House votes for fair ticketing: TICKET Act advances with broad bipartisan support 

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Media Contact: Lisa McDonald, Vice President of Communications, 202-207-2829  

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League (NCL) praises the U.S. House of Representatives for its overwhelming and bipartisan vote to pass the TICKET Act (H.R. 1402)—a critical step toward reforming the broken live event ticketing market. 

“The House has once again made clear: consumers deserve transparency and fairness when buying event tickets,” said John Breyault, NCL VP of Public Policy, Telecommunications and Fraud. “This legislation puts an end to hidden fees and deceptive resale practices that have cheated fans for too long. With the House having acted, the Senate must now move swiftly to pass the TICKET Act and send it to the President’s desk. With so many live events coming this summer, consumers can’t afford more delays.” 

The TICKET Act requires all-in pricing and includes new safeguards to combat ticketing scams. The legislation passed easily in the House and closely mirrors a Senate version that already advanced out of the Senate Commerce Committee earlier this year with strong bipartisan support. NCL has long championed these reforms and is optimistic about the TICKET Act’s prospects in this Congress. 

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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 www.nclnet.org.   

NCL praises U.S. House for advancing key consumer safety and supply chain bills

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Media Contact: Lisa McDonald, Vice President of Communications, 202-207-2829  

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League praises the U.S. House of Representatives for the passing of several pieces of legislation that strengthen consumer protections, enhance public safety, and reinforce supply chain resilience. The passage of H.R. 973 – Setting Consumer Standards for Lithium-Ion Batteries Act, H.R. 1442 – Youth Poisoning Protection Act, and H.R. 2444 – Promoting Resilient Supply Chains Act of 2025 marks a significant step forward in safeguarding the well-being of American families.  

“These bills reflect a bipartisan commitment to protecting consumers from preventable hazards and building a safer, more secure future,” said Daniel Greene, Senior Director, Consumer Protection and Product Safety Policy. “From the risks posed by unsafe lithium-ion batteries to the ongoing dangers of accidental poisonings among children and the urgent need to stabilize our supply chains—these measures are timely, evidence-based, and deeply impactful.”  

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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 www.nclnet.org.     

Wisconsin High School team wins the 2025 Varsity LifeSmarts National Championship  

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Media Contact: Lisa McDonald, Vice President of Communications, 202-207-2829  

Washington, DC – Today, Wisconsin’s Pewaukee High School students were crowned the 2025 Varsity LifeSmarts National Champions in Chicago, Illinois. Coached by Shawn Prell, the winning team consisted of Logan Nguyen, Max Smith, Ben Varner, Texas Maki, and Landon Pungarcher.   

Joining them in the final match was the North Dakota Sweepstakes 2 team. Coached by Dave Handt and Alesha Knudson, the team consisted of Charlie Enger, Andrian Davilov, Gracie Enger, Dakota Severance, and Rhea Haakenson.   

The 2025 Varsity LifeSmarts National Championship competition featured 46 teams from 35 states vying for the national title. LifeSmarts, a program of the National Consumers League (NCL), continues to provide students with the tools and knowledge needed to navigate today’s complex, global marketplace.    

“Congratulations to the Pewaukee High School students on their victory,” said NCL CEO Sally Greenberg. “Your energy, brainpower, and teamwork truly blew everyone away. We are beyond proud of you and can’t wait to see all the amazing things you’ll accomplish next. Way to make Wisconsin shine!”   

LifeSmarts has empowered teens for 31 years, teaching vital skills like financial literacy to create savvy, market-ready consumers. High schools often miss these life lessons, but LifeSmarts ensures students are ready for college, careers, and independence.  

LifeSmarts sponsors include Amazon, Kenvue, Meta, AARP, American Express, Comcast NBCUniversal, FICO, Melaleuca – The Wellness Company, CBM Credit Education Foundation, Inc., SmartNews, and several state and local sponsors.       

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LifeSmarts: Learn it. Live it.   

LifeSmarts is a program of the National Consumers League. State coordinators run the programs on a volunteer basis. For more information, visit https://LifeSmarts.org or email lifesmarts@nclnet.org.  

