NCL applauds President Biden’s landmark AI executive order 

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October 31, 2023

Media contact: National Consumers League – Melody Merin, melodym@nclnet.org, 202-207-2831

Washington, DC – Yesterday, President Biden signed an executive order to establish the most comprehensive standards to date regarding artificial intelligence (AI). The following statement is attributable to National Consumers League (NCL) Chief Executive Officer Sally Greenberg:

“NCL applauds the Biden Administration for centering consumers and workers in its landmark executive order addressing AI. It is critical that the development of artificial intelligence aligns with our democratic values, preserves civil rights, and protects consumers’ health and safety as well as our privacy. Importantly, the Biden Administration has made clear that there is no exception for AI from the law as it continues to model how policymakers should tackle this issue. While the president’s order is a critical step forward, Congress must pass a robust bill to ensure lasting and comprehensive federal law governing AI.”

As part of the sweeping executive order, federal agencies are to provide clear guidance to landlords, federal benefits administrators, and federal contractors to ensure that AI does not discriminate against consumers and beneficiaries. The president also addressed the potential harms to workers from the use of AI in workplace surveillance, job displacement, union-busting, and discriminatory hiring practices.

NCL has been advocating for consumers and workers in our push for AI regulation, including requiring the labelling of AI-generated content to minimize deception to users.

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About the National Consumers League (NCL)

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization.  Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad.  For more information, visit nclnet.org.

 

NCL applauds CPSC’s vote on a historic table saw safety rule that could save up to $2.32 billion and prevent 50,000 grave table saw injuries each year

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October 20, 2023

Media contact: National Consumers League – Melody Merin, melodym@nclnet.org, 202-207-2831

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League applauds the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) 3-1 vote on October 18, 2023, to move forward towards a mandatory safety standard for electric table saws, which cause 50,000 partial or full amputations each year and cost the health care system upwards of $2.3 billion a year.

“We thank Chairman Alex Hoehn Saric for his leadership and Commissioners Richard Trumka Jr. and Mary Boyle for their support,” said NCL’s CEO Sally Greenberg. “NCL has been working to get requirements for safer table saw designs since 2008. This is a very welcome development for a product that is so ubiquitous in American homes, while at the same time posing such a grave danger of injury. Over 20 years, table saws have injured one million people.”

NCL Board member and former Executive Director of the CPSC, Pamela Gilbert, noted that this vote is long overdue. “The technology to almost entirely do away with serious injuries from table saws has been available for over two decades. Members of the power tool industry, sadly, have resisted safer designs despite many opportunities to do so,” said Gilbert. “The delay has led to hundreds of thousands of permanent, debilitating injuries that could have been prevented. It’s time for the industry to step up and do the right thing for their customers.”

NCL noted that Commissioner Trumka is seeking information from leadership at seven power tool companies, including SawStop, which already incorporates Active Injury Mitigation to prevent serious table saw injuries, as called for in the proposed rule. He seeks their views on a faster implementation period than the 3 years called for in the proposed rule. Responses to his letter are due on November 15, 2023, and will prove interesting and instructive.

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About the National Consumers League (NCL)
The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization.  Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad.  For more information, visit nclnet.org.

NCL Health Podcast Series: Amy Hinojosa, National CEO of MANA

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NCL is excited to present the inaugural podcast episode of our new Health Podcast Series under the “We Can Do This!” podcast umbrella, hosted by our Senior Director of Health Policy Robin Strongin. This month we are celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month with our esteemed guest Amy Hinojosa, National President & CEO of MANA.

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National Consumers League supports legislation to end the tipped wage in Montgomery County, MD

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October 17, 2023

Media contact: National Consumers League – Melody Merin, melodym@nclnet.org, 202-207-2831

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League’s (NCL) CEO Sally Greenberg will testify today, October 17, before the Montgomery County Council in support of phasing out the tipped wage and providing all tipped workers the minimum wage.

Tipped workers in Montgomery County are scheduled to appear before the county council today to share their thoughts about Bill 35-23. The legislation would adjust the calculation of the minimum wage for tipped workers and phase something known as the tip credit amount.

