Consumers Last: SCOTUS Erodes Independence of Consumer Protection Agencies

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

Washington, DC – Today, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter and other formerly independent agency heads across the government by allowing the president to fire them at will. This decision reverses nearly a century of Supreme Court precedent and granted President Trump significant and consolidated power.  

“Today’s Supreme Court decision struck down a key barrier to the implementation of this administration’s radically anti-consumer agenda,” said NCL CEO Sally Greenberg. “Never before has a president systematically removed pro-consumer regulators with complete disregard to the letter or spirit of the law. By building the legal framework to support this White House’s firings, the Court has granted President Trump unprecedented power over the administrative state. We’ve already seen this president’s willingness to misuse his authorities for personal and partisan gain. This ruling is a loss for anyone who believes the government works for the people, not just one person.” 

The Supreme Court’s decision supports the removal of some of the best consumer advocates in the nation. For example, FTC Commissioners Rebecca Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya and Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Commissioners Alex Hoehn-Saric, Richard Trumka Jr., and Mary Boyle are excellent public servants who worked tirelessly to protect everyday Americans. The president dismissed them all without cause. President Trump himself had nominated Rebecca Slaughter to the agency in 2018. 

In nullifying nearly a century of protections for independent regulators from at-will firing, the Court has taken unprecedented power away from Congress and given it to President Trump. The decision may impact the implementation of laws concerning consumer protection, labor rights, transportation safety, nuclear energy, and more.  

Additional reading: 

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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.   

The National Consumers League Calls on FDA to Determine No Clinical Need for Continued Mass Compounding of GLP-1 Weight Loss Drugs

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NCL’s Comment Letter in Support of FDA’s Proposed Rule to Exclude 3 GLP-1 Drugs from the 503B Bulks List Calls This Action “A Defining Moment” in Regulating Compounded GLP-1s

Washington, DC– At a time when poison control centers report a nearly 1,500 percent increase in calls since 2019 about overdosing and serious adverse events related to injectable compounded GLP-1 weight loss drugs, the National Consumers League (NCL) is calling on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to act with a sense of urgency in finalizing a rule that will establish “no medical or clinical need” for continued mass compounding of these medicines.

In a comment letter submitted to the federal docket supporting a proposed regulation to exclude the GLP-1 drugs semaglutide, tirzepatide, and liraglutide from the 503B Bulks List, NCL asserted that the rule, if implemented, would be a “a defining moment” in combatting the exploitative market selling untested, unapproved GLP-1 drugs, despite only covering the large 503B outsourcing facilities supplying compounded drugs to hospitals and clinics. This is because the rule will formalize FDA’s finding of no medical or clinical need for continued mass compounding of GLP-1 weight loss drugs, including so-called “personalized” compounded GLP-1 products with added ingredients such as vitamin B-12; drugs with different strengths and doses, such as microdosing; and GLP-1s with different routes of administration, such as sublingual or buccal, that have not been approved.

Additionally, it is NCL’s position that applying the determination of no clinical need to exclude the three GLP-1 drugs from the 503B Bulks List will change health professionals’ attitudes about recommending compounded GLP-s, drive more clinicians to follow medical treatment guidelines, and improve patient safety by reducing the availability of mass produced compounded GLP-1 drugs that were never intended to be marketed permanently.

“While FDA’s proposed rule is not a complete solution to stopping the deceptive marketing practices of telehealth platforms and other sellers promoting compounded weight loss drugs, a determination by FDA of no medical or clinical need for these products will be a gamechanger,” said Nancy Glick, NCL’s obesity policy lead. “The FDA should act swiftly to protect consumers from potentially serious health problems associated with compounded GLP-1 drugs.”

