FCC drops the ball on rehabilitating America’s prison population – National Consumers League

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byoung-92.jpegIn 2015, the Federal Communications Commission took action to rein in the $1.2 billion dollar prison phone industry. Prior to this action, prisons would charge outrageous amounts — up to $14 a minute — for inmates to contact family on the outside. The FCC’s new rule limited rates to no more than  $1.65 for most 15 minute calls. Recently however, new leadership at the FCC declined to defend legal challenges from the for-profit prison phone industry to the Commission’s intrastate (long distance calls within a state) rate caps. This is a huge mistake that will hurt families and communities across the nation.

The prison phone industry is unlikely to change on its own accord. Unlike traditional telephone companies, prison phone providers do not compete to provide the lowest price and best service in order to win consumers’ dollars. Instead, they compete to see who can offer prison operators — often for-profit entities themselves — the biggest cut of the profits they make off of their literally captive customer base. These kickbacks are extremely lucrative. Arizona, for instance, receives a 93.9 percent commission on inmates’ phone service revenue, providing the state with more than $4.3 million per year.

This is deeply troubling on many levels. First, the high cost of prison phone calls is a key contributor to America’s high recidivism rates. Numerousstudies have shown that one of the most efficient ways to reduce recidivism is for inmates to maintain contact with loved ones during their incarceration. With literacy and geographic barriers, the easiest way to maintain this contact is through phone communication. Without FCC action, it is less likely that we will see the current recidivism rates of nearly 50 percent decrease significantly. By allowing prisons to continue charging unaffordable rates, the FCC’s action makes it more likely that taxpayers will continue to underwrite the cost of housing of inmates who return to prison after release.

Exorbitant prison phone rates also create a more dangerous environment for inmates and their guards. An inmate’s inability to afford conversations with their loved ones leads to conflict. One study found that the high rates charged by prison phone companies caused a black market of illegal cellphones to pop up and contributed to sometimes violent thefts of inmates’ PIN numbers — numbers linked to financial accounts that inmates and family members deposit money into to prepay prison phone bills. The same study also found that inmates purposely cause fights and create security problems with the hopes of getting transferred to a facility with cheaper phone rates.

We can see that prison phone rates cause great hardship inside of prisons. And the issues they create outside of the corrections system are equally troubling. Media accounts abound of grandmothers, parents, and spouses having to choose between accepting a prohibitively expensive phone call from a loved one or paying for groceries. Young children cannot maintain any relationship with their incarcerated parent without a means of communication. Consumers face frequently dropped calls and monthly phone bills of $100, $400, or even $1,000, if a loved one was unfortunate enough to be placed in one of the prisons with a higher rate phone system.

Expensive prison phone rates can also prevent detainees and suspects from getting the legal help they need. One report found that some public defenders are forced to spend more than $100,000 a year accepting calls from prisoners. That money could have been better used to fund chronically underfunded prisoner legal aid programs.

While the problems that an under-regulated prison phone industry pose to the poorly funded public defender program is substantial, they pale in comparison to the problems that face immigrants or suspected undocumented migrants at detention facilities. Unlike in a typical jail, at immigrant detention facilities, detainees have no right to a public defender. This means they do not have the option of having a public defender pick up the tab for phone calls. The phones provided at detention facilities may not allow detainees to leave a voicemail or receive a call back from a relative or attorney. To complicate matters, detention facilities will sometimes charge even more expensive rates than jails. In one California detention center, for example, detainees had to pay $20 for a five minute call. These outrageous charges make proving citizenship or locating documents almost impossible for low-income consumers.

Denying loved ones and incarcerated members of society the ability to keep in touch is not just hard on the emotional health of families, it also contributes to America’s enormous prison population, increases violence within the system, and transfers the financial burden of incarcerations to low-income families. When the FCC took action under its mandate to “ensure that rates for phone calls are just, reasonable, and fair for all Americans,” the FCC was well within its legal authority. But now, more action is needed to address the conditions at immigrant detention facilities. The FCC’s latest decision to not defend legal challenges to intrastate calling caps is a step backwards. If we are serious about reducing rates of recidivism and violence in prisons, correcting the prison phone industry’s market failure is a clear first step.

