For more than half a century, the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) has worked  to ensure that markets serve consumers, not just powerful corporations. Since our  founding in 1968, CFA has brought together consumer organizations, advocates, and  experts from across the country to advance policies that protect household financial  security, promote fair competition, and improve the everyday lives of Americans. Today,  consumers are facing a profound affordability crisis. Families are struggling to cover the  costs of housing, food, insurance, utilities, transportation, and basic financial services,  while also confronting rising scams, unsafe products, invasive surveillance practices,  anti-competitive pricing, and corporate consolidation that drives up costs while reducing  choice and quality. These are not isolated issues. They are the result of systems that too  often put corporate profits ahead of everyday people.

This Blueprint for a Consumer-First Congress outlines practical actions within  congressional control that address these failures through oversight, legislation,  appropriations, investigations, and structural reforms. It does not attempt to capture  every policy change that should occur across government, nor every consumer issue  facing the country. Rather, it focuses on meaningful steps Congress can take now to  lower costs, increase accountability, improve competition, and strengthen consumer  protections. The recommendations in this blueprint reflect CFA’s decades of expertise  in consumer advocacy, research, and education. We offer this roadmap as a practical  framework for policymakers committed to building a safer, fairer, and more affordable  economy for all Americans.