NCL believes that the tipped wage is bad policy and keeps servers and other tipped workers at the mercy of customers’ whims on tipping. NCL also supported Initiative 82 in the District of Columbia which passed overwhelmingly and is being implemented.

As one Council member in DC noted, when considering phasing out the tipped wage, the current law “is an invitation [for employers] to cheat.” According to surveys here in the county, more than a third of Montgomery County workers say their tips did not bring their wages up to the minimum wage. In fact, in Montgomery County, restaurant workers are twice as likely to live in poverty.  The bill, introduced by Councilmember Will Jawando, will end the tipped minimum wage gradually over the next several years.

Greenberg’s full testimony can be found here.

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About the National Consumers League (NCL)
The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization.  Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad.  For more information, visit nclnet.org.

 

 

 

Obesity medicine specialists, health providers, insurers and employers urged to make obesity treatment a right of all Americans

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October 13, 2023

Media contact: National Consumers League – Nancy Glick, nancyg@nclnet.org, 202-823-8442 NCOA –Simona Combi, Simona.combi@ncoa.org, 571-527-3982

Washington, D.C. – With growing evidence that U.S. adults with obesity feel stigmatized and ignored by their health care providers, the National Consumers League (NCL) and National Council on Aging (NCOA) today urged health professionals, insurers and employers to join a national movement to define quality obesity care as a right for every American.

Taking the case directly to health professionals on the front lines in delivering obesity care, NCL and NCOA used The Obesity Society’s annual meeting in Dallas October 14-17 to announce plans to provide Americans with an Obesity Bill of Rights.  Today, over 100 million adults are living with obesity[1] (42 percent of the public), yet only 10 percent get help from medical professionals.[2] An Obesity Bill of Rights has the potential to transform obesity care by empowering Americans to demand the respect of their health providers and to be screened, diagnosed, and effectively treated for their obesity based on medical treatment guidelines.

“For too long, adults with obesity have encountered a healthcare system that works against them. They are stigmatized, discriminated against, not treated with respect by their health providers, and confront significant obstacles in receiving the care they deserve. ” said Sally Greenberg, Chief Executive Officer of the National Consumers League. “This must change; we need an overhaul of the health system, and we believe an Obesity Bill of Rights can drive this transformation.”

Because this change will only happen if there is agreement on a set of basic rights that ensure adults with obesity receive respectful, timely, and effective obesity care, NCL and NCOA unveiled www.Right2ObesityCare.org, a new online engagement platform, so the nation’s health providers, insurers and employers can play a role in developing the Obesity Bill of Rights.  Right2ObesityCare.org explains the purpose and research-driven process and encourages a wide range of health professionals – from obesity medicine specialists and physicians to dietitians, nutritionists, exercise physiologists, health educators, and mental health professionals – to contribute their ideas.

Town Halls Chart the Obstacles for Adults with Obesity and Their Providers

Along with hearing from health professionals, the Obesity Bill of Rights will be informed by the insights of both adults with obesity and their health providers who participated in four town hall meetings that NCL and NCOA hosted across the country. Held in senior centers and churches in

California, Delaware, Mississippi, and Oklahoma between June and August 2023, the town halls involved more than 250 older adults, community leaders, and local clinicians who laid bare a healthcare system that is inhospitable to delivering quality obesity care.                                                        

When asked to share their experiences, older adults attending the town halls spoke of feeling invisible when seeing a health provider, not being listened to, and being treated with disdain when they initiated conversations about their obesity. At the same time, physicians described feeling inadequate to provide obesity care due to the limited time for counseling, not enough training in obesity management, inadequate coverage and reimbursement for obesity care, and needing better tools to help patients recognize obesity risks. This confirms research that finds adults with excess weight often feel unwelcome in the doctor’s office or believe that seeking help for obesity signifies moral failure. [3]

“This is a chronic condition that no one wants to talk about,” said Ramsey Alwin, NCOA President and CEO. “For several decades, NCOA has worked to empower older adults to better manage their chronic conditions. To break down barriers related to obesity, we held town halls that allowed both older adults and their health providers to relay their lived experiences. What we learned is that encouraging more people to seek obesity care requires an investment in science-based, easy-to-understand, accessible information about obesity; a healthcare system that encourages informed decision-making and patient-centered care; and effective public policy that requires health plans to provide access to the treatments deemed appropriate by the health provider, including lifestyle interventions, FDA-approved weight loss medications, and bariatric surgery.”