Health savings accounts: dubious benefits for the wealthy, disastrous for the rest of us – National Consumers League

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Spotlight on Health Care Series, Part 3: As America’s health care system is facing uncertainty, NCL staff is exploring the topic in a new weekly blog series.

The failure to successfully repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA), if nothing else, exposed a Republican party divided (perhaps irreparably so) on how to reform America’s healthcare system. Despite the GOP’s devastating legislative defeat, we should not underestimate their determination to resuscitate their repeal/replace efforts. 

It’s clear there aren’t too many things the party as a whole agrees on these days, particularly surrounding healthcare, but there are a few ideas that are likely to re-appear in future attempts at healthcare reform. One of those ideas is the expansion of health savings accounts (HSAs). The American Health Care Act (AHCA) was a huge endorsement of HSAs, expanding Americans’ latitude to use them as a primary means to cover their health expenses. 

Under current law, HSAs are married to high deductible health insurance plans (HDHPs). HSAs supplement HDHPs by allowing consumers to set aside funds to pay for out-of-pocket medical expenses. Despite the high deductible, HDHPs are attractive to many consumers as premiums are typically much lower than those of traditional plans. Another draw of HSAs is the tax advantage; the money you contribute is untaxed, the money grows tax-free, and you pay no taxes if/when you take the money out, as long as it’s used on health expenses. Even so, the long-term benefits of HSA-driven healthcare are dubious at best, even for the wealthy who can afford to take full advantage of these accounts. For the rest of us, it could be a disaster.

The healthcare landscape in a system dominated by HSA supplemented-high deductible health plans would be drastically different than that under the Affordable Care Act. The ACA was designed to ensure healthcare for all Americans- and not just access to care, but quality health coverage. The law requires that insurers cover a wide range of benefits, from preventive services to maternity coverage to mental health. Republicans argue that mandating these benefits drives up costs, so they propose skinnier benefit packages to lower premiums and increase “access.” Proponents of HSAs submit that putting more of consumers’ skin in the game will compel them to shop for cheaper care since they are spending their own money rather than an insurer’s. The idea is that this will drive down health care costs, all while bolstering competition in the marketplace and increasing consumers’ flexibility to choose the care they want. Too bad this lofty goal isn’t bound to reality. 

The fact of the matter is that HSAs have not been and will not be a feasible means to achieving health care for all. HSAs tend to benefit the wealthy, as those with lower incomes often have minimal, if any, disposable income to set aside in a savings account. In fact, a 2015 study found that people from high-income households were not only significantly more likely to have an HSA, but more likely to max out their contributions than people from low-income households. Considering that nearly half of Americans can’t come up with $400 to cover an emergency expense, we can hardly expect most Americans to have the ability to come up with cash to meet a high deductible. Even the wealthiest among us could go broke should a costly medical emergency occur. Moreover, the idea that HSAs afford consumers more flexibility is misleading — the real flexibility most Americans will have is deciding which health services they will have to forego. Studies have shown that even those who are able to contribute nominally to their accounts ultimately reduce the amount of care they seek, rather than shopping around for cheaper prices. Patients especially avoid things like filling their prescriptions, or proactively seeking preventive care that can mitigate health risks down the line. While the primary goal of the Republicans may be to reduce health care costs, we cannot sacrifice the well-being of the American people in those efforts.

President Trump called on Congress to create a “better healthcare system for all Americans,” however much of what he and his party have put forth only creates a better system for a fortunate few. HSAs are most valuable to those who earn the most and have the most to gain – it is not a solution that works for everyone. We cannot stand for higher cost burdens and coverage cuts across the board, only to give another tax break to the wealthy, and we must not let the Republicans shift us towards a system that will leave millions of low-income and middle-class Americans behind. While the future healthcare landscape is anything but certain, we would all be well served to stay clear-sighted about what could still lie ahead.