In support of this viewpoint, the NCL comment letter lays out these arguments, all of which underscore the importance of finalizing the proposed rule to help ensure the safe use of GLP-1 drugs:

  • Compounded drugs are not as safe as the FDA-approved versions because they may contain the wrong ingredient or no active ingredient at all, or they may contain too much or too little of the active ingredient. Additionally, “personalized” GLP-1s mixed with additives like vitamins, or sold as microdoses, have not been evaluated for safety or effectiveness in clinical trials.
  • GLP-1 weight loss drugs require medical oversight, which necessitates having a detailed label with information on eligibility criteria, indications and usages, dosage and administration, dosage forms and strengths, and warnings to ensure safe use. Compounded versions are exempt from this requirement, putting consumers’ health at risk.
  • The supply chain for compounded GLP-1 APIs is unreliable. Patient safety experts have warned that the source of the active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) used in compounded GLP-1s is often from China, where quality standards can vary widely and the API may go uninspected.
  • Because deceptive advertising hinders the ability of consumers to be aware of safety risks, consumers are unprotected from the deceptive marketing of unapproved GLP-1 weight loss drugs. As a result, thousands of Americans have experienced serious health problems related to dosing errors and reactions to harmful ingredients in compounded GLP-1 products.
  • Despite the argument from opponents that excluding the three GLP-1 drugs from the 503B Bulks List will eliminate an affordable alternative for patients, NCL counters that the alarming reports of dosing errors, overdoses, and serious reactions to harmful ingredients in compounded GLP-1 products is evidence that price should not be a factor when implementing rules affecting patient safety.

NCL’s comment letter is available here.

About 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.

Congress Must Protect the Nation’s Household Product Safety Regulator – Urges National Consumers League

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

Washington, DC – Today, the National Consumers League (NCL) submitted a letter for the record in advance of a Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee hearing on the nominations of Brien Lorenze and Karen Sessions to be Commissioners of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

“We respectfully urge the Committee to preserve an independent, bipartisan CPSC to ensure that the agency has the resources, personnel, and statutory tools necessary to protect consumers from unreasonable risks of injury and death,” the letter, signed by Daniel Greene, Senior Director of Consumer Protection & Product Safety Policy at NCL, states.

The letter expresses concerns about the Trump administration’s ongoing, unlawful efforts to fire three Democratic CPSC Commissioners.  On May 8, 2025, Commissioners Richard Trumka and Mary T. Boyle received an email from the White House purporting to terminate their positions at the CPSC.  While Commissioner Alexander Hoehn-Saric did not receive such an email, he is being prevented from executing his duties.

“This unprecedented action against our nation’s longstanding watchdog of household product safety is in direct contravention of the letter and spirit of the law, runs afoul of decades of Supreme Court precedent, and threatens to cripple the CPSC’s ability to protect the American public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with consumer products,” the letter continues.

The letter also decries the CPSC’s withdrawal of rescinded guidance and several proposed rules that protect the American people from hazardous household products.  On August 20, 2025, the CPSC withdrew four active rulemaking proceedings that mitigate risks posed by table saws, aerosol duster products, and off-highway vehicles.  The agency also withdrew guidance on the value of a statistical life (VSL), which established a higher VSL for children that appropriately accounts for society’s willingness to pay more to protect the life and well-being of our nation’s youth.

“As mandated by Congress, the CPSC has an obligation to establish standards and bans, guided by economically sound VSL, when reasonably necessary to prevent or reduce an unreasonable risk of injury associated with a consumer product,” the letter states.  “The record reflects that the withdrawn guidance and proposed rules met that threshold.  Withdrawing these proceedings, however, does not appear grounded in evidence or morality.”

A copy of the letter 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 www.nclnet.org.   

Enough Is Enough: NCL Child Labor Coalition Calls for Tougher Penalties as Violations Soar 

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

Washington, DC – The Child Labor Coalition (CLC) applauds Senator Patty Murray and Representative Rosa DeLauro for reintroducing the Children Harmed in Life-threatening or Dangerous (CHILD) Labor Act. According to recent reporting, the number of child labor violations has risen fivefold in the last 10 years. 