More than 100 organizations urge full restoration of USDOL/ILAB programming and staffing to fight against child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking

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Media Contact: Lisa McDonald, Vice President of Communications, 202-207-2829    
Washington, DC — In a bold show of unity, more than 100 organizations have issued a new statement urging Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer and the U.S. Congress to restore essential programs and staffing levels of the International Labor Affairs Bureau (ILAB), a frontline force in the global fight against child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking. ILAB also plays an important role in expanding global labor protections, with the aim of ensuring a level-playing field for American businesses at risk from overseas manufacturing that relies on exploited labor.
In late March, the Trump Administration terminated more than $500 million in ILAB grant programs. The Bureau is now bracing for catastrophic staff reductions and is expected to lose at least half its personnel this week.
For decades, ILAB has stood as a global leader and the primary U.S. government funder of child labor remediation and a major funder of efforts to reduce forced labor and human trafficking internationally.
The signatories of the ILAB-support statement include human rights, labor rights, anti-trafficking, and child rights organizations, as well as representatives of the U.S. business community. Faith-based groups and two of the largest unions in the U.S.—the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers—who share deep concern about the development of children at risk of child labor, are also among the signatories.
We are unified in our message: the United States must not abandon its global leadership role in defending our most vulnerable workers.
The ILAB-support letter and list of signatories can be found here.
A list of quotes from some of the statement signatories follows:
“For decades, the Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) has been the U.S. government’s primary funder of child labor remediation projects around the world. ILAB also funds projects to reduce and end forced labor and human trafficking and to expand labor rights to ensure that American businesses do not face unfair competition from overseas companies that engage in exploitative labor practices. Over the last 25 years, ILAB has played a leading role in the remarkable reduction of global child labor from 246 million to 168 million—by more than one third. Cuts to ILAB’s programming and staff threaten to spark a dramatic increase in global child labor.”
  • Reid Maki, director of child labor advocacy, Child Labor Coalition and National Consumers League
“The ILAB team has deep expertise in carrying out important priorities to all Americans, including ensuring that products that come into our country are made free from child and forced labor. It also works on monitoring and enforcing the effective implementation of our trade agreements. The ILAB programs provide a vital tool for our nation to fight against trafficking, child labor and exploitative cheap labor. The elimination of these grants and possible staff positions undermines the interests of workers in the United States and around the world.”
  • Liz Shuler, president, AFL-CIO
“The dismantling of ILAB grants and accompanying staff reductions threatens to unravel decades of progress in combating forced and child labor, human trafficking and exploitation around the world. For over 20 years, ILAB-supported programs have helped uphold the values of dignity, freedom and fairness by supporting grassroots efforts to ensure safe workplaces and human rights protections across global supply chains. Crucially, many of these programs were established to enforce labor provisions in countries where the United States has trade agreements. They help ensure that our trading partners live up to their commitments. Cutting these programs risks turning a blind eye to violations that directly impact the fairness of our trade relationships.”
  • Shawna Bader Blau, executive director, Solidarity Center
“ILAB’s work reflects the values of the American people and the Trump administration by putting American workers and businesses first. Eliminating all ILAB grants instead puts American workers and American businesses last, leading to unfair competition with countries and foreign businesses that are not held to the same laws and standards for labor abuses, forced labor, human trafficking, and child labor.”
  • Nate Herman, senior vice president of policy, American Apparel and Footwear Association
“Workers around the world are at higher risk of exploitation and abuse because of these cuts. Without ILAB programs, more children will end up in dangerous work that could harm their health, disrupt their education, and rob them of their childhood.”
  • Jo Becker, children’s rights advocacy director at Human Rights Watch
“Forced labor and child labor are ubiquitous in global supply chains, harming the victims and creating an unfair playing field for U.S. workers. For more than two decades, the Department of Labor’s international grant programs have made tremendous strides in combating human trafficking and abuse. That has now ended. The administration’s counterproductive decision to eliminate $500 million in funding for this work undermines progress in the global fight to end forced labor and child exploitation. We strongly urge Secretary Chavez-DeRemer to restore this essential funding immediately and to end the attack on ILAB.”
  • Martina E. Vandenberg, president, Human Trafficking Legal Center
“We call on Secretary Chavez-DeRemer to restore ILAB’s funding. Through our work and partnerships, we have seen how this funding and the bureau’s partnership has been pivotal in addressing forced labor, human trafficking, and child labor by supporting organizations in developing enforceable brand agreements in India and Lesotho, strengthening labor standards for seafood workers in the Asia Pacific, advancing freedom of association in Mexico, and more. The loss of $500 million will have crippling effects around the world and impact those most vulnerable.”
  • Kehinde A. Togun, managing director, Public Engagement, Humanity United
“Restoring these grants gives child laborers a fighting chance at an education, better jobs as adults, and raises wages and living standards world-wide.”
  • Tim Ryan, chair, Global March Against Child Labour

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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 www.nclnet.org.    

LifeSmarts National Championship Coming to Chicago April 24 through 27

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Media Contact: Lisa McDonald, Vice President of Communications,202-207-2829  

Chicago, IL – The 2025 LifeSmarts National Championship will be held in Chicago from April 24-27. Located at the Chicago Marriott Downtown, Magnificent Mile, the competition will feature 46 teams from a total of 35 states vying for the national title. LifeSmarts, a program of the National Consumers League, continues to provide students with the tools and knowledge needed to navigate today’s complex, global marketplace.  