Beat the clock and file your taxes before April 18 – National Consumers League

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The April 18 income tax filing deadline is quickly approaching, and millions of consumers (almost one in seven Americans!) have yet to file their tax returns. If you are one of these last-minute filers, it can be a stressful time of year. But, rushing to complete a last-minute return can lead to rash decisions about tax preparation or to costly mistakes, which will delay your refund.

Here’s the good news: we have tips to help your complete their taxes on time — or get more time if needed. Filing doesn’t need to be a hassle. Use these tips to avoid many common filing errors and costly IRS penalties. Even if you don’t owe anything, missing the deadline can stall your refund check and make you more susceptible to tax identity fraud.

  1. Take advantage of free tax preparation help. Skip the high-cost tax preparation outfits and, instead, take advantage of free tax preparation assistance from Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) programs in your community. VITA programs are staffed by IRS-certified volunteers, but appointments are filling up, so act quickly. Find a local VITA site by visiting IRS.gov/VITA.

  2. Use Free File to e-file. More than 70 percent of all taxpayers qualify for IRS Free File. Consumers who make up to $64,000 per year can take advantage of the program, which allows the use of free, name-brand tax filing software from some of the biggest names in the tax prep business. Visit IRS.gov/FreeFile to learn more.

  3. File sooner rather than later. Tax identity fraud is one of the fastest growing types of scams, impacting thousands of Americans each year. Filing as soon as possible is the fastest way to reduce the risk of an identity thief beating you to your return.

  4. Watch out for tax preparer scams. Don’t let tax preparation fraud become another Tax Day headache. Be wary of fraudsters trying to steal your money and identity this tax season by making sure your preparer is qualified. Here is a guide to help you spot and find an honest preparer.

  5. Make sure you are filing an accurate return. Even if you are relying on software or a professional, make sure to double check everything for accuracy. Review all the numbers entered and make sure they are correct. Confirm that you have the right bank routing and account numbers. If you are filing a paper return, make sure everything is clear and easy to read. Remember, you — not your tax preparer — are responsible for any errors on your return.

If you’re going to miss the deadline, request a filing extension. According to the IRS, taxpayers who cannot meet the April 18 deadline can easily request a filing extension, which will prevent late-filing penalties. You can do this through Free File, or by filing Form 4868. But keep in mind that while an extension grants additional time to file, tax payments are still due on April 18.

The failure of the AHCA is a victory for the American people – National Consumers League

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j_johnson92.jpgSpotlight on Health Care Series, Part 2: As America’s health care system is facing uncertainty, NCL staff is exploring the topic in a new weekly blog series.

Ding dong, the bill is dead! Democrats, health advocates, patients, and consumers across the country are rejoicing after the GOP’s first attempt to repeal and replace major pieces of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) crashed and burned. Republicans ultimately could not coalesce around House Speaker Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) American Health Care Act (AHCA) and, in a stunning turn of events, the bill was pulled from the House floor without a vote last Friday.While inability to build a solid block of support for the AHCA in Congress became painfully obvious over time, the American people made their disdain of the bill apparent from the start. In the weeks following its introduction, citizens from every corner of the nation fervently expressed their disgust with the attack being waged on their health care. By the time the would-be vote was to have taken place, the AHCA had a meager 17 percent public approval rating, according to a Quinnipiac poll. Though dismal, this figure is hardly surprising, as the bill did nothing to improve access to care or quality of coverage for a clear majority of Americans – and, in many cases, the bill would have left many worse off than before the ACA.

