Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi to Keynote a Conversation on Ending Global Child Labor

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

Washington, DC – Nobel Peace Laureate and global child rights advocate Kailash Satyarthi will join leaders in child labor advocacy, academia, diplomacy, and international development on Monday, October 5, for “Solving Global Child Labor with Compassion,” a public event hosted by the National Consumers League’s (NCL) Child Labor Coalition at American University’s School of International Service. Register here.

Event Details

When: Monday, October 5, 2026, 2:30-4:00 p.m.

Where: Abramson Family Founders Room, School of International Service, American University, 3468 Nebraska Ave. NW, Washington, DC

Keynote: Kailash Satyarthi, Nobel Peace Laureate and Founder of the Satyarthi Movement for Global Compassion

Admission: Free and open to the public; registration required.

The program will open with remarks from Rachel Sullivan Robinson, Interim Dean of American University’s School of International Service, and Sally Greenberg, Co-Chair of the Child Labor Coalition.

Following Satyarthi’s keynote, Judy Gearhart, Research Professor at the Accountability Research Center at American University’s School of International Service, will moderate a panel examining the continuing challenge of global child labor and approaches to addressing it. Satyarthi will be joined on the panel by Tim Ryan, Chairman of the Global March Against Child Labor, and Jon Jacoby, Chief Executive Officer of GoodWeave International.

The event comes as the international community continues working toward the elimination of child labor worldwide. The discussion will explore the role of compassion in confronting child exploitation and consider how advocates, governments, businesses, researchers, and consumers can contribute to protecting children and advancing their rights.

NCL has a longstanding commitment to combating exploitative child labor through its coordination of the Child Labor Coalition (CLC), whose 38 member organizations work to protect children from hazardous and exploitative work in the United States and abroad.

Satyarthi has been a longtime partner in the global movement to eliminate child labor and has previously joined NCL and CLC initiatives to advance children’s rights.

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About the Child Labor Coalition

The Child Labor Coalition, co-chaired by the National Consumers League and the American Federation of Teachers, brings together organizations committed to combating exploitative child labor and protecting the health, safety, education, and well-being of working minors.

Celebrating Champions of Consumer Protection at the National Consumers League 2026 Trumpeter Awards

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Awards to be presented to NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson, Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, and Justice for Migrant Women Founder and President Mónica Ramírez 

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

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League (NCL) will host its annual Trumpeter Awards Dinner on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC. The evening begins with a reception at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m.    

“Consumers are facing enormous challenges, from rising costs and weakened protections to threats to the safety and security of their families,” said NCL CEO Sally Greenberg. “At a time when it can be easy to feel discouraged, our 2026 honorees remind us of what strong leadership looks like. They have spent their careers standing up for fairness, accountability, and justice, and we are proud to recognize their commitment to consumers, workers, and families.” 

NCL will honor NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson; Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06); and Ohio Governor Mike DeWine with Trumpeter Awards for speaking out on social justice issues and the rights of consumers.   Justice for Migrant Women Founder and President Mónica Ramírez will receive the Florence Kelley Award, named for NCL’s first general secretary, a pioneering social reformer who fought child labor and exploitative working conditions and championed minimum-wage protections. News4’s Consumer Investigative Reporter, Susan Hogan, will serve as Master of Ceremonies.   

As consumer leaders navigate these unprecedented times in a rapidly changing marketplace, NCL’s 2026 Trumpeter Awards Dinner will serve as both a celebration and a call to action—honoring those who have spent their careers raising their voices for fairness, safety, and justice.    

All press: RSVP to lisam@nclnet.org  

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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 Submits Comments Supporting FTC Policy Against Personalized Pricing 

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

Washington, DC—On Friday, the National Consumers League, joined by 26 other public interest organizations, submitted comments in response to the Federal Trade commission’s (FTC) proposed policy regarding personalized pricing, also known as surveillance pricing. NCL supported the FTC’s position that failing to disclose personalized pricing likely violates the law. NCL also urged the FTC to hold businesses accountable for uses of personalized pricing that would seriously harm consumers even if disclosed.  

“The idea that businesses can spy on us without limit, and be financially rewarded for the same behavior, is fundamentally repulsive,” said NCL Senior Public Policy Manager Eden Iscil. “Companies need to focus on competing and improving their product rather than invading our privacy.” 

