U.S. PIRG applauds Biden Administration’s actions on medical debt
Our statement on Vice President Kamala Harris' announced reforms to reduce the impact of medical debt on Americans’ finances.
Media Releases
EPA takes an important step to ban carcinogenic asbestos
EPA announced today new steps to ban chrysotile asbestos, the most common of six types of asbestos. Exposure to chrysotile and the other five types of asbestos can cause mesothelioma, a rare cancer of the chest and stomach lining, lung cancer and asbestosis, which causes permanent lung damage.
Banks, Credit Unions and Consumer Groups Call for Passage of Bipartisan Solution to Close ILC Loophole
U.S. PIRG joined leading consumer and bank trade groups to urge Congress to enact the bi-partisan HR5912, to close the Industrial Loan Company (ILC) loophole that threatens the banking system.
Consumer Groups Commend GM Commitment To Ensure Used Cars It Sells On New Platform Are Free from Unrepaired Safety Recall Defects
Coalition: U.S. PIRG, Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety, the Center for Auto Safety and the Consumer Federation of America - safety groups that are usually at odds with auto manufacturers - today publicly commended General Motors for the auto giant’s recently announced commitment not to sell used vehicles with unrepaired safety recall defects on its soon-to-be-launched used car platform, CarBravo. Too many car dealers sell dangerous recalled used vehicles.
Burger King commits to eliminating toxic “forever chemicals” in food packaging globally
Restaurant Brands International (RBI), parent company of Burger King, Tim Hortons and Popeyes, announced Wednesday evening a new global commitment to eliminate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food packaging used in its restaurants by 2025.
Panelist discussion offers insights on the future of ‘Superfund’ funding
The U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) and the Environmental Protection Network (EPN) hosted a webinar panel on Friday that celebrated the reinstatement of the “polluter pays'' tax that will help fund the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) “Superfund” toxic waste cleanup program over the next decade.
Release: As bills from 2022 medical care arrive in mailboxes, patients should know their rights
Patients who received medical care in January and February are starting to receive their medical bills for those services. That’s why, in recognition of National Consumer Protection Week, it’s timely to remind people to check their bills carefully and make sure they know their new legal protections against surprise billing.
The hidden costs of ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’
U.S. PIRG reviewed data from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and found that the most common complaints about “Buy Now, Pay Later” plans include hidden fees, high interest rates and problems when it comes time for debt collection.
Predatory Loans for Puppies Must be Stopped, Say Consumer and Animal Welfare Advocates
In advance of National Love Your Pet Day on February 20, U.S. PIRG and other members of the Stop the Debt Trap coalition are teaming up with animal welfare advocates to launch a campaign to stop TAB Bank from making predatory puppy loans, many of which go to buy puppies from puppy mills.
Bipartisan bill fixes copyright restrictions on Right to Repair
AUSTIN -- If Congress passes a new bipartisan bill unveiled Wednesday, Americans will be able to fix their broken stuff without worrying that the companies that made those products will sue them. The Right to Repair Act of 2022, which Reps. Mondaire Jones (D-NY) and Victoria Spartz (R-IN), would end an unintended consequence of an outdated copyright law that outlaws certain types of repair and repair tools. The 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) makes it a crime to bypass digital security locks. Manufacturers can place repair functions behind these digital locks, which makes fixing the product you bought from them and own, in effect, a copyright violation -- everything from tablets to tractors.