The AHCA touted several policy changes that would have undoubtedly wreaked havoc on our health care system. Paramount was the spending cap (read: MASSIVE CUT) on Medicaid, the defunding of Planned Parenthood, an exponential premium increase for older Americans, a cost shift from the federal government to states and their citizens, and a general rationing and reduction of care to cover massive tax cuts for the wealthy. Arguably, one of the bill’s most odious aspects was the elimination of the essential health benefits – a measure put on the table in a last-ditch effort to get the unyielding, far-right, so-called “Freedom Caucus” block of the House on board. The essential health benefits are 10 services the ACA requires all plans to cover, including maternity and newborn care, ambulatory services, preventive and wellness services, and substance use treatment that can address issues such as the opioid epidemic ravaging communities across the country. Women of child-bearing age would have experienced significantly higher health care costs due to the elimination of maternity care and contraception from the standard benefits package – and they would either have considerably higher premiums than their male counterparts or be forced to pay for their maternity care or contraceptive methods out-of-pocket.

In addition, the AHCA would have effectively gutted consumer health protections, particularly for patients with pre-existing conditions, by eliminating out-of-pocket caps and reinstating lifetime coverage limits. In the long run, adequate care would be far beyond the reach of many Americans who would be left with bare-bones coverage and a higher cost burden. What is worse, by 2026, 24 million Americans would lose their coverage altogether. Americans heard that message loud and clear and they didn’t like what they heard.

While we can breathe a sigh of relief that the ACA is still the law of the land, NCL is among the many groups that agree that the ACA needs some tweaks to make it work better for all Americans. Now more than ever, a bipartisan approach to bringing affordable care and coverage to ALL Americans is not only desired, but essential. Rather than trying to undermine the ACA, Republicans and Democrats should embrace this opportunity to work together to come up with solutions that address the current insufficiencies in health care and make our system one that works for everyone.

The defeat of the AHCA is a big victory for the American people. The persistence and hard work of everyday Americans who spoke up, who called their members of Congress, who attended rallies, wrote to their local papers, and used social media ultimately made the difference. The National Consumers League, which since our inception in 1899 has spoken up for consumers and supported health insurance for all Americans, is proud to have stood alongside our colleagues in the consumer and public health communities in this battle to defend our care and oppose policies that would send us backward. We will continue to fight to protect the ACA, preserve consumer health protections, and argue that it is good for the economy and good for America’s future if all of us have access to health care coverage.

Trump’s budget is out of sync with America – National Consumers League

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The president’s approval ratings are at an historically-low 39 percent according to the latest polls. Yet, despite this lack of popularity with the American people, the Trump Administration has delivered a budget to Congress that slashes many longstanding programs that are wildly popular across the country and will significantly reduce meaningful services provided to consumers.

Meals on Wheels, the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, and critical after-school programs are all under attack. Under the Trump budget, 19 programs would be totally eliminated, including the Appalachian Regional Commission, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Public Broadcasting Corporation. Yes, no more “Muppets” or “Masterpiece Theater.”

Much of the discretionary spending being cut actually supports important and necessary programs like housing and child care assistance for low- and moderate-income families, protections for workers and consumers, education, basic research, and job training. These are budget items that invest in the future of America.

Additionally, the Trump budget is proposing to completely gut the Labor Department’s programs to eliminate child and forced labor worldwide – something that we at the National Consumers League (NCL) have been fighting to eradicate since our founding in 1899. NCL’s Child Labor Coalition was created in 1989 to stamp out the worst forms of child labor and protect teen workers from workplace hazards. And although President Trump believes that this is unnecessary spending, there has been a one-third reduction in global child labor rates over the past 20 years, while the U.S. has been the biggest funder of child labor elimination programs worldwide.

Mick Mulvaney, the president’s budget director, defended the cuts at a White House briefing, calling the programs “not well run” and saying that they “don’t do any good.” The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would also be slashed by 31 percent. Mulvaney says about funding for climate change, “We’re not spending money on that anymore,” and calls the EPA’s efforts to reduce global warming a “waste of money.” Military spending would increase by $54 billion. No concern about fraud and waste there apparently.  

