[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 21 (Monday, February 5, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H1159-H1162]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF NATIONAL CONSUMER PROTECTION WEEK
Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution (H. Res. 94) a resolution supporting the goals and
ideals of National Consumer Protection Week, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Res. 94
Whereas informed consumers are better equipped to see
through frauds and deceptions, whether they take the form of
questionable claims in an advertisement, offers that come in
the mail or e-mail, or schemes designed to appear to be risk-
free;
Whereas the Federal Government provides many educational
resources and programs to help people protect themselves
against fraud by supplying them with information about their
options in the marketplace;
Whereas the Federal Trade Commission and more than 100
other Federal agencies have collaborated on a website,
www.consumer.gov, which provides helpful information ranging
from how credit ratings work to how to buy a new home;
Whereas the Federal Trade Commission has prepared a
collection of easy-to-use materials to enable anyone,
regardless of their existing knowledge about identity theft,
to learn about and inform others about how to protect
themselves against this serious crime;
Whereas consumers can find practical tips from National
Consumer Protection Week partner organizations about how to
make well-informed purchase decisions, avoid scams, protect
their personal information, and file a complaint online at
www.consumer.gov/ncpw;
Whereas, by gathering and sharing information, consumers
and their friends and families can be more confident, savvy,
and safe in the marketplace;
[[Page H1160]]
Whereas increasing financial literacy and information about
financial services provides consumers with the knowledge to
obtain the most appropriate and prudent options for managing
their finances and building wealth;
Whereas a 2005 report by the Comptroller General entitled
``Credit Reporting Literacy'' supports educational efforts to
increase consumers' understanding of the credit reporting
process and suggests that such efforts target those areas in
which consumers' knowledge is weakest, including populations
with less education, lower incomes, and less experience
obtaining credit; and
Whereas public, community-based, and private sector
organizations throughout the United States are working to
increase financial literacy rates and consumer protection for
people of all ages and walks of life through a range of
outreach efforts, including media campaigns, websites, and
one-on-one counseling for individuals: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) supports the goals and ideals of the Ninth Annual
National Consumer Protection Week, including raising public
awareness about the importance of consumer protection;
(2) requests that the President issue a proclamation
calling upon Government officials, industry leaders, schools,
non-profit organizations, and consumer advocates to provide
citizens with the information necessary to effectively
protect themselves against consumer fraud, and encourage all
citizens to take an active role in protecting their personal
information; and
(3) encourages people across the Nation to take advantage
of the wealth of consumer protection information that can
enhance confidence in the marketplace.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Utah (Mr. Matheson) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Utah.
General Leave
Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Utah?
There was no objection.
Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution that supports the
goals and ideals of National Consumer Protection Week. Starting
yesterday, Sunday, February 4, through this Saturday, February 10,
National Consumer Protection Week has the purpose of highlighting
consumer protection and education efforts around the Nation.
This is a worthy goal that Congress should enthusiastically support.
An informed consumer is a powerful consumer. Too often, the average
citizen is unaware of the litany of scams being perpetrated at any
given time.
Many criminals prey on consumers who have fallen on hard financial
times, promising them quick fixes to magically solve all of their
economic problems. These scams have real consequences for thousands of
Americans, and the effects can be devastating to an individual or to a
family.
However, if consumers are well informed and armed with knowledge,
they can better navigate the marketplace and avoid these financial
pitfalls. National Consumer Protection Week can help in this regard.
Sponsored by the Federal Trade Commission, the Better Business Bureau,
AARP, the Consumer Federation of America, and many other government and
nonprofit organizations, community leaders can access a Web site with
an outreach tool kit to help them educate their citizens and spread the
word.
Now, this Web site is at www.consumer.gov/ncpw. Let me repeat that:
www.consumer.gov/ncpw, which is the acronym for National Consumer
Protection Week. On this Web site, consumers can access information
about how to protect themselves from fraud.
It also gives tips consumers can use to recognize a ripoff when they
see one. Lastly, I would be remiss if I did not quickly mention that as
a new member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and specifically
on the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection, it is
my hope that this 110th Congress will be the National Consumer
Protection Congress.
This week in February is National Consumer Protection Week, but we
can do so much more in the coming months ahead. By working with
Subcommittee Chairman Rush and Ranking Member Stearns, as well as
Energy and Commerce Chairman Dingell and Ranking Member Barton, I
believe that we can instigate many reforms to empower consumers and
improve the lives of everyday Americans.
Our committee is prepared to aggressively examine a whole host of
basic consumer protection and pocketbook issues. I look forward to
working with my Republican friends in the 110th Congress on this
effort.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 94, recognizing
National Consumer Protection Week. The Energy and Commerce Committee
has jurisdiction over consumer protection and is a major component of
the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection.