The FTC cited numerous examples in its proposed policy of possible deployments of personalized pricing, such as charging dying rideshare users higher fares if they are being transported to a hospital or raising grocery prices for mothers taking care of multiple children. These specific examples and many others should be prohibited under the law, even if disclosed. In addition to the FTC Act, these and similar uses of personalized pricing likely violate federal and/or state anti-discrimination laws prohibiting prejudice against certain traits, including having a disability, familial status, and other protected classes.  

In drafting the comments, NCL received assistance from the Center for Consumer Law & Economic Justice at the U.C. Berkeley School of Law, which served as counsel, as well as the National Consumer Law Center and Truth in Advertising, Inc.  

The full comments can be found here. 

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.    

Administration’s “Freedom Means Affordable Cars” Initiative is an Assault on Consumers and Common Sense

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

Washington, DC— Today, the Trump administration released a final rule weakening federal fuel economy standards for cars, pickup trucks, and SUVs.  The rule, dubbed “Freedom Means Affordable Cars,” lowers the fleet average fuel economy from 50.4 miles per gallon to 34.9 miles per gallon by model year 2031.

“Today, the Trump administration dealt perhaps its greatest blow to affordability and common sense: gutting federal fuel economy standards in the midst of skyrocketing gasoline prices and an impending energy crisis,” said Daniel Greene, the Senior Director of Consumer Protection & Product Safety.  “A gallon of regular gasoline is nearing $4.50 per gallon.  Diesel prices have never been higher.  Nearly two years of sustained assaults on domestic clean energy and unprecedented weakening of energy efficiency standards have helped get us into this mess.  Doubling down on failed policies that inflict pain at the pump and exacerbate the affordability crisis will not get us out.”

The administration claims the proposed rule will reduce the price of new vehicles and generate tens of billions of dollars in savings for the American people.  The final rule inexplicably projects that regular gasoline will cost less than $3 per gallon from 2026 through 2040.

“Voodoo economics and alternative facts will not make this good policy,” Greene continued. “The administration may be satisfied with the status quo—content to hoist a metaphorical “Mission Accomplished” banner across every gas pump in the nation.  But there is a better path for consumers.  We must ambitiously support clean energy technologies and strengthen fuel economy standards, because costs are low when fuel economy standards are high.  Since 2002, fuel economy improvements save owners of newer pickup trucks and SUVs $9,920 and owners of newer cars $9,100 over the life of the vehicle.  Yet, since 2002, all vehicle equipment upgrades—including changes in fuel economy, comfort, convenience, durability, and voluntary safety improvements—have added just $3,040 to the cost of a vehicle.  No more false choices.  Let’s choose affordability and energy independence, economic vitality, and national security.”

In February, the National Consumers League released Sticker Shock, a report identifying the factors contributing to rising vehicle prices and evaluating the effect on household affordability.

Earlier this month, the National Consumers League and 25 other consumer organizations sent a letter to Congress opposing resolutions that would invalidate robust tailpipe emission standards adopted in full or in part by 18 states and the District of Columbia.

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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.    

National Consumers League to Convene Experts on AI, Fraud, and Healthcare at Two-Day Conference

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Featuring expert panelists from Amazon, TRM Labs, the D.C. Office of the Attorney General, Reset Tech, the Center for Democracy & Technology, Eli Lilly and Company, PhRMA, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, KFF, AHIP, the National Organization for Rare Disorders, and George Washington University

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

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League (NCL) will bring together policymakers, consumer advocates, healthcare professionals, technology leaders, and innovators for “The Future of Trust: Artificial Intelligence in Fraud & Healthcare,” a two-day conference, September 23-34, examining how artificial intelligence is reshaping two areas with significant consequences for consumers: fraud and healthcare. RSVP here.

Day one is focused on AI and Consumer Fraud with a keynote address from Patrick Coughlin, author of Dark Side of the Boom: How Scammers Hijacked the AI Revolution, and panelist experts from Amazon, TRM Labs, the D.C. Office of the Attorney General, Reset Tech, and the Center for Democracy & Technology, who will examine the rapidly evolving AI fraud landscape and strategies for protecting consumers.

“The spread of AI-enabled fraud is revolutionizing scammers’ ability to reach millions of vulnerable consumers,” said John Breyault, NCL’s VP of Public Policy, Telecommunications, and Fraud. “This conference brings together the brightest minds in technology, consumer protection, and public policy to discuss real-world solutions that can help reduce consumers’ risk to the growing wave of AI-fueled fraud.”

Day two is focused on AI and Healthcare with a keynote address from Dr. Vin Gupta, Senior Medical Analyst at MS NOW, and panelists from Eli Lilly and Company, PhRMA, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, KFF, AHIP, the National Organization for Rare Disorders and George Washington University, among others.