And consider this…the EPA provides emergency assistance to local communities many times during the year. In Toledo, tests showed the presence of a dangerous chemical in the city’s water that causes liver cancer. In Corpus Christi, chemicals from asbestos plant leaked into the water. A fire in Bridgewater, Connecticut caused a chemical spill requiring the EPA’s help. In each of these cases, the agency’s expertise and resources were critical to addressing these dire threats to the public’s health. These local communities have neither the money nor the scientific expertise to deal with the problem.

We have so many excellent scientists, doctors, lawyers, statisticians, and researchers at our federal agencies. These professionals have devoted their careers to protecting the public. There’s no replacing their training or expertise if we cut them from the budget. 

Thankfully, the president’s budget is only a proposal, and one that has to be acted on by Congress. But if even some of what is proposed gets passed, the consequences for consumers and workers will be catastrophic. The Labor Department is to be cut by 21 percent and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) by 18 percent. That latter move would be in direct conflict with the funding increases passed overwhelmingly last Congress for NIH in the 21st Century Cures bill; Congress wants NIH helping to develop cures for diseases. 

The public has expectations that our government will take care of its citizens – like the Department of Health and Human Services will provide Social Security and Medicare, that the EPA will come to the rescue of local communities, that our interstates, roads, and bridges will receive federal subsidies. It’s clear that the Trump Administration’s budget would have profoundly negative effects on millions of Americans across the country and would hit families that are already struggling the hardest.

Medicaid per-capita caps: A recipe for disaster – National Consumers League

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j_johnson92.jpgSpotlight on Health Care Series, Part 1: As America’s health care system is facing uncertainty, NCL staff is exploring the topic in a new weekly blog series.

No matter how you slice it, the proposed changes to Medicaid in the GOP’s new health care bill are not a spending compromise–but rather a massive cut in funding that will decimate the Medicaid program as we know it.House Republicans recently introduced the American Health Care Act (AHCA) as a first step in fulfilling their promise to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA).  The AHCA would cut $880 billion in federal support for state Medicaid programs over the next decade, while dramatically altering the funding structure of Medicaid from a flexible federal entitlement to a rigid per-capita cap. Under the current system, the federal government matches state Medicaid spending as enrollment increases and health care needs change. The new plan proposed by Republicans would cap federal funding solely based on the number of Medicaid enrollees.

This cap would not match the dynamic nature of health care. If Medicaid spending increases–perhaps due to a natural disaster, a sudden disease epidemic, or even a breakthrough drug the state wants to cover–states would be left to foot the bill for any costs over the strict per-person cap. This policy also makes Medicaid particularly susceptible to deeper cuts in the future; if Congress succeeds in divorcing federal support from the actual cost of providing health care, it will have greater liberty to continue to slash funding over time to generate more federal savings.

Republicans assert that the capping approach will slow the growth of Medicaid and expand states’ flexibility to innovate and provide patients with the care they want. The reality is, rather than curtailing spending, the costs will simply shift away from the federal government and onto the backs of state governors–sending state budgets into turmoil and placing millions of Americans at risk. Ultimately, states will be faced with the choice of raising taxes on their residents to meet funding needs, cutting funding from critical programs such as infrastructure or education, or imposing devastating cuts to Medicaid eligibility, benefits, and coverage for millions.

Among those most severely affected by a Medicaid spending cap are rural communities, where at least one-quarter of residents rely on public insurance. Several health crises already plague this population, including the onset of disease in coal workers and the Opioid epidemic. These issues, among many others, have contributed to a spike in the mortality rate of lower and middle class white Americans, and a huge reduction in federal funding would only further limit states’ ability to respond.  Capping will also have negative ramifications for children, who account for approximately 40 percent of the Medicaid population. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), a slash in funding for Medicaid will have devastating consequences for children’s health, educational attainment, and earning potential, leading to long term damage to state economies. In short, this colossal overhaul of Medicaid would jeopardize health care for our country’s most vulnerable populations.

