Topics in this issue: What’s at Stake for Consumers if “Chevron Deference” is Overturned Affordable Housing and the Federal Home Loan Bank System SEC’s Final SPAC Rule Reflects Important Change Advocated for by CFA District of Columbia’s Insurance Regulators Can Take Action to Help Consumers Amidst Rising Insurance Costs
We faced a parental quandary recently. One of our daughters joined a Girl Scout troop, and Girl Scouts are expected to sell cookies. “How many boxes of cookies would we like to sell?” Our answer: zero. I joked to friends that I did not want the kids selling cigarettes either. Of course, eating Girl Scout … Continued
Few Americans have ever heard about Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLBanks). Even many housing advocates continue to have questions about the inner workings of this government-sponsored enterprise. Last year, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), the federal agency that regulates the FHLBank system, started soliciting feedback on this system from stakeholders and experts from across … Continued
As Super Bowl Sunday quickly approaches, Consumer Federation of America (CFA) reminds consumers that TVs continue to pose a serious, potentially fatal risk to children. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) released a report on February 8, 2024, regarding tip-over injuries and fatalities associated with TVs, furniture, and appliances. The report illustrates the gravity of … Continued
In 1984, a unanimous U.S. Supreme Court decided Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., allowing the Reagan Administration to interpret the Clean Air Act in a manner that eased restrictions on big polluters. More importantly, the case established a legal doctrine—Chevron deference—that instructs courts to rely on the judgment of government agencies … Continued
Topics in this issue: Bog Series on the Final FTC CARS Rule New Real Estate Report Finds Nearly Half of Agents Sold No or One House This Year Another Devastating Year for Off-Highway Vehicle Riders and Occupants: 2023 Fatality Data CFA Applauds the CFPB for New Overdraft Rule
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently adopted rules to strengthen investor protections in the Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) market. CFA applauds the SEC for taking these important steps to protect investors, enhance transparency, and improve market integrity. Moreover, CFA commends the SEC for strengthening the final version of this rule to bring SPACs … Continued
Affordable insurance is a necessity for consumers so they can protect themselves against accidents and disasters. But too often, insurance is expensive or unaffordable for consumers, who struggle to pay their premiums and find basic coverage. Yesterday morning, Consumer Federation of America (CFA), along with several other advocates, called on the District of Columbia Council’s … Continued
The FTC has made clear in recent years that it is prioritizing cracking down on fraud in auto sales and financing. Last week, the Commission published its final Combating Auto Retail Scams (CARS) Rule in the Federal Register, marking the next step in the agency’s journey toward leveling the playing field for car buyers. The Rule … Continued
Every year, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine publishes influential reports on topics ranging from climate change to traffic safety to social media and adolescent health. The National Academies enjoys a fairly sterling reputation, with few questioning its self-described role of providing “independent, objective advice to inform policy with evidence, spark progress and … Continued
The FTC has made clear in recent years that it is prioritizing cracking down on fraud in auto sales and financing. Last week, the Commission published its final Combating Auto Retail Scams (CARS) Rule in the Federal Register, marking the next step in the agency’s journey toward leveling the playing field for car buyers. The Rule … Continued
Florida’s insurance market has been troubled for quite some time. Premiums are skyrocketing, insurers have gone bankrupt left and right, and consumers are struggling. But one insurance company in particular, Slide Insurance, is getting sweetheart deals from Florida regulators—and consumers are paying the price. This is unacceptable, and Florida consumers deserve better. How is this … Continued
The FTC has made clear in recent years that it is prioritizing cracking down on fraud in auto sales and financing. Last week, the Commission published its final Combating Auto Retail Scams (CARS) Rule in the Federal Register, marking the next step in the agency’s journey toward leveling the playing field for car buyers. The … Continued
On October 30, 2023, the White House issued Executive Order 14110 entitled the Safe, Secure and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence. The Executive Order (EO) is sweeping in its call for the executive branch and independent federal agencies to work on fostering the use of ethical artificial intelligence (AI). One of the purposes … Continued
Topics in this issue: Major Retailers Agree to Stop Sale of Water Beads to Children Micah Hauptman Testifies before the U.S. Department of Labor Retirement Security Proposal Hearing CFA and Consumer Advocates Applaud FTC for Moving Forward with CARS Rule The Townstone Case Imperils Fair Lending Law
Parent advocates, consumer groups, and lawmakers have sounded the alarm over the risks associated with water beads. Now, some major retailers have announced that they will prohibit the sale of water beads for children. Specifically, Amazon introduced a new policy that will stop the sale of water beads marketed to children later this month. Walmart … Continued
Topics in this issue: CFA Hosted 36th Annual Financial Services Conference Are You Serving Natural Flavors for Thanksgiving? Unfair Discrimination in Car Insurance New FHFA Report Seeks to Bring Critical Reforms to Federal Home Loan Bank System
Senator Richard Blumenthal, a longstanding and tireless advocate for consumers, is stepping up again for society’s most vulnerable – infants and babies. This week, Senator Blumenthal sent letters to Dreamland Baby and Nested Bean, two companies that make and sell weighted infant sleep products. In his letters, Senator Blumental outlined a number of startling concerns … Continued
This week, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals has a chance to reverse a dangerous decision that gives lenders the license to discriminate. To honor the clear intent of Congress, the Court must side with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). If the CFPB’s appeal is not granted, the case could roll back decades of … Continued
More than any other holiday, Thanksgiving celebrates food. But this year, with over 42% of Americans suffering from obesity, many consumers are taking a closer look at what they are eating. Some may be surprised to learn that many dishes on the holiday table—the cranberry relish, the stuffing, the mashed potatoes, the mushroom green bean … Continued
Not long ago, unless you were a philosophy student, it might have been rare to come across a discussion of “epistemology”—the investigation of what distinguishes justified belief from opinion. That’s changed in recent years. In particular, there are lots of stories and analyses about how social media is tearing apart any notion of a shared … Continued
The Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLBank) system was founded in the depths of the Great Depression in 1932, as a government-sponsored enterprise (GSE) with a public mission to help address the greatest housing crisis of the twentieth century. Today, we find ourselves in a new housing crisis: buying a house has reached its highest cost … Continued
The ways insurance companies decide who gets to be insured and the premiums they pay have raised concerns about racial discrimination for decades, and Consumer Federation of America has conducted numerous studies about these problems in American insurance markets. Many articles about discrimination in claims handling and concerns about techniques for fighting insurance fraud have … Continued
Topics in this issue: New Report Highlights Consumer Risks and Regulatory Gaps in “Buy Now, Pay Later” Services Federal Agencies Continue the Fight Against Junk Fees By Insuring Coal Mines, Insurance Companies Are Profiting from the Climate Crisis and Then Foisting These Costs onto Consumers Voluntary Window Covering Safety Standard Fails to Protect Children Guest … Continued
Climate change impacts Americans both directly and indirectly. Over the past year, homeowners and businesses have felt the effects of climate change on their wallets when they open up their insurance bills. The nation’s (and planet’s) growing exposure to catastrophic, climate-driven risks is leading to rising homeowners insurance premiums, reduced availability of insurance in many … Continued