“AI has the potential to transform healthcare—from accelerating the discovery of new treatments to improving how patients access, navigate, and manage their care,” said Lisa Bercu, NCL’s Senior Director of Health Policy. “But realizing that promise will depend on earning and maintaining consumer trust. As AI becomes more deeply embedded in healthcare, consumers need confidence that these technologies are accurate, their data is protected, and important decisions about their health are made with appropriate transparency and accountability.”

For the full conference program and registration, visit 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.

Consumer Organizations Urge Congress to Protect Robust Tailpipe Emission Standards, Alleviate Pain at the Pump

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

Washington, DC — The National Consumers League, Consumer Federation of America, and 24 other public interest organizations sent a letter to House and Senate leadership urging members of Congress to oppose resolutions that would invalidate robust tailpipe emission standards adopted in full or in part by 18 states and the District of Columbia.

“Costs are low when tailpipe emission standards are high,” the letter states.  “The fewer pollutants that may be emitted, the less gasoline must be consumed.  These savings are substantial, as households spend approximately $2,800, or 3.7 percent of household budgets, on gasoline each year.”

Improvements in clean vehicle technology since 2002 save owners of 2024 light trucks and SUVs $9,920 in avoided gasoline expenditures over the vehicle’s lifecycle, amounting to $834 in annual savings.  Owners’ of 2024 cars save $9,100 in avoided gasoline expenditures over the vehicle’s lifecycle, amounting to $650 in annual savings.

Further, clean vehicle features have had a minimal effect on vehicle prices.  Equipment upgrades—which include changes in clean vehicle technologies, comfort, convenience, durability, and nonmandatory safety improvements—account for only $3,040, or 13 percent, of the increase in average expenditures per new passenger vehicle since 2002.

“Weakening tailpipe emission standards will inflict more pain at the pump and exacerbate affordability challenges,” the letter continues.  “More pollutants result in more avoidable illnesses and deaths, exacerbating healthcare costs.”

The letter also asserts that “[a] cleaner fleet is a safer fleet, helping address the unacceptably high number of automobile fatalities and injuries on our nation’s roadways.”

“The American people do not have to choose between vehicle affordability and fuel efficiency, public health, and environmental stewardship,” the letter states.  “We encourage all members of Congress to oppose these improper CRA resolutions.”

A copy of the letter can be found HERE

Cosigners (26):  National Consumers League; Consumer Federation of America; Affordable Homeownership Foundation Inc.; American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE); America Walks; American Academy of Pediatrics; American Academy of Pediatrics, Arizona Chapter; American Academy of Pediatrics California Chapter 1; American Academy of Pediatrics, DC Chapter; American Academy of Pediatrics, Florida Chapter; American Academy of Pediatrics, Idaho Chapter; American Academy of Pediatrics, Maine Chapter; American Academy of Pediatrics, Virginia Chapter; Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota; Center for Auto Safety;

Center for Progressive Reform; Citizens Action Coalition of IN; Consumer Federation of California; Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety; Earth Ethics, Inc.; Kids and Car Safety; National Center for Health Research; National Coalition for Safer Roads; New Jersey Citizen Action; Vision Zero Maine; Whirlwind Wheelchair International

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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.    

National Consumers League Welcomes the Appeals Court Ruling Backing FDA’s Decision to Remove GLP-1 Drugs from the Shortage List

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

Washington, DC – As an organization focused on the safety of GLP-1 weight loss drugs, the National Consumers League welcomes the August 27 ruling by the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirming the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) decision to remove the popular GLP-1 weight loss drug semaglutide from its drug shortage list as lawful and correct.

The Court’s decision, which also applies to the FDA’s action removing tirzepatide from the shortage list, is especially important because it validates the legal framework for how the FDA regulates the sale of compounded drugs during shortage situations. Dating back to the passage of the Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act in 1977, this framework both allows compounders to produce temporary versions of commercially available drugs during shortages, but it also makes it illegal for the continued mass production and sale of compounded versions when the shortage has ended.

Yet, despite being in existence for almost 50 years, the framework for removing drugs from the shortage list was recently challenged, not because there are legal issues, but because the mass-marketing of compounded GLP-1s became big business for compounding pharmacies and direct-to-consumer telehealth platforms while the branded GLP-1 weight loss drugs were in short supply. In fact, in 2024, compounded versions accounted for an estimated 30% of the overall GLP-1 weight-loss market. Thus, the Outsourcing Facilities Association (OFA), an organization representing compounding pharmacies, sued the FDA for declaring an end to the shortages of semaglutide and tirzepatide, claiming the agency was “abruptly depriving patients of much needed treatment and artificially raising drug prices.”

