NCL hails bipartisan committee vote on TICKET act

Media Contact: Lisa McDonald, Vice President of Communication’s, 202-207-2829

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League today applauded the House Energy and Commerce committee for its overwhelming and bipartisan vote to approve the TICKET Act (H.R. 1402). The TICKET Act would, for the first time in history, ensure accountability and fairness in live event ticketing across the United States. The bill, which passed the U.S. House last Congress 388-24, was recently reported unanimously out of the Senate Commerce Committee. The bill has previously received support from nearly every stakeholder in the live event ecosystem, including consumer organizations, free-market advocates, venues, artists, primary and secondary ticketing platforms, and more than 37,000 individual fans.

“The TICKET Act is the result of a hard-negotiated, bipartisan compromise that reflects the reality that the modern live event ticket-buying experience is an exercise in frustration for millions of consumers,” said John Breyault, National Consumers League Vice President of Public Policy, Telecommunications & Fraud. “This bill is the solution that millions of fans have been seeking to finally get rid of hidden junk fees, crack down on predatory ticket resale practices, and guarantee refunds in the event of event postponements and cancellations. We thank Representatives Guthrie, Pallone, Bilirakis, and Schakowsky for their continued support for the TICKET Act and we urge the full House to once again swiftly pass this common sense, bipartisan, consumer protection bill.”

Key provisions of the TICKET Act include:

  • Banning hidden junk fees through all-in pricing requirements;
  • Prohibiting speculative ticketing and other deceptive resale practices;
  • Requiring refunds for canceled and postponed events; and
  • Commissioning an FTC study on enforcement of the BOTS Act.

The TICKET Act’s provisions are strongly supportive of President Trump’s March 31 Executive Order on “Combating Unfair Practices in the Live Entertainment Industry.” Specifically, the bill addresses the Order’s directive to “protect fans from exploitative ticket scalper practices,” “[e]nsure price transparency at all stages of the ticket-purchase process, including the secondary ticketing market,” and “bring commonsense reforms to America’s live entertainment ticketing industry.”

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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.

Historic victory for human rights: DC mayor signs child marriage ban into law   

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

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League (NCL) celebrates the successful passage of the Child Marriage Prohibition Amendment Act of 2024, following the 30-day congressional review period and the signing of the legislation by Mayor Muriel Bowser of Washington, DC. This landmark law, introduced by Councilmember Brooke Pinto, now officially prohibits marriage under the age of 18 in the District of Columbia, with no exceptions.    

“This is a historic moment for DC and beyond—Mayor Bowser and Councilmember Pinto’s unwavering leadership sends a powerful message that child marriage will not be tolerated,” said Reid Maki, Director of Child Labor Advocacy at the National Consumers League and Coordinator of the Child Labor Coalition. “This law provides much-needed protection for vulnerable youth, preventing the devastating consequences of early marriage and ensuring young people have the opportunity to grow, thrive, and make their own life decisions.”  

With this new law, Washington, DC, has joined the growing list of U.S. states and territories that have taken a strong stand against child marriage, protecting minors from the harmful and often devastating effects of early marriage. This victory represents a significant milestone in the global movement for the protection of girls’ and women’s human rights. The new law effectively ends child marriage in Washington, DC, following a troubling rise in cases in the city. This legislation represents a step in the right direction, reinforcing the importance of safeguarding children from the social, emotional, and health risks of early marriage.   

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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.   

Advocates: Congress must step up and demand answers on attempted FTC firings 

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

Washington, DC — Today, the National Consumers League and 24 other public interest organizations urged leaders of the House Energy and Commerce and Senate Commerce committees to investigate President Trump’s attempt to fire half of the commissioners at the Federal Trade Commission. The groups also urged the Senate to freeze President Trump’s nomination of Mark Meador to be the newest commissioner at the FTC until Commissioners Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Slaughter regain full and permanent access to their Senate-confirmed positions. 

“The president’s actions are harmful and illegal,” said NCL Vice President of Public Policy, Telecommunications, and Fraud John Breyault. “The Commission’s common sense, non-partisan work of cracking down on scammers and protecting children’s privacy cannot move forward without a fully functional FTC. Attempting to remove Commissioners Bedoya and Slaughter from the agency directly impedes the Commission’s ability to protect the American public.” 

Just one week before the attempted firings, the FTC reported a 25% increase in year-over-year reported dollar losses to scammers. As a critical law enforcement agency responsible for protecting consumers from financial crimes and returning money for victims, the FTC received over 6.5 million consumer reports in 2024. The agency also returned $337.3 million to consumers last year—money that would be in the pockets of scammers and other criminals if the agency did not have a functioning complement of commissioners. 