“Children belong in classrooms and safe communities—not in dangerous workplaces,” said Sally Greenberg, Co-Chair of the Child Labor Coalition and CEO of the National Consumers League. “At a time when child labor violations are surging, the CHILD Labor Act provides the stronger penalties and accountability needed to protect vulnerable young workers and ensure that companies putting profits ahead of children’s safety face real consequences.”

This legislation would strengthen enforcement, increase penalties for employers that exploit children, hold contractors and subcontractors accountable throughout the supply chain, and provide meaningful recourse for young workers who are seriously injured on the job.

“It should never be cheaper for a company to break child labor laws than to follow them,” said Senator Patty Murray. “Children should not be subjected to abusive and dangerous work environments—they should not be working the night shift operating heavy equipment and in unsafe conditions with no consequences. My bill would deliver real penalties, real accountability for giant corporations, and real recourse for kids who get hurt.”

“No child should have to risk their life or their future because of a job,” said Congresswoman DeLauro. “Yet across this country, children are being put to work in dangerous jobs that threaten their future while companies reap massive profits from their labor, and this Administration weakens the agencies responsible for enforcing labor laws and protecting children from abusive labor practices. Corporations cannot cut corners – especially not when it comes to our children. The CHILD Labor Act will put a stop to this by holding companies accountable and ensuring our children’s futures are protected.”

The CHILD Labor Act would protect children by enhancing the Fair Labor Standards Act to hold liable contractors or subcontractors for child labor violations in the same manner as the employer who employs the child in oppressive child labor; increase the civil penalty amount for child labor violations to $160,350—or 10 times the inflation-adjusted amount; increase the criminal penalty fine to $750,000; require any person who violates child labor provisions to be liable to each employee affected by the violation in an amount no less than $75,000; and require federal contracts to contain child labor provisions that prohibit the use of oppressive child labor. 

The need for stronger child labor protections has deep historical roots. NCL has been at the forefront of the fight against child labor and worker exploitation for more than a century. Under the leadership of Florence Kelley, one of the nation’s most influential labor reformers, NCL helped expose abusive child labor practices, mobilize public support for workplace reforms, and advocate for stronger labor protections. Frances Perkins, who served as head of the National Consumers League’s New York office before becoming U.S. Secretary of Labor under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, was instrumental in advancing New Deal labor reforms, including the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938.

 The landmark law established the first federal protections against oppressive child labor, set a national minimum wage, and limited excessive working hours. As child labor violations surge across the country today, the CHILD Labor Act builds on that legacy by strengthening enforcement and ensuring that penalties are strong enough to deter employers from exploiting children.

Full text of the legislation is available here.

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About the Child Labor Coalition

The Child Labor Coalition is a leading alliance of 38 labor, human rights, consumer, faith-based, and child advocacy organizations working to eradicate child labor in the United States and around the world. Together, coalition members advance policies and partnerships that protect children from exploitation and promote opportunities for every child to thrive. 

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. 

Nancy Glick

The Case for Ending Unnecessary Antibiotic Use in Livestock

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By Nancy Glick Director of Food and Health Policy

Chronic diseases, like diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and certain cancers, get a lot of attention from policymakers for obvious reasons. Collectively, these diseases affect more than 75 percent of American adults and drive approximately 90 percent of the nation’s healthcare costs.

But what about infectious diseases like Lyme disease, West Nile virus, pneumonia, tuberculosis, influenza, COVID, meningitis, measles, and foodborne infections like Salmonella and Escherichia coli (E. coli)? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), millions of infectious disease cases occur in the U.S. annually, causing over 23 million physician visits, tens of millions of ER visits, and many deaths, such as 45,000 flu-related deaths, 41,627 deaths from pneumonia, and 5,000 from foodborne illnesses in 2024 alone.

However, these statistics underestimate the hazard. It is the consensus of the public health community that the U.S. is losing ground in the fight against preventable infectious diseases. Not only have declining vaccination rates allowed previously controlled diseases like measles to return, but more than 30 new human pathogens have been identified over the past three decades, indicating that the number of bacterial threats is increasing.