Today, 70 million low-income and disabled Americans rely on Medicaid to fulfill its guarantee to provide coverage for all eligible men, women, and children just as it has done for over 50 years. The GOP proposal reneges on that guarantee. Capping funding for a program that serves as an essential lifeline for so many will not lead to a more efficient health system or healthier Americans–it’s a recipe for disaster.

Fighting fraud, one tax return at a time – National Consumers League

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This originally appeared in the Huffington Post on March 8, 2017.

Every year it seems that tax identity thieves get a little bit more brazen about swindling individuals out of their hard-earned tax refunds. Last month the IRS published its list of the”dirty dozen“ tax scams that included classics like phone scams, phishing, and return preparer fraud.

The IRS’ efforts to warn people about the dangers of dishonest or downright criminal fraudsters have been forced by the fact that tax identity fraud has become one of the fastest-growing type of identity theft, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

In fact, as millions raced to file their returns — 52 million so far this year — fraudsters also marked the beginning of tax season by kicking off something much more sinister: tax identity theft season. From 2011 – 2014, identity thieves claimed $23 billion in fraudulent tax refunds. In 2015 alone, tax identity thieves defrauded nearly a quarter million of Americans!

For those who fall victim to tax identity fraud, a letter from the IRS is often their first inkling that they’ve been defrauded. These letters typically tell a consumer that their refund was not accepted because someone else has already filed in their name. This can set off months of delays in obtaining a refund while the IRS investigates the case. For working families who depend on getting that refund check, this can wreak financial havoc.

The IRS is working hard to warn consumers to beware of these scams, but education is only half the battle. They are also fighting scam artists behind the scenes and have made significant inroads reducing tax identity fraud rates. Many of the IRS’ new safeguards are invisible to taxpayers but invaluable in fighting against tax ID fraud. Its efforts have stopped more than 1.4 million fraudulent returns, totaling more than $10.9 billion.

However, one of those not-so-invisible tools the IRS uses to catch fraud has caused delays for a portion of the 152 million refunds expected to be filed this year. The Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act provides the IRS with more time to stop scammers before a fraudulent check is ever mailed, but requires the agency to hold refunds for consumers who claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC). Fortunately, the wait is finally over and those impacted began receiving their refunds last week. Those EITC and ACTC recipients still waiting for their refund can track it online, and those yet to file can expect to have their refunds processed within the standard 21-day processing window.

For consumers who have yet to file their return, I would tell them not to wait! Yes there are six weeks left before the end of tax season, but every day consumers wait is another day fraudsters can beat them to filing their returns. The most important message I have for the 100 million who’ve yet to file is this: the sooner you file, the better. For anyone receiving a refund, the easiest way to reduce the risk of fraud is to file now.

Whether you’re struggling with tax season anxiety or are simply looking for a helping hand in filing your taxes ASAP, consumers should look to IRS free tax preparation resources to help prepare accurate returns and navigate new laws designed to reduce fraud.

Asbestos victims need protections and access to the courts! – National Consumers League

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SG_HEADSHOT.jpgLast week, I attended a forum with victims of medical malpractice and relatives of those exposed to asbestos who would not have gotten their day in court had the bills before the House been law. Susan Vento, the wife of the late Congressman Bruce Vento (D-MN), who died of mesothelioma, spoke against the bills. Mesothelioma is a fatal lung disease caused by exposure to asbestos. Bruce Vento, who served 24 years in the House, was exposed while working in an asbestos factory in his 20’s.  

Annually, 3,000 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma, many of them are veterans who have inhaled asbestos fibers while on the job. The Chamber is pushing, “Furthering Asbestos Claims Transparency (FACT) Act of 2017, requiring volumes of disclosure from victims who file asbestos claims, but none from the companies responsible for causing the health issues. Thus, the bill makes it considerably more difficult and time-consuming for mesothelioma patients to be compensated by negligent companies. That’s the point and the goal!

