Consumers Union

Archived Articles at Consumersunion.org

May 2003 << Home >> July 2003

June 30, 2003	CU Comments Regarding Genetically Engineered Food CU supports USDA's ultimate goal of insuring that plants, or the engineered traits they contain, from such field tests do not get into human food or animal feed.
	CU Urges California Lawmakers to Ban Use of Credit Histories for Setting Homeowners Insurance Rates Insurance companies should not be allowed to use customers' credit scores and histories to set homeowner insurance rates according to Consumers Union.
June 27, 2003	California to Begin Auto Insurance Rate Review Department of Insurance to hold hearings on new regulations requiring rates based primarily on how policyholders drive, not where they live
	National "Do Not Call List" Registration Begins The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) have launched the National Do Not Call Registry to offer consumers a simple way to curb most unwanted telemarketing calls.
	CU statement expressing disappointment with the Medicare prescription drug bills Congress has squandered an historic opportunity to provide seniors and the disabled with meaningful relief from the growing burden of prescription drug costs
June 26, 2003	NHTSA Legislation Includes Important Safety Provisions Addressing Vehicle Backovers More than one child a week dies after being backed over by a large vehicle
June 25, 2003	CU Urges the Senate to Improve the Prescription Drug and Medicare Improvement Act The Senate should redouble their efforts to improve the needs of seniors and people with disabilities
	CU Testimony Regarding Genetically Engineered Food CU believes that genetically engineered food offers both potential benefits and potential risks for consumers.
	CU Disappointed With House and Senate Medicare Prescription Drug Bills CU urges Members of the House to reject HR2473, a seriously flawed bill that would privatize Medicare
	CU Urges Senate to Vote on the Diverse Media Bill This bill—which would ensure that our nation’s local media outlets remain rooted in their communities, and retain a diversity of viewpoints through independent ownership
June 24, 2003	State Legislative Alert: Uniform Commercial Code Article 1 The National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws has approved a revision of Uniform Commercial Code Article 1.
	CU urges House to vote NO on the Medicare Prescription Drug and Modernization Act The bill would privatize Medicare and fails to provide reliable, affordable coverage for beneficiaires.
	California Ephedra Ban Faces Critical Vote in State Legislature A California Assembly cmmittee will hold a hearing which would ban the sale of hazardous dietary supplements containing ephedra.
	CU President Praises Verizon Announcement Cell phone users have been clamoring for the freedom to change wireless carriers without the hassle of losing their wireless phone number
June 23, 2003	New Texas Law To Help Combat Identity Theft The Governor signed legislation to fight the growing epidemic of identity theft
June 20, 2003	Association Health Plans Bill Shortchanges Working Americans CU believes that small business employees need better health care options, but H.R. 660 is not the solution
June 19, 2003	CU Praises Vote To Overturn FCC Media Ownership Rules CU's Gene Kimmelman praised the Senate Commerce Committee for its vote to overrule the Federal Communications Commission's decision to deregulate media ownership.
	CU supports "Ease of Use" Child Safety Seat Ratings CU joined the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in announcing a new system to rate the ease of installing child safety seats to improve safety and encourage manufacturers to make more user-friendly and vehicle compatible car seats.
June 18, 2003	Continuing Violations And Quality Problems With Nursing Homes Uncovered By Three Year "Watch List" Quality of care issues continue to plague the U.S. nursing home industry, with many nursing homes being cited repeatedly for violations that may put residents at serious risk
	What the Texas Governor Isn't Telling Us Are Texas consumers better off?
June 17, 2003	CU Testifies Before Congress Regarding the News Corp./DirecTV Merger Given the current concentration in the media marketplace, CU believes that the proposed merger between network and cable giant News Corp. and DirecTV will further increase prices for consumers
	CU Urges Congress to Oppose the Small Business Health Fairness Act CU is committed to helping ensure that consumers receive affordable, high-quality health care and join members of Congress in seeking workable solutions.
	CU Supports Consumer Product Safety Commission Reauthorization CU called on Congress to re-authorize the CPSC, with changes in the Commission's authority to get the public more product safety information.
	CU Concerns Over Abusive Practices at Ernst & Young Ernst & Young practices undermine the recently adopted requirement that audit committees pre-approve non-audit services.
	CU issues report on Medicare prescription drug legislation Consumer expectations will not be met, according to a CU analysis
June 16, 2003	CU Urges California Lawmakers to Ban Ephedra CU was among the first to warn the public about the dangers of the dietary supplement ephedra
	Senate letter Regarding Wireless Industry's Request For Delay Of Wireless Portability Wireless LNP makes it easy for customers to take their business elsewhere when they are dissatisfied with the quality of the service offered
	Groups Urge Congress to Oppose Wireless Industry's Request for Further Delay of Wireless Number Portability The end result is increased competition and greater customer satisfaction.
June 14, 2003	Insurance 'Reform' Misses the Mark in Texas Groups are calling the Texas Governor signing of insurance reform legislation a missed opportunity for Texas homeowners
June 11, 2003	CU Supports "The Auditor Independence and Tax Shelters Act" The bill would shore up the auditor independence reforms of last year’s landmark corporate reform legislation
	CU Statement Regarding the "Class Action Fairness Act" CU believes that the bill is blatantly unfair to consumers
June 09, 2003	Groups Charge Audit Firm with Undermining Key Auditor Independence Reform At least one of the Big Four audit firms is exploiting loopholes in the recently adopted auditor independence rules
June 05, 2003	CU comments to the CPSC on all-terrain vehicles Between 1993 and 2001, the number of injuries caused by ATV-related accidents more than doubled, with 111,700 ATV accidents occurring in 2001.
	Opposition Letter to the House Regarding The Class Action Fairness Act of 2003 Despite its name, we believe that the bill is unfair to consumers
June 04, 2003	Summary of California Bill on Financial Privacy This bill protects consumers by giving consumers control over their personal financial information
June 03, 2003	CU Launches Campaign to Overturn FCC Rule Changes CU has launched a campaign to help marshal the diverse interests across the political spectrum who want to make sure that localism, diversity and competition are preserved.
	House Letter Regarding the Class Action Fairness Act Professors of constitutional law, civil procedure, and other subjects, at law schools across the nation wrote a letter discussing their concerns over the so-called "Class Action Fairness Act".
June 02, 2003	Building for a Healthy Future Sustaining school-based enrollment in health insurance programs
June 01, 2003	FCC Loosens Media Ownership Rules The FCC has ignored its obligation to ensure that healthy civic discourse is not threatened by corporate media monopolization

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