Yet, what is most concerning to public health officials and the medical community is the surge of drug-resistant infections caused by pathogens that have become resistant to antimicrobial drugs, such as antibiotics, antivirals, and antifungals. Putting this serious problem into context, the CDC estimates that more than 2.8 million antimicrobial-resistant infections occur each year, resulting in more than 35,000 deaths. Beyond this human toll, the CDC estimated that the cost of treating infections caused by just six antimicrobial-resistant germs is more than $4.6 billion annually.

Addressing this problem will require collective action, starting with a step we can take now. Public health and medical organizations broadly agree that adding antibiotics to animal feed and water to prevent illness in healthy animals living in crowded conditions contributes significantly to the rise and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This is now the case in many livestock operations where the unnecessary use of low-dose antibiotics breeds antibiotic-resistant bacteria that multiply rapidly and make their way to humans during the slaughter and processing of meat products and when residues in animal manure leach into the soil and contaminate water sources used for crop irrigation.

Because the health of the public is at stake, the National Consumers League is one of the 65 organizations that filed a rulemaking petition with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), calling on the agency to combat what scientific journals call the “silent pandemic” of antimicrobial resistance in the U.S., where AMR often progresses invisibly and goes unnoticed.

Specifically, the petition validates the medical need for antibiotics when animals are sick but urges the FDA to take several actions to ensure the safe use of antibiotics in animal agriculture, as required by Congress. Of key importance, the petition requests that the FDA:

  • Publish a determination that the current routine use of antibiotics in animal feed and water when not associated with diagnosed illness does not meet the mandated standard of presenting a “reasonable certainty of no harm.”
  • Withdraw approval of antibiotics administered in feed or water when not associated with a diagnosed illness. This would cover “disease prevention” and non-medical purposes of “maintenance of growth.”
  • Follow the model set by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to control antibiotic use in human medicine by setting public-health-based reduction targets for antibiotic use by the livestock sector. The goal would be greater transparency and measurable improvements in antibiotic stewardship in animal agriculture.

Few actions are more important to the nation’s health than confronting the silent pandemic of antimicrobial resistance. That is why we must speak out now and urge the FDA to act. If left unchecked, resistant bacterial and fungal pathogens will make common infections harder to treat, raise the risk of complications from routine medical procedures, and cost more lives. The FDA should move quickly to curb unnecessary antibiotic use in livestock and protect the effectiveness of these lifesaving drugs for the people who need them most.

Americans Will Pay the Price for ATF’s Dangerous Gun Rule Rollbacks with Their Lives, Says National Consumers League

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

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League (NCL) is offering a stark warning about the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)’s sweeping proposal to rollback 34 regulations governing the buying, selling, and owning firearms.

While the ATF claims these rule changes will reduce “burdens on law abiding gun owners,” NCL cautions that overhauling regulations meant to protect the American public — including one loosening restrictions on individuals deemed mentally unfit to own firearms — could have catastrophic consequences for an American society already devastated by gun violence.

“The ATF’s proposed rollbacks will gut years of bipartisan efforts to rein in the gun violence epidemic,” said Sally Greenberg, NCL CEO. “Todd Blanche and Donald Trump need to stop sacrificing the safety of the American people to appease the firearm industry.”

The stakes could not be higher. Gun violence has exploded in the 21st century. In 2024, firearms were the leading cause of death for children and teenagers, while 48% of women experiencing domestic violence reported being threatened, coerced, or harmed by firearms. In an advisory since removed from the Department of Health and Human Services website, former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared gun violence a national public health crisis, citing tens of thousands of annual deaths and nonfatal injuries from firearms.

“The ATF has acknowledged that these rollbacks could increase the risk of mass-casualty events, yet it is pressing forward anyway,” Greenberg added. “When regulators knowingly weaken safeguards that keep dangerous weapons out of the wrong hands, they are choosing the interests of the gun lobby over the lives of American families. That is reckless, indefensible, and a betrayal of the agency’s responsibility to protect public safety.”

