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Consumer Privacy Fight In Congress Intensifies

Tuesday, June 11, 2019

Senior Director, Federal Consumer Program

The media are reporting that efforts led by BigTech and BigPhone to push Congress to enact a self-serving umbrella privacy law on Capitol Hill are stalling. But that's only for now; they are still pushing hard. Pushback from legislators with stronger state laws is helping slow them down. So are the welcome efforts of civil rights colleagues to demand that digital and algorithmic decisions not discriminate. There's an important civil rights briefing later this afternoon on Capitol Hill. Learn more.

Financial Reform

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State PIRGs Join National Consumer Lobby Day At Congress

Wednesday, May 8, 2019

By | Ed Mierzwinski

Senior Director, Federal Consumer Program

State PIRG staff from around the country joined over 120 consumer advocates at the third annual Consumer Lobby Day today. Meetings with members of Congress and their staffs focused on protecting the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's structure and funding while also opposing its current leadership's attack on a payday lending regulation drafted by its past director and his team.

Financial Reform

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CFPB's Kraninger Provides Opaque Statement To Committee; Questions and Second Panel Will Be Critical

Thursday, March 7, 2019

By | Ed Mierzwinski

Senior Director, Federal Consumer Program

Today, new CFPB director Kathy Kraninger testifies to Congress for the first time. The House Financial Services Committee will need to drill down with tough questions. Why? Kraninger's written pre-filed statement reads like an answer to a warped question from old television's Sergeant Joe Friday: "Just the irrelevant, off-point facts, ma'am." The committee should also look to the cogent testimony of consumer, civil rights, military family and student advocates also appearing today.