects of legislation and proposed regulations pertaining to reform of unfair practices of credit card industry. Testified in House. Bills include S 414, Credit CARD Act; HR 627, Credit Cardholders Bill of Rights Act; 2) Reform Mortgage Practices and Reform Financial Services Regulation. Provided comments to hill, signed letters, lobbied on all aspects of legislation and proposed regulations pertaining to reform of mortgage and predatory lending. Bills included HR 1728 and HR 1782 on mortgage reform, supporting in part and opposing in part. 3) Provided comments to hill, signed letters, lobbied on all aspects of legislation and proposed regulations pertaining to reform of financial industry by establishment of Financial Product Safety Commission, S. 566 and HR 1705 and other reforms. 4) Support efforts against unfair bank fees, including support for HR 1456, the Consumer Overdraft Protection Fair Practices Act (testified in House). 5) Support reinstatement of federal usury ceilings on financial transactions (S. 500/HR 1608). 6) Support efforts to implement strong consumer and transparency protections in regulations and enforcement of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (HR 1424-Division A, became PL 110-343) and related bills. Supported bills including HR 384 and S 195 to reform the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) and other programs established either by EESA or by federal regulators concerning financial reform and bailout funding. These and other similar bills would restore original purposes of bailout funds, increase transparency, limit executive compensation, grant greater authority to oversight agencies, etc. 7) Supported Section 626 of HR 1105 (Omnibus Appropriations) to grant greater authority to FTC and state attorneys general to better protect consumers against financial fraud and impose greater sanctions against wrongdoers. Regarding the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), specifically additional oversight and transparency measures. S.195 (initially) in the Senate, but meeting were more generally focused on more robust measures that have yet to be introduced.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| GARY KALMAN | — |
| LARRY C MCNEELY | — |
| EDMUND M MIERZWINSKI | — |
| NICOLE TICHON New | L.A. with Rep. Sisisky; Leg. Corresp. w./ Sen. Levin |
Transportation TRA
H.Con.Res 85 - Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2010 - all provisions, S.Con.Res 13 - Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2010; S.1 and HR 1 - American Recovery and Reinvestment Act - all provisions pertaining to transportation; Congressional authorization of the federal surface transportation funding bill - not yet introduced (all provisions)
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| GARY KALMAN | — |
| JOHN KRIEGER | — |
Telecommunications TEC
Universal Service Fund Reform, National Broadband Strategy; Online Privacy; HR. 1 ARRA, Broadband Technology Opportunities Program
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| AMINA FAZLULLAH | — |
| GARY KALMAN | — |
Bankruptcy BNK
1) Restructure Mortgages in Bankruptcy: Provided comments to hill, signed letters, lobbied on all aspects of legislation and proposed regulations pertaining to reform 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. Testimony in House.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| GARY KALMAN | — |
| EDMUND M MIERZWINSKI | — |
Government Issues GOV
Fair Elections Now Act, H.R. 1826, S. 752, S.751; E.L.E.C.T Act, H.R. 899; Student Voter Act, H.R. 6704; Voter Registration Modernization Campaign-Bill number to be assigned
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| LISA GILBERT | — |
| GARY KALMAN | — |
Consumer Issues/Safety/Products CSP
Consumer Product Safety Modernization Act (PL 110-314); 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. 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) 5) Support strong enforcement of antitrust laws, including opposition to merger of Ticketmaster and LiveNation (testimony in House). 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.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| ELIZABETH HITCHCOCK | — |
| GARY KALMAN | — |
| EDMUND M MIERZWINSKI | — |
Education EDU
Higher Education Opportunity Act regulatory; Title IV student aid - Issues related to lender interactions with students; American Recovery and Reinvestment Act - issues related to the Pell grant; House Concurrent Resolution on the Budget - issues related to the Pell grant; Senate Concurrent Resolution on the Budget - issues related to the Pell grant; Higher Education Opportunity Act regulatory - Title IV student aid, issues related to lender solicitations of private loans
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| RICHARD T WILLIAMS | — |
Communications/Broadcasting/Radio/TV COM
HR 1147, S. 592 Low Power FM, A bill to implement the recommendations of the Federal Communications Commission report to the Congress regarding low-power FM service.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| AMINA FAZLULLAH | — |
| GARY KALMAN | — |
Health Issues HCR
Comprehensive Health Reform; Inclusion of Health Care reform in 2009 budget resolutions.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| GARY KALMAN | — |
| LARRY C MCNEELY | — |
Environment/Superfund ENV
Support reauthorization of Superfund polluter pays tax.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| ELIZABETH HITCHCOCK | — |
| GARY KALMAN | — |
Chemicals/Chemical Industry CHM
Support Chemical Facilities Anti-Terrorism Act of 2008 (HR 5577in 110th Congress; not yet introduced in 111th), all titles; 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); support reinstatement of reporting requirements in Toxic Release Inventory
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| ELIZABETH HITCHCOCK | — |
| GARY KALMAN | — |
Shown as published by the Senate Office of Public Records and the House Clerk under the Lobbying Disclosure Act. The official filing is the record; open it for the full form.