U.S. PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP for U.S. PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP
What was lobbied
9 issue areas, each in the filer's own words, with who lobbied on it and where.
Government Issues GOV
H.R. 2517, S 1360, H.R. 1148, H.R. 1973, S. 995
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| BLAIR BOWIE | — |
| GARY KALMAN | — |
Banking BAN
H.R. 2517, S 1360 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 and S 1615), DeMint (S 712) Bachus (HR 1121), Duffy (HR 1315), Capito ( HR1667) 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 and any other appropriations bills to weaken budget or eliminate independence of CFPB, CFTC and SEC. 2) Support various efforts re consumer and transparency protections in various CFPB and other regulations including gift cards, credit cards, overdraft fees, credit bureaus, debt collectors, mortgages before Federal Reserve and all other financial agencies. 3) 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 Durbin. 4) oppose efforts to legalize predatory lending, suchas rent to own proposals from Canseco (HR 1588) and Landrieu (S. 881) 5) Oppose efforts to weaken other investor protection reforms, such as HR 1062 (Hayworth) and HR 1573 (Lucas) and HR 2308 (Garrett) (6) Support efforts to increase consumer protection in international financial services treaty and trade negotiations. (7) Oppose HR 3606, the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act; support Senate efforts (Merkley, Levin, Landrieu) to improve bill, oppose similar capital formation bills that weaken investor protections, 8) Oppose HR 4367/S3204 to eliminate ATM signage notices. 9) Support efforts to strengthen Military Lending Act of 2007 (amt. to S 3254 this year). 10) Oppose HR 1909 and any similar bills to create federal non-bank OCC charter for high-cost paydyal lenders and similar firms, preempting authority of states and the CFPB. 11) Oppose HR 4101 to weaken debt collection rights.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| BLAIR BOWIE | — |
| GARY KALMAN | — |
| EDMUND M MIERZWINSKI | — |
Health Issues HCR
Reauthorisation of PDUFA, MDUFA
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| NASIMA HOSSAIN | — |
| GARY KALMAN | — |
Bankruptcy BNK
1) 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. Support strongest versions of HR 2086/S 2049, Medical Debt Relief Act
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| GARY KALMAN | — |
| EDMUND M MIERZWINSKI | — |
Consumer Issues/Safety/Products CSP
Supported efforts to implement 2008 Consumer Product Safety Commission Improvement Act, which added resources, regulated dangerous and/or toxic products. Opposed Pompeo (KS) amendment to weaken its database. Miscellaneous other support for consumer safety protection as needed. Support strong CPSC rules, including crib safety and database. 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 some proposed Internet privacy and data breach bills, but strongly oppose concepts that legalize current invasive practices, preempt state laws, fail to provide adequate eforcement for consumers. Support do not track and reforms based on Fair Information Practices. 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, including support for Arbitration Fairness Act. 2) Supported aspects of Federal Aviation Administration reforms pertaining to Airline Passengers Bill of Rights including testimony to new DOT Advisory Committee on Aviation Consumer Protection (28 June 2012) 2) Support strong enforcement of antitrust laws including specific opposition to MEDCO merger and CVS Caremark mergers, 3) Urged support for legislation to overturn Supreme Court in Leegin, reinstating ban on resale price maintenance. 4) Opposed aspects of HR 326, Stop Online Piracy Act and similar legislation. (5) Generally oppose all efforts to weaken consumer legal rights, such as Gosar amendment to HR 5 to eliminate certain consumer class action rights. (6) support efforts to strnegthen consumer legal rights, such as Markey (HR1120) bill to improve consumer disclosure of travel safety risks. Example: HR 10, HR 3010, HR 527
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| GARY KALMAN | — |
| EDMUND M MIERZWINSKI | — |
Education EDU
HR 4348 Surface Transportation bill; House proposal, "Stop the Rate Hike Act of 2012; HR 4628 Interest Rate Reduction Act. S2366 Interest Rate Reduction Act Know Before You Owe financial aid shopping sheet initiative Public hearing for negotiated rulemaking session 2012
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| GARY KALMAN | — |
| RICHARD T WILLIAMS | — |
Food Industry (safety, labeling, etc.) FOO
Food Safety and Modernization Act
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| NASIMA HOSSAIN | — |
| GARY KALMAN | — |
Budget/Appropriations BUD
Example: S.1341, S2075, HR 2669
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| GARY KALMAN | — |
| DANIEL JEFFREY SMITH | — |
Financial Institutions/Investments/Securities FIN
Corporate disclosure of political contributions
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| BLAIR BOWIE | — |
| 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.