Even the ATF recognizes the dangers associated with overhauling firearm regulations. In one proposed rule change, the ATF admits that deregulation could introduce “considerably greater (up to and including potential mass casualty events)” risks for Americans. Despite this explicit acknowledgment of public safety threats, the ATF is adamant in their efforts to steamroll existing regulations.

The American people are far ahead of policymakers on this issue. Common sense gun reforms are not a partisan issue — 88% of all Americans support gun regulations preventing individuals with mental illness from purchasing firearms, while 79% support raising the minimum age to purchase guns from 18 to 21.

As The Washington Post recently reported, killings involving family members and intimate partners now account for roughly one in five murders nationwide, a significant increase from just a few years ago. The article highlights a recurring pattern in many of these tragedies: escalating domestic conflict, relationship breakdowns, custody disputes, and other warning signs that precede lethal violence. These cases demonstrate why public policy must do more than react after a tragedy occurs. Sensible gun safety measures—including extreme risk protection orders, stronger domestic violence firearm prohibitions, and mechanisms for temporarily restricting firearm access during periods of acute crisis—can provide critical intervention opportunities when warning signs emerge. As domestic killings become a larger share of violent deaths, lawmakers should view these preventable tragedies as evidence that stronger firearm regulations are a necessary component of public safety.

For more than a century, NCL has fought to protect consumers, families, and communities from preventable harm and has championed efforts to enact bipartisan, comprehensive firearm regulation legislation. NCL urges the ATF to reverse course on the proposed rule changes and ensure that every American feel safe at home and in the workplace, and our children are safe at school. Public health and safety must not become collateral damage in a political campaign to weaken gun laws.

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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.   

Ahead of World Day Against Child Labor, the Child Labor Coalition Urges Federal Legislation to Combat Child Labor

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

Washington, DC — As the world prepares to observe World Day Against Child Labor on June 12, the Child Labor Coalition (CLC) joins today with Members of Congress, labor leaders, human rights advocates, and policy experts for Combating Child Labor 2026. Hosted by Ranking Member Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, in the Rayburn House Office Building at 3 p.m., experts will discuss today’s child labor challenges and recent legislative efforts to protect vulnerable children from exploitation here in the U.S. as well as in global supply chains.

Sally Greenberg, Chair of the Child Labor Coalition and CEO of the National Consumers League, will discuss  legislation pending before the 119th Congress, including measures designed to strengthen workplace protections for minors, increase penalties for violators, improve transparency in supply chains, and enhance federal enforcement efforts. For example, legislation such as the Children Don’t Belong on Tobacco Farms Act (H.R. 3335 / S. 1742), sponsored by Representative Rosa DeLauro and Senator Dick Durbin, would prohibit minors from direct contact with tobacco plants, protecting young workers from nicotine poisoning.

“The United States should be leading the world in protecting children—not debating whether children should work longer hours, later nights, or in more hazardous conditions,” says Sally Greenberg, Chair of the Child Labor Coalition. “The answer to labor shortages is not to put children at greater risk. The answer is stronger enforcement, meaningful accountability for employers who break the law, and a national commitment to protecting young workers. We cannot allow the clock to be turned back on child labor protections that generations fought to secure.”

Dr. Ray Serrano, Director of Research and Policy at the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), will share his firsthand experience as a child farmworker in Idaho highlighting the need for stronger protections for young workers and greater public awareness of the conditions faced by many children in the nation’s fields. Few Americans are aware that 300,000 to 400,000 children work in U.S. agriculture each year, harvesting fruits, vegetables, and other crops for our dinner tables under conditions that often fall outside the labor protections afforded to workers in other industries.

Also speaking are Congressman Donald Beyer (VA-08), Jon Jacoby, CEO of GoodWeave International, and Sonia Vásquez Luna, Board Member of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA).

The discussion comes amid renewed attention to forced labor and child labor exploitation in the global supply chain as related to the international tariffs proposed by President Trump. International organizations estimate that nearly 138 million children remain engaged in child labor globally.