This subcommittee, Mr. Speaker, has a history of being active and
aggressive in the area to address threats to bringing sensible and
meaningful changes to help consumers defend themselves against fraud
and provide the Federal Trade Commission with the tools necessary for
enforcement.
Some of the consumer protection measures we have passed out of the
committee include the anti-spyware legislation offered by Mrs. Bono and
Mr. Towns, data security legislation to require companies that maintain
protection for consumers' sensitive personal information and notify
them in the event of a breach; anti-pretexting legislation to prevent
unauthorized access to personal phone records; anti-spam legislation to
reduce unsolicited and often fraudulent e-mails; and a public law
providing for greater authority for the Federal Trade Commission to
pursue criminal activity originating in other countries.
Despite all of these improvements and new public laws and our
commitment to pass these bills in this Congress, they were not enacted
into law in the last Congress. There are unscrupulous people who will
continue to try to perpetuate fraud.
Unfortunately, fraud is often not discovered until there are victims
and we then become aware. If we want to see the biggest reduction in
fraud, we will need to reduce the pool of potential victims. We can
only do so with the cooperation of individuals. Consumers need to be
educated and able to detect and prevent fraud.
The effects of fraud are often ruinous for individuals and
detrimental to society, when we lose trust in our fellow citizens,
because those pretending to offer their services are in reality only
thieves. In a country as prosperous as the United States, our citizens
are too often the target of scams and frauds originating from all over
the world.
Mr. Speaker, I therefore urge support of H. Res. 94, because this
resolution intends to raise citizens' awareness to the problems of
fraud and calls on consumers to take every precaution to secure their
personal information.
Mr. Speaker, I commend Representatives Hinojosa and Biggert for
bringing this resolution to the floor in conjunction with National
Consumer Protection Week.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 6 minutes to the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Hinojosa).
Mr. HINOJOSA. I thank my friend and colleague, Jim Matheson, for
yielding time to me.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 94, a
resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Consumer
Protection Week. I introduced this resolution with my good friend,
Congresswoman Judy Biggert, a few weeks ago. And I want to thank
Majority Leader Hoyer for bringing the resolution to the floor in such
a timely manner.
Mr. Speaker, in addition I want to take a moment to take this
opportunity to thank the leadership on Energy and Commerce for moving
this resolution through their committee quickly after a thorough review
by committee staff, especially Consuela Washington, Pete Goodloe, and
Brian McCullough. I also want to thank legislative counsel, Brady
Young, and Harry Savage for facilitating passage of this important
resolution.
[[Page H1161]]
Congresswoman Judy Biggert and I have been collaborating for years on
financial literacy, and together we strive to provide consumers with
the information they need to make appropriate decisions.
As cofounders and cochairs of the Financial and Economic Literacy
Caucus, we will continue to reach out to the States, the local
government, private sector, nonprofits and community-based
organizations to improve financial literacy rates across the United
States, which has become extremely important in light of the negative
savings rate in the United States.
I am pleased that my staff and Zach Cikanek on Congresswoman
Biggert's staff have jump-started our caucus so early this year, and I
look forward to continuing our longstanding partnership. I encourage
all of those Members of Congress watching us today to join the
Financial and Economic Literacy Caucus to help your constituents help
protect themselves from fraud and identity theft.
To join, all you need to do is contact my office or the office of
Congresswoman Biggert. For the past 8 years, local, State and Federal
government agencies and national consumer advocacy organizations have
worked together to provide as much protection as possible to consumers
during what has been deemed National Consumer Protection Week.
They have all recognized the important role public and private
organizations play in ensuring that the American consumer is protected
from unfair practices. This week we here in Congress will finally join
these organizations in supporting the goals and ideals of the ninth
annual National Consumer Protection Week, which falls between February
4 and February 10 of this year.
I am pleased to inform my colleagues that this year's theme is ``Read
up, reach out and be an informed consumer.'' This week will highlight
consumer education efforts in the fight against fraud in communities
across our Nation.
By gathering and sharing information, consumers and their friends and
families can be more confident, savvy and safe in the marketplace.
During this week, consumer protection partner organizations will
provide practical and tactical tips so consumers can learn and teach
others how to make well-informed purchase decisions, avoid scams,
protect their personal information, and file a complaint.
Consumers can research and boost their marketplace IQ by accessing
data at the National Consumer Protection Week section of the
www.consumer.gov Web site. Some of the organizations that will
participate in this week's activities include the Better Business
Bureau, the Consumer Federation of America, the FDIC, and of course the
Federal Trade Commission.