On the letter, NCL was joined by AFT, Americans for Financial Reform Education Fund (AFREF), Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, Center for Democracy & Technology, Center for Digital Democracy, Center for Responsible Lending, Center for Science in the Public Interest, Check My Ads Institute, Consumer Action, Consumer Federation of America, Demand Progress, Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), Fight for the Future, Free Press, Muslim Advocates, National Association of Consumer Advocates, National Consumer Law Center, National Consumers League, New America’s Open Technology Institute, Public Citizen, Public Knowledge, Tech Justice Law Project, Travelers United, Virginia Citizens Consumer Council, and Workers Injury Law & Advocacy Group. 

The organizations’ letter to House and Senate can be found here. 

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.   

NCL opposes effort to shutter ED and defund education 

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

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.

“The Education Department plays a critical role in our public education system despite being the smallest of the cabinet agencies,” said Eden Iscil, NCL Senior Public Policy Manager. “Weakening—or eliminating—the Department serves no purpose other than to defund our schools, allow for greater discrimination in education, and eliminate oversight of the private companies we pay to manage trillions of dollars in student loans. Leaders in Congress and the states must stand up and support the agency.”

With its already strained resources, ED enforces civil rights law, distributes billions of dollars to rural and low-income schools, and oversees trillions of dollars in aid and loans for higher education. The agency’s funding makes up less than 3% of the federal budget.

ED’s resources disproportionately go to states that largely voted for Republicans over Democrats in the last election. Mississippi, South Dakota, and Arkansas have some of the highest dependency on federal funding for their public schools, while states like New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut rely the least on ED.

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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. 

Trump administration shortens ACA enrollment, threatening healthcare for millions of consumers

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

Washington, DC – Millions of Americans would be affected by the Trump administration’s attempts to shorten the Affordable Care Act (ACA) open enrollment period and eliminate the monthly enrollment option for low-income families.   

By shortening the open enrollment window from 12 weeks to just 30 days, the proposal issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) would inevitably result in eligible individuals failing to enroll in coverage. The drastic reduction in time creates unnecessary barriers to enrollment for consumers, particularly those who need time to research their options, gather necessary documentation, contact brokers, or navigate the enrollment process. This is a direct attack on consumers’ access to healthcare, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations, including low-income families, the elderly, and those with limited internet access or health literacy.  

In Trump’s first term, the administration cut outreach and public education funding and allowed short-term plans that offer subpar coverage, leading to a significant drop in ACA enrollment. This latest attempt will create further confusion and chaos for consumers seeking affordable healthcare options.     

Additionally, the CMS proposal to deny ACA coverage to immigrant “Dreamers”—young people brought to the U.S. illegally as children—raises further concerns. These individuals are hardworking, tax-paying contributors to the U.S. economy and should not be excluded from accessing healthcare plans. CMS also proposed limiting coverage for gender-affirming care starting in 2026.    

“This is a cruel and calculated attempt to roll back the ACA, undermine consumers, and restrict access to healthcare for millions,” said Sally Greenberg, NCL CEO. “By shortening the enrollment period, the administration is making it harder for hardworking Americans to find the coverage they need. Denying Dreamers access to health care is unjust, shortsighted, and could put in danger the broader community. We are disappointed by this proposal as Mr. Trump has pledged not to harm Dreamers.”   

In December of 2024 President Trump discussed Dreamers during a “Meet the Press” interview: “We have to do something about the Dreamers because these are people that have been brought here at a very young age,’ If Dreamers have the right to stay in this country, as Mr. Trump says they should, it is essential they have the same health care options available as all other Americans.

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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 the purge of the nation’s auto safety regulator

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

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League (NCL) opposes the Trump Administration’s firing of public servants working at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the nation’s principal automobile safety regulator.  According to reports, the Trump Administration fired hundreds of people at the Department of Transportation, including employees at NHTSA.

“NHTSA cannot oversee and promote automotive safety without world-class staff, many of whom have served behind the scenes for decades doing the day to day work of making the cars safer and making the agency run,” said Daniel Greene, Senior Director of Consumer Protection & Product Safety.  “Yet, in their reckless attempt to dismantle the core functions of the federal government, the Trump Administration is purging the dedicated public servants working tirelessly to eliminate the approximately 40,000 deaths and 5 million injuries suffered in traffic crashes every year.  Ultimately, the American people will feel the effects of this unconscionable action through more unnecessary crashes.  That means more death, more injuries, more broken families, and more shattered communities.”