Mobilizing for Change
With the townhalls as a guidepost, NCL and NCOA are now leading a rigorous process to finalize and release the Obesity Bill of Rights to the medical community and public before the end of 2023. The process includes hosting a meeting of top experts to review a preliminary draft with recommendations for refinement. NCL and NCOA will also seek feedback from specialists in minority health, aging, and rural health, as well as health professionals and other stakeholders who offer advice through the online engagement platform.

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About NCL

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. The organization’s mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

About NCOA

The National Council on Aging (NCOA) is the national voice for every person’s right to age well. We believe that how we age should not be determined by gender, color, sexuality, income, or ZIP code. Working with thousands of national and local partners, we provide resources, tools, best practices, and advocacy to ensure every person can age with health and financial security. Founded in 1950, we are the oldest national organization focused on older adults. Learn more at www.ncoa.org.

[1] Hales CM,, et al. Prevalence of Obesity and Severe Obesity Among Adults: United States, 2017-2018. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. NCHS Data Brief. No. 360. February 2020.

[2] Stokes A, et al. Prevalence and Determinants of Engagement with Obesity Care in the United States. Obesity. Vol. 26, Issue 5; May 2018, 814-818

[3] Gunther S, et al. Barriers and enablers to managing obesity in general practice: a practical approach for use in implementation activities. Qual Prim Care. 2012; 20: 93-103

Nation’s oldest consumer advocacy organization to present annual awards to Former HHS Secretary and Former Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, California AG Rob Bonta, and child marriage survivor and activist Fraidy Reiss on Wednesday, October 11

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October 11, 2023

Media contact: National Consumers League – Melody Merin, melodym@nclnet.org, 202-207-2831

Washington, DC –The National Consumers League (NCL), the nation’s pioneering consumer and worker advocacy organization, has announced it will honor former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and former Governor of Kansas Kathleen Sebelius and California Attorney General Rob Bonta with its highest honor, the Trumpeter Award, on Wednesday, October 11 in Washington, DC.

In addition to the Trumpeter Award, NCL will honor activist Fraidy Reiss with the 2023 Florence Kelley Consumer Leadership Award, named for NCL’s first general secretary and one of the most influential figures in 20th century American history. Reiss is a forced marriage survivor and activist who founded Unchained At Last.

The National Consumers League is also proud to announce that it has bestowed an honorary Trumpeter Award to President Joseph Biden for his exceptional work to protect consumers and workers. President Biden’s focus on safeguarding hard-working Americans from the burdens of hidden or junk fees is unprecedented and deserves special recognition, says NCL’s Chief Executive Officer Sally Greenberg. No living president has ever been given this award.

MEDIA ADVISORY

What:              National Consumers League’s 2023 Trumpeter Awards
When:             Wednesday, October 11, 2023

                         7 pm Presentation of Awards

Where:            Mayflower Hotel DC 1127 Connecticut Ave, NW

                         Washington, DC 20036

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, has been honoring visionaries in consumer and worker protection with its annual Trumpeter Award since 1973. Past honorees include: Senator Ted Kennedy, the award’s inaugural recipient; as well as Labor Secretaries Hilda Solis, Robert Reich, and Alexis Herman; Senators Carl Levin and Paul Wellstone; Delores Huerta of the United Farm Workers; U.S. Representative John Lewis; and other honored consumer and labor leaders.

Last year’s Trumpeter recipients were U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Dr. Francis Collins, former Director of the National Institutes of Health and former Science Advisor to the President. Mary Cheh, Ward 3 DC Councilmember, was recipient of the Florence Kelley Consumer Leadership Award.