On Thursday of this week, February 8, 2007, the Federal Trade
Commission, the FDIC and several other consumer-oriented government
agencies will host a consumer protection fair for Capitol Hill staff as
well as Members of Congress. The fair will be held in room 1302
Longworth beginning at 9 a.m. and running until noon.
Again, the fair will be held in room 1302 Longworth House Office
Building, February 8, from 9 a.m. until noon.
Mr. Speaker, I believe that this fair, orchestrated by the FTC and
Derick Rill, its congressional liaison, will provide the materials our
staff needs to teach our constituents how to prevent themselves from
becoming victims of fraud and identity theft and will help improve
their overall financial literacy.
{time} 1445
Again, I strongly encourage my colleagues to support this resolution
that will benefit consumers across America.
Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I am now pleased to yield 6 minutes to the
coauthor of this legislation, the gentlelady from Illinois (Mrs.
Biggert).
Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for House
Resolution 94, a resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National
Consumer Protection Week.
Now in its ninth year, this special week brings together a diverse
array of public and private organizations in support of one common
goal, ensuring that Americans have the knowledge and financial savvy
they need to be responsible consumers and to protect themselves in the
marketplace.
There have always been those who would prey on the unwary consumer,
be it through misleading claims or fraudulent practices. And as more
and more Americans begin conducting transactions on the Internet, or
with the use of other rapidly changing technologies, we must actively
educate ourselves against new and evolving threats.
Among the most serious risks today consumers face is identity theft.
In Illinois alone, we had over 11,000 reports of identity theft in just
1 year. According to the FTC, Illinois ranks among the top 10 States
where consumers are most likely to have their personal information
compromised. And yet, by following just a few simple tips, consumers
are better able to recognize frauds and can significantly reduce the
likelihood that their private information will fall into the wrong
hands.
In many cases, the wisest and safest consumers are those who simply,
with the best understanding, make their choices. Whether it is paying
for college, saving for retirement or shopping for a mortgage on a
first home, many Americans just don't know where to look to learn about
the scores of options that are available to them.
That is why, Mr. Speaker, in February 2005, I joined with my friend
and distinguished colleague, Representative Hinojosa, to establish the
Financial and Economic Literacy Caucus. We began this caucus to ensure
that Congress did its part, not just to protect consumers but to
empower them. We wanted to make certain that Americans of all ages and
all walks of life have access to the tools and the educational
resources they need to ensure the economic security of their families.
Today, we have the opportunity to do just that. We can join the
Federal Trade Commission, the United States Postal Service, the AARP,
Better Business Bureaus of America, and hundreds of other consumer
advocates across the country that have collaborated to make National
Consumer Protection Week a success.
Together, we can raise the awareness, not just of pitfalls in the
marketplace, but the wealth of information and options available to
consumers. One such resource, as Representative Hinojosa said, is
consumer.gov, a Federal Web site that provides one-stop shopping for
information on everything from avoiding identity theft to finding
savings at the gasoline pump.
I would like to also take this opportunity to thank my friend from
Texas and cochair of the Financial and Economic Literacy Caucus, Mr.
Hinojosa, for working so hard on today's resolution, and his tireless
effort on financial education issues.
In addition, my thanks go out to Chairman Dingell and Ranking Member
Barton of the Energy and Commerce Committee for helping to bring this
resolution to the floor in such a timely and bipartisan manner.
And finally, I would like to thank the distinguished gentleman from
Utah (Mr. Matheson) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess) for
managing our resolution here today.
Mr. Speaker, I am honored to sponsor House Resolution 94, and I urge
my colleagues to support it.
Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to now yield 2 minutes to a
fellow member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Mr. Towns from New
York.
Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, let me begin by thanking you for allowing me
to speak on this resolution.
Fraud and abuse is very prevalent, and, of course, we need to do
something about it. So I would like to say to the committee members
that too long have we allowed this fraud and abuse to go without
speaking out on it in the fashion that we should.
People are being abused. Family members are being abused as a result
of fraud and abuse. So I think that we need to send a message to those
that are out there who are doing these kind of things to say that we
will not sit back and allow you to do this.
We have people that are taking another person's identity and going
out, making bills and creating problems and creating situations where
the person's credit is bad, and when they begin to move forward to try
to do something on behalf of their family,
[[Page H1162]]
they can't do it because somebody else has done some things that they
should not have done and make this family have to suffer.
So I would like to just thank the sponsors of this resolution, and to
say to you that I think it will draw the attention of those who might
not be fully aware of what is going on. I think it will let law
enforcement also know that the Members of the United States Congress
are very concerned about these issues.