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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 calls for immediate action on aviation safety following tragic Washington, DC plane crash

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

Washington, DC — National Consumers League (NCL) is heartbroken by the tragic crash of American Airlines Flight 5342 in Washington, DC. We extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the 64 passengers and crew members who perished, as well as the three service member aboard the Army Black Hawk helicopter. This tragedy is a stark reminder that safety must be the #1, #2, and #3 priority, above all else, in our nation’s aviation system.

This crash follows a long-standing and growing concern about the dangers of overcrowded airspace, particularly at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), home to the busiest runway in the nation. The airspace around DCA, heavily congested with both passenger planes and military aircraft on security patrols, has seen a series of near-misses and incidents. Experts and lawmakers have repeatedly warned about the risks, citing a series of near-misses and incidents—including a recent incident where a catastrophic runway collision was narrowly avoided. Despite these red flags, Congress continues to push for increased flights in this already overburdened airspace.

This tragedy must serve as a wake-up call for the urgent action. It is critical to reevaluate flight patterns, air traffic control resources, and safety protocols. To restore passenger trust in air travel, we need a thorough, transparent investigation into this tragedy, along with a concrete plan to address the underlying issues of congestion and air traffic control shortages.

“While investigations will seek to determine the precise cause of this crash, one thing is clear: we must not wait for another catastrophe to make air travel safer,” says John Breyault, Vice President of Public Policy, which has been pushing for passenger safety and updated evacuation policies. Breyault served on the Aviation Consumer Protection Advisory Committee from 2021-2024.

When speaking to the media President Trump has recklessly blamed diversity, equity, and inclusion hires —along with the last two Democratic presidents —for the crash. This politically motivated finger-pointing isn’t just misleading; it’s a blatant attempt to distract from the real issues. NCL urges lawmakers, regulators, and the aviation industry to come together and take immediate steps to enhance safety in our nation’s airspace. It is time to prioritize reforms that protect the lives of passengers and restore confidence in air travel.

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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’s lawsuit against Starbucks moves forward in DC superior court 

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

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League (NCL) is pleased to announce that its lawsuit against Starbucks will proceed in the DC Superior Court after a ruling yesterday by the Federal judge ordering that the case be remanded back to DC Superior Court from where it sits currently in federal court.

NCL’s lawsuit alleges that Starbucks misled consumers with deceptive claims about the ethical sourcing of its products. This decision comes after several months of delay caused by Starbucks’ improper removal of the case to federal court.    

“The National Consumers League is pleased that the case we filed against Starbucks can finally move forward on the merits in the DC Superior Court, where it was originally brought, after months of delay caused by the defendant’s improper removal of the action to federal court,” said NCL CEO Sally Greenberg. “This is especially important because the case was brought under DC law, the Consumer Protection Procedures Act (CPPA), and the DC courts are best equipped to hear this case.”   

The decision to keep the case in DC court ensures that the legal process will be handled under the applicable local laws, particularly the Consumer Protection Procedures Act, which is designed to protect District residents from unfair or deceptive business practices.  

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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. 

Sally Greenberg lobbying New York’s Fashion Act

The Fashion Act

Nayram Gasu, NYS Senate Majority senior counsel (left) and Sally Greenberg, NCL CEO (right)

NCL’s Legacy of Activism

It was First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who proudly served as Vice President of the National Consumers League and represented the organization in meetings and testimony, who astutely observed, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” And, in so many ways, that sentiment captures the 125-year history of NCL, an organization that has consistently said, on behalf of consumers and workers, that we do not give our consent to hazardous working conditions, inadequate wages and benefits, unsafe foods, lack of access to health care, substandard products, and discrimination of any sort.

From its origins taking on the horrific working conditions prevalent during the height of American industrialization at the start of the 20th century to its work today addressing consumer fraud and barriers to health care and coverage, the National Consumer League’s history reflects an unwavering mission to improve the lives of consumers and workers and promote social and economic justice.

Looking at the successes achieved by NCL throughout its history and tracing them back to transformative legislative and legal victories won by Florence Kelley and Francis Perkins, the linkage between past and present is evident time and time again in NCL’s work.

