Entries by Katie Brown

Cincinnati to host 2023 National LifeSmarts Championship event April 27-30

The 29th National LifeSmarts Championship, the youth consumer education program of the National Consumers League, kicks off this Thursday, April 27, at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza, a National Historic Landmark in downtown Cincinnati. The four-day annual event hosts students from across the United States competing for prizes while showcasing their knowledge of real-life consumer issues that focus on the five content areas: personal finance, consumer rights, technology and career readiness, health and safety, and the environment.

National Consumers League applauds the U.S. Department of Labor’s recent lawsuit against employers that require mandatory arbitration

The National Consumers League (NCL) welcomes a lawsuit filed in federal court last month by the Department of Labor (DOL) challenging mandatory arbitration clauses that illegally require employees to repay earned wages if the employee does not work for the employers for specific periods of time.

LifeSmarts announces expanded partnership with Discover® Student Loans

The 29th National LifeSmarts Championship is on the horizon for the National Consumers League’s (NCL) youth consumer education program. Through LifeSmarts, students learn about real-life consumer issues and compete to win prizes and scholarships at the National LifeSmarts Championship in April each year. To highlight the start of Financial Literacy Month in April, NCL is proud to announce an expansion of lessons on financial aid and financing a post-secondary education and a new lesson about choosing a college major, made possible by Discover Student Loans.

NCL applauds the Biden Administration’s $11-billion budget proposal to eliminate Hepatitis C

President Biden has proposed significant funding for a historic national Hepatitis C elimination program. “President Biden’s efforts to create a mandatory national program to expand testing, treatment, and prevention of Hepatitis C is a major step forward in eradicating a disease for which we have a cure.” said Robin Strongin, NCL’s Health Policy Director. 

National Consumers League calls for accountability in banking collapses 

The National Consumers League is calling on Congress and the Biden Administration to pass long-overdue reforms and roll back the 2018 deregulations that contributed to the collapse of regional banks like Silicon Valley Bank. Absent such action, it is likely that consumers’ faith in the banking system will continue to be put at risk with negative consequences for the entire American economy.

Judge Kacsmaryk is poised to redefine the withdrawal method: FDA interuptus should alarm everyone

March 15, 2023: Here we go, again. Up until the Dobbs decision in 2022, Roe v Wade had been the law of the land since 1973. Up until today, women didn’t have to worry that mifepristone, approved by FDA in 2000, would be available as a safe and effective and legal way to end an early pregnancy.

What will happen to President Biden’s student debt forgiveness plan?

March 13, 2023: Last week, I attended the oral argument in the Supreme Court challenging student debt forgiveness initiative launched by the Biden Administration. The states of Missouri, Nebraska and four others, along with two students, are challenging Biden’s proposal to forgive student loan debt for 40 million Americans.