Students compete in six competition rounds, culminating in four teams competing on Sunday, April 27, to become the National Champions.

The quiz show format has students answering tough questions, such as:

A. What is the most common way to reduce radon levels in a home? (Environment) 

B. CERCLA is the name of the federal law that established which program? (Consumer Rights) 

C. How many calories are in one gram of fat? (Health) 

D. Because clipboard data is stored in RAM, what happens to it when you shut down your computer? (Technology) 

E. What does the “Rule of 72” calculate? (Personal Finance) 

“We are thrilled to bring the LifeSmarts National Championship to Chicago,” said NCL CEO Sally Greenberg. “LifeSmarts has empowered teens for over 30 years, teaching vital skills like financial literacy to create savvy, market-ready consumers. High schools often miss these life lessons, but LifeSmarts ensures students are ready for college, careers, and independence.”  

LifeSmarts contributors include Amazon, Kenvue, Meta, AARP, American Express, Comcast NBCUniversal, FICO, Melaleuca – The Wellness Company, CBM Credit Education Foundation, Inc., SmartNews, and several state and local sponsors.     

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LifeSmarts: Learn it. Live it.  

LifeSmarts is a program of the National Consumers League. State coordinators run the programs on a volunteer basis. For more information, visit https://LifeSmarts.org or email lifesmarts@nclnet.org.    

Answer key: 

  • A) Vent it outside B) Superfund C) Nine D) It is deleted E) How long it will take an investment to double in value, based on its rate of return 

Trump budget proposal would dismantle core health programs          

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Media Contact: Lisa McDonald, Vice President of Communications, 202-207-2829       

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League (NCL) is raising serious concerns about the Trump administration’s proposal to cut the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) budget by more than 30%. This drastic move would gut essential public health protections, weaken food safety, and threaten scientific progress.    

“This budget is not a strategic approach to the reorganization of HHS; it is a slash-and-burn mentality for programs that everyday Americans rely on,” said NCL CEO Sally Greenberg. “Gutting vital agencies and drastically reducing funding for health care, research, and food safety will put millions of lives in danger—especially the most vulnerable. Especially following a mass layoff, these cuts appear extremely alarming and leave the functionality of programs like HRSA, CDC, FDA, and NIH up in the air.”         

Key proposed cuts include:   

  • Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA): Proposed cuts would eliminate this agency, which supports Medicare, Medicaid, and vital rural and community health programs, leaving millions without essential healthcare.   
  • National Institutes of Health (NIH): A 40% budget reduction, from $47 billion to $27 billion, threatens crucial research on diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s, while new funding caps could hinder innovation at universities and research centers.   
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Budget cuts would slash the CDC’s funding from $9.2 billion to $5.2 billion, eliminating domestic HIV prevention, chronic disease programs, and research on obesity and heart disease.   
  • Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Shifting food safety oversight to state agencies without adequate resources could increase foodborne illness risks and erode public trust in food safety.   
  • Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS): The proposed budget would not only shift the remaining Administration of Community Living programs under CMS but would also move the Office of Pharmacy Affairs from HRSA, allowing CMS to regulate the 340B drug pricing program. 

The budget proposal comes in the wake of ongoing changes at HHS, including the recent dismissal of 10,000 employees. It comes as part of a larger effort to redefine the federal government’s role in healthcare and social services.      

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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 www.nclnet.org. 

NCL CEO Sally Greenberg mourns the passing of Pope Francis

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By NCL CEO Sally Greenberg

Media Contact: Lisa McDonald, Vice President of Communications, 202-207-2829     

Washington, DC – Having just returned from a trip to Argentina, I am especially saddened by the death of Pope Francis, whose cathedral I visited in Buenos Aires. I have admired how Pope Francis radiated love and echoed messages of humility, humanity, kindness, mercy, and decency—qualities that have become all too rare among world leaders.

Francis was a tireless advocate for the poor and the marginalized, and his papacy stood as a beacon of hope and moral courage.

In December 2023, he formally approved allowing Catholic priests to bless same-sex couples. In a declaration released by the Vatican, he affirmed, “When people ask for a blessing, an exhaustive moral analysis should not be placed as a precondition for conferring it. For those seeking a blessing should not be required to have prior moral perfection.

On the issue of immigration, Pope Francis reminded us that “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph were emigrants in Egypt, refugees escaping the wrath of an ungodly king.” He called for the consolation of emigrants and pilgrims of every age and country, “of all refugees of every condition who, beset by persecution or necessity, are forced to leave their homeland, beloved family and dear friends to foreign lands.”

The National Consumers League joins millions of admirers around the world in mourning the loss of His Holiness Pope Francis—a man of faith, conviction, and compassion, and a friend to people of all faiths.

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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 www.nclnet.org. 