“As policymakers debate tariffs and global trade, we cannot lose sight of the millions of children and vulnerable workers who remain trapped in abusive labor conditions around the world. Trade policy should do more than protect economic interests—it should help ensure that products entering U.S. markets are not made with child labor or forced labor. Consumers deserve confidence that the goods they purchase reflect the values of fairness, dignity, and human rights,” says Greenberg.

The coalition will introduce The Nation’s Report Card on Child Labor, which is scheduled for release in August 2026, as a comprehensive assessment of state child labor laws, enforcement trends, and policy developments nationwide.

“Child labor is not an unfortunate byproduct of our economy—it is a policy failure and a moral failure,” says Sally Greenberg. “At a time when children are still working in dangerous jobs, and some state lawmakers are advancing proposals that would weaken long-standing protections, we should be moving forward, not backward. Every child deserves a childhood, an education, and a future free from exploitation.

The event is co-sponsored by the Global March Against Child Labor and Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA).

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About the Child Labor Coalition: The Child Labor Coalition is a leading alliance of 38 labor, human rights, consumer, faith-based, and child advocacy organizations working to eradicate child labor in the United States and around the world. Together, coalition members advance policies and partnerships that protect children from exploitation and promote opportunities for every child to thrive.

A Wake-Up Call About What’s Hiding in America’s Favorite Snacks

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By Sally Greenberg, NCL CEO

A new Consumer Reports investigation released this week left me shocked—and frankly, disgusted. 

Consumer Reports, working with the food transparency app Yuka, tested more than 120 samples of 40 popular processed foods and found troubling levels of additives and contaminants in many of the products Americans consume every day. Even more disturbing, many of these foods are heavily marketed to and consumed by children. 

The findings should concern every parent, consumer, and policymaker. Consumer Reports found that about 25 percent of the products tested contained additive levels high enough that a single serving exceeded what some public health authorities consider a safe daily limit. When contaminants were factored in, that figure rose to more than one-third of the products tested. Eleven products exceeded safety benchmarks for adults, while 14 exceeded recommended limits for children. 

One finding stood out in particular. A single serving of Hostess Donette’s Powdered Mini Donuts contained nearly 19 times the amount of glycidyl esters—a probable carcinogen—that experts consider safe to consume in a day. Other popular products, including Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, Gushers, Fruit Roll-Ups, Takis Fuego, and grape Kool-Aid, contain elevated levels of additives or contaminants linked to neurobehavioral effects, DNA damage, and other potential health risks. 

As the staff at the National Consumers League knows, I occasionally indulge in junk food. After reading this report, those favorites have lost their appeal. 

But this issue is much bigger than my snack choices. 

Consumers should not have to rely on independent investigations to discover what may be lurking in foods sold on grocery store shelves. Food manufacturers have a responsibility to monitor their products, test contaminants, and ensure that the foods they market—especially to children—meet the highest possible safety standards. 

That is why I want to thank Consumer Reports for conducting this investigation and bringing these findings to light. This is what consumer protection looks like. Independent testing, rigorous research, and a willingness to ask hard questions are essential to protecting the public and holding corporations accountable. 

The report also raises broader questions about the adequacy of our nation’s food safety system. As Consumer Reports notes, the United States often permits additives at levels that exceed those allowed in other countries, and some substances lack meaningful regulatory limits altogether. Consumers deserve stronger oversight and greater transparency from both industry and regulators. 

Food companies should not wait for negative headlines to act. I urge food manufacturers to proactively identify and address these problems before products reach store shelves. Regulators must also strengthen oversight and set clearer, enforceable safety standards. Consumers deserve prompt, transparent explanations and concrete plans for improvement when issues are found. 

The National Consumers League will be watching closely to see how the companies named in this report respond. Americans place their trust in the brands they purchase for themselves and their families. That trust must be earned—and protected. 

Consumer Reports has done consumers a tremendous service. Now I call on food manufacturers to rigorously ensure product safety and transparency and urge regulators to enact stricter oversight and clear standards. It’s time for them to protect consumers as diligently as this investigation has. 