And I would like to salute the sponsors. I would like to salute the
Energy and Commerce Committee for bringing this resolution forward so
quickly because the time is now that we must send a statement, make a
statement to let people know that we are not going to sit back and let
them do these kind of things to create problems for people.
So I would say to you, on that note, I look forward to working with
the committee to see what we can do to further dramatize and to
highlight this very serious situation.
Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, the Committee on Energy and Commerce is
pleased to bring to the floor H. Res. 94, supporting the goals and
ideals of National Consumer Protection Week. We commend Representatives
Hinojosa and Biggert for authoring the resolution.
Under Rule X, the Committee on Energy and Commerce is the authorizing
Committee for the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Federal
Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC, which administers over 40 Federal
statutes under our purview, is the lead Federal consumer protection
agency. The FTC also administers a handful of financial consumer
protection laws such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Truth in
Lending Act, and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. This has been and
remains an effective model.
The Committee that I am honored to lead has a long and proud
tradition of consumer protection. It has mandated and overseen major
initiatives to rid the markets of unsafe, and in some cases deadly,
children's toys and other products.
It has taken legislative action to establish the national Do Not Call
List, a giant step forward in lessening annoying telemarketing calls to
consumer homes. It also has responsibility for the CAN-SPAM law aimed
at curbing the volume of junk e-mail polluting and slowing down
Internet commerce.
It is the lead Committee on privacy. Two of our Members, Ranking
Member Joe Barton and Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the
Internet Chairman Ed Markey, are co-founders of the Privacy Caucus.
Together, we wrote the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability
Act that protects the most intimate details of American lives. We have
begun bipartisan discussions with the Committee on Ways and Means for
the design and operation of privacy and security protections for
groundbreaking health information technology legislation that we hope
to have enacted in this Congress. We authored the privacy provisions of
the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act that protect financial information.
Later this week, we will be reintroducing four major privacy bills--
legislation regarding spyware, pretexting, data security, and Social
Security number protection--that were reported unanimously by the
Committee on Energy and Commerce in the 109th Congress (and in the case
of spyware, passed the House). We intend to resolve jurisdictional
issues with other Committees where they exist. We will also continue to
work with consumer groups, technology experts, and industry groups to
enact protections that are the most effective possible for both
consumers and businesses.
We work hard to live the goals of National Consumer Protection Week.
All too often the marketplace takes on the Darwinian tone of ``survival
of the fittest'' with John Q. Public trampled in the process. It is
fitting that we reflect on our responsibility to ensure transparency
and fair treatment in the marketplace for the people who elect us. We
salute the FTC, the Better Business Bureau, and consumer groups for
their hard work all year-round on behalf of the American consumer. The
Committee on Energy and Commerce intends to continue to live up to its
reputation for fair and balanced laws and vigorous oversight on
consumer protection issues. In the words of the Beatitudes: ``Blessed
are they who hunger and thirst for what is right for they shall be
satisfied.''
Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 94, a
resolution supporting the goals and ideals of the Ninth Annual National
Consumer Protection Week to highlight the importance of consumer
protection, and I thank the Gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hinojosa) for
introducing it.
This resolution is important because it calls on governmental
officials, industry leaders, schools, nonprofit organizations, and
consumer advocates to provide citizens with valuable information and
because it encourages the American people to utilize consumer
protection information that is made available to them.
I hope that this message resonates in my home State of California
because our students are in the midst of a consumer crisis. Unless the
State acts expeditiously, the consumer protection statute and the
agency responsible for protecting postsecondary students from
fraudulent institutions whose misrepresentations cause them to default
on tens of thousands of dollars in Federal student loans will expire on
June 30, 2007. The statute set to expire is called the Private
Postsecondary and Vocational Education Act and it authorizes a
regulatory and enforcement bureau to scrutinize institutions that
receive Federal higher education funds.
In the 1980s and 1990s, numerous abuses by unlawful institutions cost
taxpayers billions of dollars in defaulted student loan debt--in fact,
there was $3.2 billion in defaulted student loans in 1992 alone. More
recently, in August and October 2006, two San Diego trade schools
closed without notice to its students, setting 400 to 800 of them on
the path to default on Federal and private student loans--many totaling
$20,000 or more per student--with no education to justify it.
I hope that the State of California sees passage of this important
resolution as Congress' call to take whatever measures necessary to
uphold the consumer rights of the American people and works quickly to
reauthorize the Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education Act. I
urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I yield back
the balance of my time.
Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Speaker, I just want to acknowledge the leadership
of Mr. Hinojosa and Mrs. Biggert on this issue; thank them for their
leadership.
Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Utah (Mr. Matheson) that the House suspend the rules and
agree to the resolution, H. Res. 94, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those voting have responded in the affirmative.
Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this question will
be postponed.
____________________