This year’s Trumpeter Awards will feature a reception, dinner, and speaking appearances by NCL leadership, honorees, as well as:

  • Susan Hogan, NBC News4 Consumer Investigative Reporter
  • Lael Brainard, Director, National Economic Council
  • Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, Administrator, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
  • Brian L. Schwalb, Attorney General, Washington, DC
  • Carol Ode, Representative, Vermont State Legislature
  • NCL Board President Joan Bray, Former Senator, Missouri General Assembly
  • NCL Board Member Jenny Backus, Backus Consulting
  • NCL Chief Executive Officer Sally Greenberg

To learn more, visit NCL Trumpeter Awards.

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About the National Consumers League (NCL)
The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization.  Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad.  For more information, visit nclnet.org.

NCL applauds Biden Administration’s continued actions to combat junk fees

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October 11, 2023

Media contact: National Consumers League – Melody Merin, melodym@nclnet.org, 202-207-2831

Washington, D.C. – The National Consumers League (NCL), the nation’s oldest consumer advocacy organization, today applauded the White House’s announcement of additional whole-of-government efforts to crack down on hidden junk fees that drain consumers’ pocketbooks and reduce competition.

NCL singled out, in particular, the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) proposed rule prohibiting junk fees and bogus charges across the economy. NCL previously supported a petition urging the Commission to begin such a rulemaking. The League also praised the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s action to bar the imposition of fees on consumers seeking basic information, such as bank account balances or loan repayment information.

“Over the last two years, the Biden Administration has championed the cause of ridding the American economy of hidden charges and promoting economic competition on behalf of American consumers,” said NCL Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sally Greenberg. “Thanks to consumer advocacy and the federal government’s efforts, many of the biggest banks have reduced or eliminated predatory overdraft fees. This Administration’s actions to address industry consolidation have also reinvigorated discussions about antitrust law and put fair treatment of average Americans as the focus of national policy. The League commends these agencies’ actions to protect consumers throughout the marketplace.”

NCL has been working with the White House, federal agencies, and partners in Congress to rein in the scourge of junk fees. Last month, NCL Vice President of Public Policy John Breyault testified before the U.S. House of Representatives on various ways to address the use of predatory fees in live event ticketing and hotels and short-term lodging. In June, NCL CEO Greenberg testified in the U.S. Senate on the need to end corporations’ “addiction” to junk fees. And in February, NCL joined 42 other advocacy organizations in comments to the FTC supporting a wide-sweeping federal regulation to prohibit the use of predatory and deceptive fees.

Today’s announcement comes just a few weeks after the FTC and U.S. Department of Justice completed the first stages of implementing new guidelines informing how the agencies evaluate whether business acquisitions and mergers would violate federal law. NCL’s comments supporting these new guidelines can be found here.

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About the National Consumers League (NCL)
The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization.  Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad.  For more information, visit nclnet.org.

The return of Striketober and why consumers should care

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By Eden Iscil, Public Policy Manager

The National Consumers League has a long history of fighting for both consumers and workers alike. Founded 124 years ago, NCL’s first major policy accomplishments included the establishment of minimum wage laws and protections around child labor. In support of these goals, much of the League’s early years were centered around consumer boycotts of companies that treated their employees unfairly.

Today, NCL’s support of workers’ rights remains just as critical as we find ourselves in another October with truly historic labor action. Two years after “Striketober,” 75,000 healthcare workers at Kaiser Permanente walked off the job in the largest healthcare strike in history largely due to low pay and understaffing. At the same time, 160,000 actors belonging to SAG-AFTRA and 25,000 members of the United Auto Workers continue to strike. The Writers Guild of America recently secured significant gains after a months-long writers’ stoppage, and UPS agreed to better contracts for drivers after 340,000 Teamsters threatened to withhold their labor.

Beyond the benefits for all workers that the presence of strong unions provides, it’s also in consumers’ self-interest to support workers agitating for better employment terms. As consumers, we rely on these employees to safely fly passengers across the country, provide critical healthcare services, and raise the alarm over unsafe food production. In addition to the harm that results from jeopardizing workers’ safety, poor working conditions can lead to indefinite closures, potentially reducing the amount of product on the shelves. In all of these cases, unions help consumers by advocating for adequate staffing levels to prevent worker burnout, securing healthy workplace environments, and ensuring robust whistle-blower protections.