NCL sounds the alarm about the weakening of vital product safety database

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NEISS Injury Data Is a Lifeline for Consumer Protection—Now It’s Under Threat 

Media Contact: Lisa McDonald, Vice President of Communications, 202-207-2829 

Washington, DC – According to recent reports, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) will end the collection of certain injury data vital for CPSC standards, recalls, and education campaigns. 

“You can’t fight what you can’t see,” said Daniel Greene, the Senior Director of Product Safety and Consumer Protection at the National Consumers League.  “The CPSC’s product safety databases are vital tools of illumination, providing safety regulators with valuable information necessary to establish safety standards, initiate recalls, and educate the public.  Without such data, the CPSC will be flying blind, significantly harming this indispensable safety agency from carrying out its lifesaving mission.”  

The CPSC operates an injury surveillance called the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), which includes injury data from a nationally representative sample of hospitals.  But due to staff reductions at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, reports suggest that the CPSC is expected to stop collecting injury data associated with motor vehicle crashes, falls, alcohol, adverse drug effects, aircraft incidents, work-related injuries, and other incidents. 

“This is an attack on public safety,” Greene added. “From the car seat that fails in a crash, to the toy that sends a child to the ER, to the medication that causes severe side effects—every one of these threats requires data to detect, analyze, respond, and ultimately save lives. Ending this collection is not just shortsighted. It’s dangerous.” 

NCL is calling on the Trump Administration to reverse course—before a vital injury surveillance system is gutted beyond repair. 

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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 www.nclnet.org.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau layoff temporarily blocked: Court puts brakes on harm to consumers  

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Media Contact: Lisa McDonald, Vice President of Communications, 202-207-2829   

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League (NCL) applauds U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson for her efforts to temporarily block the Trump administration’s efforts to cut 1,500 employees from the CFPB.  

“The rule of law is not something this, or any Administration, can simply ignore,” said John Breyault, National Consumers League Vice President of Public Policy, Telecommunications, and Fraud. “However, the court stepping in to preserve the ability of the CFPB to perform its critical public interest work may only be a reprieve for the agency. Leaders of conscience in Congress must act swiftly to ensure that CFPB can perform its statutorily mandated consumer protection mission and continue to hold scammers and financial predators accountable.”  

In the hearing earlier this afternoon, Judge Jackson prevented the agency from cutting off the employees’ computer access, which was planned for later today, until the judge holds a hearing near the end of the month.    

Earlier this week, NCL issued a statement condemning the Trump administration for these actions, as it will directly impact everyday consumers who rely on the CFPB to be their watchdog against fraud and scams.   

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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 www.nclnet.org.   

NCL blasts proposal to eradicate the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)

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Media Contact: Lisa McDonald, Vice President of Communications, 202-207-2829

CPSC is the nation’s product safety authority, protecting the public from injuries and death from consumer products

Washington, DC – According to a leaked document, the Trump Administration is finalizing plans to eliminate the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and absorb the agency’s functions within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

“America first shouldn’t put product safety last,” said Daniel Greene, Senior Director of Product Safety and Consumer Protection at the National Consumers League. “The CPSC is enshrined in law as an independent agency with the Congressional mandate to protect the American people from injury and death from hazardous consumer products.”

Over its fifty-year existence, the agency has developed a body of safety standards, enforcement actions, consumer education campaigns, and safety surveillance and recall processes, none of which can be transferred by executive authority to a new agency.

“Should the Trump Administration’s plans come into action, our nation’s product safety net would simply be eradicated, with an unproven cop on the beat and no safeguards to enforce. The result: more deaths and injuries,” said Greene.

The draft HHS budget request for Fiscal Year 2026 proposes to eliminate “CPSC and reduces funding for CPSC’s administrative and support functions.” The proposal states that a new division will be created within the HHS to carry out the CPSC’s functions.

The National Commission on Product Safety, which was established by law in 1967, recommended that Congress enact an omnibus Consumer Product Safety Act committing the authority and resources of the Federal government to the elimination of unreasonable product hazards and establishing an independent Consumer Product Safety Commission to be concerned exclusively with the safety of consumer products. Congress followed through on this recommendation, shortly thereafter establishing the CPSC.

This small agency with a large mission has helped spur a 43 percent decline in residential fires, 47 percent decrease in fire deaths, and 41 percent reduction in fire injuries. Child poisonings have decreased by 80 percent. Bicycle injuries dropped by 35 percent. Deaths from refrigerator door entrapments and garage door incidents have been virtually eliminated. Crib deaths have plummeted by 80 percent. Injuries associated with baby walkers have been slashed by 88 percent. Pool and pool equipment injury rates have decreased by 55 percent.

Greene has warned that the Trump Administration’s unprecedented assault on the federal government could have dire effects on the CPSC.

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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 www.nclnet.org.