We will be fighting back on behalf of victims of asbestos this week and supporting a number of bills to keep the courts accessible to consumers and not give protections to companies who engage in illegal and immoral activities practices. We stand with consumers.

On Tuesday, March 7, NCL joined other consumers and legislators to celebrate the introduction of seven pro-consumer bills. The pro-consumer arbitration bills are: Arbitration Fairness Act, Court Legal Access and Student Support (CLASS) Act, Justice for Servicemembers Act, Justice for Victims of Fraud Act, Mandatory Arbitration Transparency Act, and the Restoring Statutory Rights and Interests of the States Act.

 

The assault on consumer rights moves into high gear – National Consumers League

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SG_HEADSHOT.jpgThis past week, the National Consumers League (NCL) took its working capital out of Wells Fargo Bank and deposited it with the pro-consumer and pro-worker Bank of Labor. We did this for several reasons. One of the primary reasons is that Wells Fargo forced its staff to open more than 2 million phony bank accounts without their customers’ consent to generate fees and penalties. We moved the money to Bank of Labor because BOL does not have a provision – known as forced mandatory arbitration – in its contract with its customers who bank there. It is also union-owned and unionized. 

Forced arbitration clauses are intended to protect banks and other corporations from having to defend illegal practices in a court of law. Instead, customers are prevented from going to court; the corporation provides the private arbitration forum, controls the process, and there is no requirement that arbitrators follow the law and or provide a right of appeal. And for now, it’s legal because the current Supreme Court says it is.  That means that there is no formal record, no legal precedents are set and everything is done in the secrecy of a private arbitration. That is bad for consumers and bad for our legal system. 

Mandatory arbitration is part of a decades-long campaign waged by the Chamber of Commerce and corporate American against consumer rights. But now, with majorities in both Houses of Congress who are allies with the Chamber, and the White House in the hands of Donald Trump, the Chamber smells blood and is moving with alacrity to enact multiple anti-consumer bills. And they are skipping basic legislative procedures by forgoing hearings and moving simply to vote the bills out of committee en masse and to the House floor. 

The six bills are: H.R. 720, Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2017; H.R. 725, the Innocent Party Protection Party Act of 2017; H.R. 732, the Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act of 2017; H.R. 985, the Fairness in Class Action Litigation Act of 2017; H.R. 906, the Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency (FACT) Act of 2017; and H.R. 1215, the Protecting Access to Care Act of 2017. All of them curtail consumer rights and all of them should be strongly opposed by consumers. 

Don’t miss out on this important tax credit – National Consumers League

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For taxpayers who claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC), this is the week that those refunds will start to arrive in bank accounts or on debit cards. Due to a new law designed to reduce rates of tax identity fraud, the IRS this year began holding refund checks for EITC and ACTC-eligible filers until February 15. Because of the President’s Day and other bank holidays, filers who applied for those credits won’t start seeing their refunds in their accounts until today. Impacted individuals can check the status of their refund online or on the IRS2Go mobile app.  

For many of these families, a tax refund can represent more than 30 percent of their annual household income, making any delays especially stressful. The EITC is one of the impactful poverty reduction programs in America. In the last year alone, the EITC lifted 6.5 million Americans out of poverty, including 3.3 million children. The program has also been found to grow local economies, particularly in low income metropolitan areas. It has one of the highest participation rates for such a program, with 79 percent of those eligible claiming the credit.

While that’s excellent. The more than 20 percent of those who are eligible for the EITC do not claim are potentially missing out on thousands of dollars in tax credit that they’re owed. Why is this? Unfortunately, millions of eligible families are missing out simply because they do not have all the information they need about the tax breaks available to them. The best way to get that information is to take advantage of free IRS tax preparation resources, like the Free File program and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance programs. With resources like these, individuals don’t have to guess about their eligibility. With the help of IRS-certified volunteers or the IRS EITC assistant, working families can make sure the EITC works just as hard for them.