Even for less perilous industries (i.e. not flying a plane or driving a truck), consumers should support workers fighting for better employment conditions if only to safeguard the continuation of their favorite products. The arts—including television, movies, and music—provide invaluable comfort and entertainment, in addition to awakening us to new perspectives, ideas, and values. Despite consumers’ intense love for these forms of entertainment, writers, actors, and musicians continue to struggle in their fields for fair compensation, something that can threaten (or at the very least, doesn’t promote) the future creation of high-quality art.

Industry has always threatened to raise prices if they are forced to pay their employees more. Consumers should understand that this is a choice corporate executives can make—but it is not the only possible outcome. Rather than price gouging consumers, companies can reduce executive compensation to offset the costs of fair wages. General Motors, one of the targets of the UAW strike, pays its CEO 362 times what it pays its median worker. Starbucks, a company infamous for its illegal union-busting, paid its former CEO nearly 1,400 times what it paid its median employee in 2022.

For this year’s resurgence of Striketober, consumers should do their part in supporting workers. Try purchasing union-made goods, shopping at worker-owned cooperatives (a directory of local co-ops can be found here while a list of large chains is viewable here), and supporting non-profit news organizations.

This summer, I dipped my toe into electric vehicle land: It was hit or miss

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Sally Greenberg

By Sally Greenberg, Chief Executive Officer

This summer I bought a new used 2021 Prius Prime. I wanted to dip my toe into the world of electric vehicles and the Prime provided that opportunity. I call my purchase a “new used” because compared to my 2007 Prius, my Prime feels spanking new. I wanted a Prime because unlike a traditional Prius, it provides an electric charge for up to 25 miles; after the electric is used up, the car reverts to using fuel, albeit a very fuel efficient 62 mpg. My friend Sarah owns one and has been crowing since she bought it about filling up her tank a mere 4 times a year because that 25-mph charge takes her all over town and home in time to recharge. So, she uses no gas. That’s what I wanted!

But I do more than drive around town. I bought the Prime anticipating a road trip at summer’s end to the Maritimes in Canada where I would work remotely and be a tourist on weekends. I wanted my new car to get maximum fuel efficiency for the 4,000-mile trip so I pledged to charge the Prius whenever I could. I wasn’t quite sure how it would work, so part of my plan was to test out how average consumers with electric vehicles were faring.  I was committed to trying, even if it only gave me 25 miles on the electric charge.

What I discovered is that finding reliable electric charging stations is hit or miss. The Prime provides one advantage: it comes equipped with a charging cable that can be plugged into any 120-volt outlet. Granted, the 120-v plug in option takes over 5 hours for a full charge, but it’s better than no charge at all.

The problem is that when you’re on a car trip and staying in roadside hotels, finding a place to plug in a car even at a standard outlet isn’t easy. When you can find one, it takes longer but has the advantage of being free.

So, my adventure began. I picked up my Prius Prime on August 18 from a dealer outside of Philadelphia and headed north, first stop Norwalk CT. I had a hotel booked, but alas, when I arrived, I couldn’t find a charger at the hotel. I tried using the Apps but which ones to use? Flo? Charge Point? Are they the same company? It was hard to tell and plus, they tell you there’s a station, but the chargers might not be working at that station. So, I figured I would rely on the chain hotels I stayed at along the route and tried to stay in places which claimed to have chargers.

On to the next stop, Keene, NH. My Holiday Inn Express had no charging stations, so I went across the street to Hampton Inn, where I had to pay for the charge, $2.00 for a two-hour session, and I wasn’t told ahead of time what the cost was. Next stop was Rockland, ME. I googled and found a charging station but only at the public library. Again, if I’m like most consumers, I want to know what I’m being asked to pay before I decide to pay it. Again, no such luck here; you flash your credit card on the display at the charging station and hope it won’t break the bank; you get a green light and plug in your car. Thankfully, again it cost me only $1.50 to $2 for the full charge.  But I had to leave the car for 2 hours and go back to my hotel to kill time. It’s safe enough because you lock up and the charging port doesn’t provide any opportunity for theft or vandalism. Advanced planning would have allowed me to see the wonderful Farnsworth Museum in Rockland while my car was charging.  Another lesson learned!

