Entries by Lisa McDonald

NCL applauds West Virginia lawmakers for food dye/additives ban bill 

March 19, 2025 in , , /by

March 19, 2025: Washington, DC – The National Consumers League (NCL) applauds West Virginia lawmakers for the passage of House Bill 2354. This bipartisan legislation amends the State Code regarding adulterated food and drugs, banning harmful food additives and dyes in processed food products sold in the state. Among the banned substances are Red Dye No. 3, Yellow Dye No. 5, Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA), Propylparaben, Red Dye No. 40, Yellow Dye No. 6, Blue Dye No. 1, Blue Dye No. 2, and Green Dye No. 3 – all deemed unsafe for consumption. 

NCL condemns illegal firings of FTC commissioners 

March 18, 2025 in , , , , , , /by

March 18, 2025 “Consumer protection work is not a partisan game,” said NCL Vice President of Public Policy, Telecommunications, and Fraud John Breyault. “With consumers losing more than $150 billion to fraud each year, we need consistent and reliable watchdogs at our law enforcement agencies. The firing of dedicated public servants because they belong to the wrong political party will make the FTC’s work even harder. NCL unequivocally condemns these firings.”

New legislation to protect fraud victims from tax penalties 

March 17, 2025 in , , /by

March 21, 2025: Washington, DC – The National Consumers League (NCL) is appreciative of Representative Haley Stevens’s (D-MI) proposed legislation designed to protect fraud victims from being unfairly taxed when they are forced to tap into their 401(k)s early due to fraudulent schemes. Fraud prevention and consumer protection are central to NCL’s mission, and we strongly support this critical step in ensuring that fraud victims are not penalized further. 

NCL sounds alarm over measles outbreak, calls for stronger immunization leadership

March 13, 2025 in , , /by

March 13, 2025: Washington, DC — As of this week, there are a total of 223 cases of measles in western Texas, and it is spreading to neighboring counties in New Mexico and Oklahoma. Yet, recently confirmed Secretary of U.S. Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy is not actively pushing for Americans to get immunized. The National Consumers League (NCL) stands firmly on the side of science and evidence-based medicine.  In February, we expressed concern over his appointment, and now we are witnessing the significant risk to Americans’ health and well-being we previously stated. 

NCL opposes effort to shutter ED and defund education 

March 12, 2025 in , , /by

March 12, 2025: Last night, the Trump Administration began firing almost half of the U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) staff and kicked employees out of the DC office. President Trump and Education Secretary McMahon have made clear that this is only the beginning of their efforts to shut down ED entirely. With these most recent firings, ED is down to approximately 2,000 employees to handle a massive portfolio that includes administering billions of dollars in funding for rural and low-income public schools across the nation.

NCL joins 300+ organizations to oppose the dismantling of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau   

March 7, 2025 in /by

March 7, 2025: Washington, DC – Next week, the National Consumers League (NCL) will join hundreds of consumer advocates and constituents from 45 states to urge lawmakers to support a strong and independent Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Since its creation in 2011, the CFPB has recovered more than $21 billion for consumers who have been harmed by corporate greed and fraud. Cutting the CFPB would leave millions of hard-working Americans vulnerable to scams and other illegal conduct. 

NCL urges lawmakers to protect oversight of payment apps  

March 5, 2025 in , , /by

March 5, 2025: Washington, DC – The National Consumers League (NCL) is calling on lawmakers to vote in favor of maintaining the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) larger participants rule, which establishes much-needed oversight of companies that offer services like digital wallets and payment apps—such as Zelle and Apple Pay—and ensures they are properly regulated. The rule protects consumers, making sure that all forms of payment, whether provided by traditional banks or nonbank companies, are secure and trustworthy.   

NCL statement on Steven Bradbury committee vote

February 27, 2025 in , /by

February 27, 2025: Washington, DC – Today, the U.S. Senate Commerce committee approved Steven Bradbury for Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation, sending his nomination to the Senate floor. The National Consumers League (NCL) is urging Bradbury to commit to using the position to support critical safety and consumer protection initiatives at DOT.     

NCL supports new legislation to combat crypto ATM fraud  

February 26, 2025 in , , /by

February 26, 2025: Washington, DC – The National Consumer League (NCL) expresses strong support for the Crypto ATM Fraud Prevention Act introduced by Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL). This critical legislation aims to protect consumers from rising scams involving cryptocurrency ATMs. The minimal regulation of these machines, combined with the anonymity and irreversibility of cryptocurrency transactions, makes crypto ATMs a preferred tool for scammers.