[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 3]
[House]
[Pages 3067-3070]
[From the U.S. 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;
       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

[[Page 3068]]

     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.
  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,

[[Page 3069]]

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

[[Page 3070]]

something on behalf of their family, 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.

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