The next overnight was Bangor, ME. The hotel staff pointed to the gas station next door; a guy sitting in a Kia was charging his SUV and I thought, great! Alas, neither of the charging ports fit my Prime. That was a surprise.  I went away dejected and googled for another possibility. I drove ten minutes to the public library downtown, which I read had received many thousands in infrastructure funding to put up charging stations. The display where you put your card was unresponsive. I couldn’t pay and couldn’t get the ports working. I called the phone number on the charging station and clueless operator picked up and thanked me for the report but said she couldn’t help me. I called Bangor city hall, and no one answered, so I left a message and my phone number – it was a Monday morning. No one ever called back. So I got no charge in Bangor.

Next, on to St. John, Canada. We were hoping the Canadians had figured it all out and the hotel would have the promised charging stations – they were there but neither was working. So, no charging in St. John.

Our next stop was Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. The town is charming, and we were excited that the hotel advertised multiple charging stations; there were two and once again, neither was working. We got a maintenance guy to reset the charger and plugged in. Yes! A two-hour charge and for free!

The next evening though, we couldn’t get access to the charger because a van parked at the only working charging station from 6 pm till late the next morning and we had to hit the road. A woman in a Tesla next to me looked perturbed – she and her young daughter had rented a Tesla and had no access to a charger either. She reassured me she had another 30 kilometers of charge. But what if she didn’t have any charge to spare?  She’d have been SOL, as the saying goes.

Onto Sydney, Cape Breton, where the hotel had no charging stations, but they let us use a 120-v outlet in the parking lot and we happily charged up overnight for free.

Making our way around Nova Scotia, we landed in the lovely capital Halifax and our hotel advertised a free charging station. It worked for a change, but it wasn’t free. In fact, I made the mistake of plugging my car in overnight and waking up to a $12 charge on my credit card, even though the charge likely only took 2 hours. Again, I was never told about cost before plugging in. Another lesson learned! Don’t leave the car plugged in overnight when you don’t know the cost.

On the return to the US, we stopped again in St John for the night, at a different hotel which advertised charging stations. The stations were there, but both were out of order. A phone call to the customer service yielded no results. They took the report but couldn’t fix the problem. Again, no charge.

As the trip continued, I feel like I got smarter. Ask at the hotel for charging stations either on the property or in town. I learned to plan my day around charging – either the night before or in the morning, when I had things to do before hitting the road. If the hotel had a working station, great, I could get a fast charge. If not, find an outlet and go for the 5-hour charge. Move the car as soon as it is charged up. Working my way back to Washington DC, I used my newfound knowledge to find charging stations where I could. Several nights I just couldn’t find a way to charge.  Finally, I reached home and the relief of instant charging.

Two weeks later, I drove to see my son Durham, NC. Oh good, I thought, a town known for being part of the “Research Triangle” will be filled with techie EV owners and early adapters. I was wrong. The charging station in one trendy part of Durham was available but the chargers didn’t work for the Prime. We drove to a nearby garage where the guys said, “Sure, no problem, use our EV charger. Not sure it is working though.”  And it wasn’t. The hose was badly frayed and needed replacing. We drove all over town looking for a plain old 120 outlet outside. No luck, so no charge in Durham. So, my endless search for chargers on the east coast comes to a close.

Friends are enjoying my saga. Sally, they say, you’re only get 25 electric miles a day! I don’t care. I’m dedicated to reducing my carbon footprint and plus, it’s fun to drive around knowing you’re using no gas. That said, I would love to have a full EV, but I like to take road trips and I can’t trust the EV infrastructure and risk a car running out of juice. In fact, I don’t know exactly what happens if you do run out of charge.