SCOTUS Decision Delivers FCC Victory for Consumers, Says National Consumers League

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

Washington, DC – Today, the U.S. Supreme Court decided 8-1 in FCC v. AT&T that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) can continue assessing fines under the agency’s founding statute. Wireless carriers AT&T and Verizon attempted to escape liability for tens of millions of dollars related to consumer privacy violations by suing to disarm the FCC, rather than defending their business practices. NCL, two former chairs of the FCC, and five other public interest organizations filed an amicus brief at the Supreme Court to defend the agency earlier this year. 

“As our personal data has become more insecure than ever, it is critical that we have strong regulators who are equipped to protect us from privacy violations,” said NCL Vice President of Public Policy, Telecommunications, and Fraud John Breyault. “Congress made clear that the FCC’s job is to make sure that consumers’ sensitive communications data is protected. The FCC, across bipartisan administrations, has faithfully applied these mandates. This ruling affirms that federal agencies should indeed be using their resources to protect the American public. Companies should not be able to escape accountability after harming consumers by concocting radical legal theories—and luckily today, they were unsuccessful.” 

Democracy Forward Foundation provided pro bono counsel services for NCL in this proceeding. The full list of signatories to the March 2026 amicus brief are the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, Consumer Reports, the Electronic Privacy Information Center, the National Consumer Law Center, the National Consumers League, Public Knowledge, former FCC Chair Reed Hundt, and former FCC Chair Tom Wheeler.    

Further reading: 

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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.   

CLARITY Act fails to protect consumers from fraud, conflicts of interest, and financial instability, say public-interest groups 

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

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League (NCL) today along with a coalition of public-interest organizations, today sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer urging them to oppose the Senate version of the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (CLARITY Act) as it fails to provide adequate consumer protections, combat financial crime, or address serious ethics concerns. 

“Consumers have already lost billions of dollars to cryptocurrency scams, hacks, fraud schemes, and market failures,” said John Breyault, Vice President of Public Policy, National Consumers League. “Congress should not reward the crypto industry’s lobbying campaign by passing legislation that leaves consumers exposed while giving the industry the legitimacy it has spent years trying to buy. Any crypto market structure bill must put consumer protection first—not treat it as an afterthought.” 

The legislation, recently approved by the Senate Banking Committee, is being promoted as a framework to bring clarity to cryptocurrency markets. However, consumer advocates warn that the bill leaves dangerous gaps that could expose consumers to fraud, facilitate illicit finance, and permit public officials, including the Trump family, to profit from the very industry they are charged with regulating. 

The coalition’s letter identifies three major concerns with the legislation: 

  • Weak anti-money laundering and Bank Secrecy Act requirements that fail to hold key cryptocurrency intermediaries accountable; 
  • A failure to address conflicts of interest involving public officials and their families who stand to profit from cryptocurrency ventures while influencing federal policy; 
  • Loopholes that could allow stablecoin issuers and crypto platforms to offer yield-like rewards that siphon deposits from community banks and reduce local lending. 

The Senate bill arrives amid increasing scrutiny of the cryptocurrency industry’s influence in Washington and growing concerns about whether current proposals adequately protect consumers and the broader financial system. Recent negotiations over anti-money laundering requirements, ethics provisions, and stablecoin rewards underscore the unresolved issues that remain before the legislation reaches the Senate floor. 

“Americans deserve financial innovation that is safe, transparent, and accountable,” Breyault added. “Instead, the CLARITY Act asks consumers to trust an industry that continues to generate enormous losses from scams and fraud while failing to close critical loopholes involving illicit finance and political corruption. Congress should not give this industry a congressional seal of approval until those problems are addressed.” 

The coalition includes the National Consumers League, American Economic Liberties Project, Americans for Financial Reform, Consumer Action, Consumer Federation of America, Consumer Federation of California, Demand Progress Action, Indivisble, National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC), the National Consumer Law Center (on behalf of its low-income clients), and Public Citizen. 

The full letter is available 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 www.nclnet.org.