● Today’s efforts to make food and alcohol labeling more transparent have their origins in NCL’s early support for President Theodore Roosevelt’s consumer safety bills, a hallmark of his legacy. And, after Upton Sinclair’s landmark book The Jungle revealed the unsanitary and dangerous conditions in meat packing plants, NCL made cleaning up those workplaces a priority as well. NCL played a critical role in the passage of the Pure Food and Drugs Act and Meat Inspection Act in 1906 and maintained this progress throughout its history, working for the passage of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act of 1938, the Meat Inspection Act of 1967, and the Poultry Products Inspection Act of 1968.

New York Shirtwaist Strike of 1909

● NCL’s global leadership in combating child labor has its roots in NCL’s work from its earliest days to achieve a fair, safe, and humane workplace. In the organization’s first years, Florence Kelley created the “White Label” campaign, encouraging consumers to shop at businesses that had earned the label by treating workers fairly (also, the racial discrimination Kelley witnessed in her investigations led her to join like-minded Americans in the founding of the NAACP). NCL successfully encouraged the Supreme Court to uphold an Oregon law limiting workdays to 10 hours and scored one of its most significant victories in the passage of the Fair Labor Standards Act in 1938, establishing a minimum wage, overtime pay, and laws on child labor. Supporting the fair treatment of workers is a pillar of NCL’s work. NCL’s support for ending the “subminimum tipped wage” and NCL’s recent lawsuit against Starbucks challenging their claims about ethical sourcing are just the latest iterations of a practice that began with Florence Kelley’s “White Label.” 

Child laborers in textile mills, Macon, Georgia.
Photo by Lewis W. Hines, 1909

● Health and economic security have always been NCL priorities. Today’s work improving access to affordable healthcare and coverage, addressing medical debt, and providing expertise on medication safety can be traced all the way back to 1903 when Florence Kelley led a grassroots campaign that resulted in the creation of the Children’s Bureau. The Children’s Bureau was a precursor to the Social Security Act of 1935, which was intended to support the Children’s Bureau’s work and create old-age financial benefits. During the Franklin D. Roosevelt Administration, NCL advocated for unemployment insurance, national health insurance, and expanding Social Security to include disability benefits. NCL has been a fierce defender of the Medicare and Medicaid programs, fighting efforts to roll back health protections for seniors and the economically vulnerable.

● NCL believes that knowledgeable consumers can be more effective participants in the marketplace and that being armed with information can help people make better purchasing decisions and be better able to protect themselves. The organization’s work in this area traces back to the early 1900s and NCL’s crusading work to make people more aware of companies paying poverty wages, demanding excessive work hours, and not alleviating hazardous working conditions. Over the years, this has led to program initiatives providing consumers with education on matters like product safety, how to maintain good credit and avoid debt, and how to protect themselves against fraud. NCL’s Fraud. org website played a critical role in combating the scams that have proliferated in the internet age. Today, through its LifeSmarts program, NCL is preparing middle and high school students to be informed consumers.

Three boys shoveling Zinc ore, Aurora,
Missouri. Photo by Lewis W. Hines, 1910

● Protecting lives and safety is an imperative that spans NCL’s 125-year legacy and shapes its current work. After the Titanic sank, NCL worked with the Seaman’s Union and Congress to pass landmark maritime safety legislation. In 1911, the Triangle Shirtwaist factory in New York went up in flames, killing 146 workers who could not escape through locked exit doors. NCL’s Executive Secretary Francis Perkins was having tea a short distance away when the fire broke out and arrived to see women and girls jumping to their deaths from nine stories. Afterwards, she worked tirelessly, demanding research into building fires and industrial accidents and advocating for building safety reforms. Today, in its work to improve airline safety and mandate rear- facing backup cameras in cars, NCL is dedicated to preventing similar tragedies from happening.

● From its beginning, NCL has always insisted that the value of every person must be recognized, and that the pursuit of social justice is paramount. Before the passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution giving women the right to vote, Florence Kelley and the National Consumers League were a leading voice for women’s suffrage, with Kelley pointing out that the inability to defend her interests at the polls lowered her value “as a human being and consequently as a worker.” Over a century later, NCL continues to advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion and against any form of discrimination, applying this conviction in a variety of areas from hiring and promotion practices to medical research to access to credit and financial services.

The history of NCL and the women who led the organization is inspiring and inextricably tied to the gains we have made as a society over 125 years. Perhaps most importantly, NCL’s past successes continue to inform and direct the initiatives and priorities of today, ensuring that consumers continue to have a meaningful voice in the decisions that affect their present and future. 

Jennie Rizzandi, age 9, helps her parents finish garments, New York City. Photo by Lewis W. Hines, 1913