I know that Tesla owners have better access and reliable charging stations, and for good reason.  According to JD Power, Tesla is the longest-running pure electric brand with about 114,000 vehicles delivered in the first quarter of 2022. Teslas also has two SUVs and two sedans, with a wide range of pricing points and sizes, The Model 3, Model Y, Model S, and Model X are apparently outselling many established gasoline-powered cars.[1]   But I can’t use a Tesla charger on my Prime because the nozzle doesn’t fit.

Plus, I personally refuse to buy anything from Elon Musk.

But other manufacturers are selling EVs, and I don’t know what drivers are doing for reliable charging. Maybe not taking road trips. Kia is second behind Tesla, with EV sales at 8,450 vehicles delivered in the first quarter of 2022.  Ford is third, with slightly over 7,400 electric vehicles delivered in the United States in the first quarter. They include the Ford Mustang Mach-E and the new electric Ford Lightning pickup has received 200,000 Lightning orders.

Hyundai is fourth, with 7,000 electric vehicles in the first quarter of 2022.

Some final thoughts on charging electric vehicles. Neither America nor Canada appears to be ready for prime time.  (Pun intended!) I was lucky to have a mostly gas vehicle. If I had relied on charging stations, I’d have been in trouble. As my tale of woe notes, they often aren’t working, don’t exist, are occupied, cost money but don’t tell you ahead of time how much, or aren’t located conveniently. In addition, NCL works on combatting child labor around the world, and EV battery production from China often involves materials mined in Congo where children work long hours in mines exposed to toxic chemicals. We support bills like that of Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) to ban the importation of “goods, wares, articles, or merchandise containing metals or minerals, processed, wholly or in part, by child labor or forced labor in the DRC.”

My experience prompted these questions.

  • despite the millions provided to US municipalities, why are so many stations not functioning?
  • Why can’t hotel chains like Marriott, Holiday Inn, Hilton and IHG guarantee working charging stations?
  • Who is accountable? The charging station companies were paid a lot of taxpayer money to put up devices that often don’t work?
  • Why can’t municipalities ensure their chargers are working? As I said, I never got a call back after my complaint to the city of Bangor.

My experience also prompted some possible solutions:

  • Require charging station manufacturers to guarantee that their stations are working and if they are not, are serviced quickly. They know exactly when a station is offline and if they have accepted municipal funds to build the station, they must be held accountable to keep it up and running or pay fines to the town or city.
  • Incentivize through taxes or otherwise major hotel chains and ensure that they build charging stations, post accurate information on how many charging stations they have, whether they are working and for what type of vehicle and what the cost will be to customers.
  • Rate the apps that give you nearby charging stations for accuracy – sure, there might be a station nearby, but is it in working order? is it occupied? Will it work for your vehicle?

The bottom line is that consumers don’t want to drive around for hours looking for working charging stations. The emphasis on building electric vehicles is admirable, but if we don’t vastly improve access to working charging stations, no one will want to own an electric car.

*Update* Since my trip I have enjoyed charging my car at daily at home and do in fact enjoy driving an electric car around town for my daily commute and errands!

[1] https://www.jdpower.com/cars/shopping-guides/what-percent-of-us-car-sales-are-electric

NCL supports President Biden’s nominee for Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration

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October 3, 2023

Media contact: National Consumers League – Melody Merin, melodym@nclnet.org, 202-207-2831

Washington, D.C. – Today, the National Consumers League (NCL) urged the U.S. Senate to swiftly confirm President Biden’s nominee for Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Michael G. Whitaker. Despite a growing number of problems under the FAA’s jurisdiction—including an alarming number of near-misses involving passenger aircraft—the Administration has lacked a Senate-confirmed Administrator for eighteen months. 

The following statement is attributable to NCL Chief Executive Officer Sally Greenberg: 

“The FAA has been without a permanent administrator for too long. Without strong leadership, the agency will struggle to fulfill critical consumer protection mandates, including Congress’s 2018 directive that the agency set minimum seat sizes on airplanes. The Senate should act to restore the full strength of the Administration and confirm Mr. Whitaker as FAA Administrator.”  

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About the National Consumers League (NCL)
The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization.  Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad.  For more information, visit nclnet.org.