[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 173 (Wednesday, January 2, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Page S8663]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      NOMINATION OF JOSHUA WRIGHT

  Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I rise to register my concerns with the 
confirmation of Dr. Joshua Wright to be a Commissioner of the Federal 
Trade Commission, FTC.
  The FTC's mission is to ``prevent business practices that are 
anticompetitive or deceptive or unfair to consumers and to enhance 
informed consumer choice and public understanding of the competitive 
process.''
  Yet throughout his career, Dr. Wright has shown a disdain for this 
mission, and the government's involvement in protecting consumers.
  As one example, Dr. Wright wrote that one government consumer 
protection agency's agenda was ``aggressive and dangerous'' and that 
its ``existence is likely to do more harm than good for consumers.''
  He has also sharply criticized the FTC, arguing it has been hampered 
by ``a history and pattern of appointments evidencing a systematic 
failure to meet . . . expectations.''
  Many consumer groups are also concerned about his confirmation to the 
FTC, noting that his antiregulation philosophy is far outside of the 
mainstream and runs counter to the mission of the FTC as an enforcement 
agency designed to protect consumers.
  Dr. Wright was selected by Republican congressional leadership to 
fill a Republican position on the FTC, as required by statute. For this 
reason I did not block his confirmation, but I will be closely 
monitoring his activities at the FTC.

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