Among OFA’s arguments were that the FDA ignored evidence that the shortages continued to exist, and that the agency did not give compounders reasonable notice of the planned determinations or allow them to weigh in with comments. But here is the good news: the Appeals Court reviewed the evidence and rejected these arguments, concluding that the FDA “followed the statutory framework, applying the statutory definition of shortage to the evidence before it.”

Importantly, the Court also endorsed FDA’s methodology and its reliance on actual supply data from the manufacturers to make the determination of the end of the shortage. Specifically, the Court declared that pharmacy screenshots, patient reports, articles, blog posts, and form letters submitted by compounders are less probative than “more specific, reliable, comprehensive, and current” data from the manufacturer – codifying common sense and the value of verifiable evidence.

At a time of growing concern over the need to improve the regulation of compounded drugs and restore compounding to its intended purpose, the Fifth Circuit’s ruling represents a line in the sand for policymakers and compounders. FDA’s time-tested regulatory framework for addressing shortage situations works and relies on a thorough review of the evidence that credits specific, reliable, comprehensive, and current information and data—up and down the product supply chain—over anecdotal, isolated, and unreliable reports.

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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.   

National Consumers League Urges FDA to Reject Petition Seeking Autism Warning on Children’s Acetaminophen

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

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League (NCL) submitted comments to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) urging the agency to reject a citizen petition from Children’s Health Defense (CHD) seeking to remove over-the-counter acetaminophen products for children under two and require boxed warnings linking acetaminophen to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). 

“Parents need safe and effective options when their child is sick or in pain, and deserve reliable information they can trust,” said Lisa Bercu, NCL Senior Director of Health Policy. “Leading pediatric experts have been clear that the evidence does not establish that acetaminophen causes autism.  Removing products from the market or imposing a boxed warning could unnecessarily alarm families, discourage appropriate treatment, and leave parents with fewer options when their children are sick or in pain.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has stated plainly that decades of research support the safety of acetaminophen for children when administered as directed and that studies do not establish a causal link between acetaminophen use in children and Autism.

“Imposing a serious FDA warning, contrary to leading pediatric expert opinion and without sufficient evidence, could also undermine public confidence in the scientific integrity of FDA’s labeling decisions,” Bercu concluded. “For more than 70 years families have relied on acetaminophen to treat children’s pain and fever, and leading pediatric experts continue to recognize it as safe and effective when used as directed.”

NCL’s comments are 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.  

NCL Opposes DOT Proposal to Undo Truth-in-Advertising Regulations

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

Washington, DC – Today, the National Consumers League and six other public interest groups filed comments opposing the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (“DOT”) proposal to either weaken or entirely eliminate the Reagan-era Full Fare Advertising Rule. For over 40 years, the Full Fare Advertising Rule has required the price that airlines advertise to include all mandatory charges. If DOT continues with the most extreme proposal under consideration, there would be no meaningful requirement for the advertised airfare to resemble the actual cost charged to consumers. 

“Since 1985, the Full Fare Advertising Rule has protected flyers from hidden fees and false advertising when shopping for flights,” said NCL Vice President of Public Policy, Telecommunications, and Fraud John Breyault. “DOT’s plan to undo this protection would harm the millions of travelers who depend on truthful price displays to make accurate purchasing decisions. By law, DOT must regulate in the public interest. This proceeding falls far short of that mandate.” 

NCL and two other organizations also formally petitioned DOT to hold a public hearing to address the several factual disputes at the core of Department’s proposal. The deregulatory plan relies on several claims that are not supported by evidence or directly contradicted by publicly available sources.  

The comments to DOT were submitted by NCL, the American Economic Liberties Project, Consumer Action, the Consumer Federation of America, FLYERSRIGHTS, the National Consumers League, Travelers United, and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group. The full comments can be found here.

The petition for a hearing on the matter was submitted by NCL, the American Economic Liberties Project, and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group. The full petition 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.   

The National Consumers League celebrates 91st anniversary of Social Security Act

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

Washington, DC – Today, the National Consumers League (NCL) is proud to celebrate the 91st anniversary of the Social Security Act. This landmark achievement helped establish a stronger economic foundation for millions of American families. Frances Perkins, who led NCL’s New York office in the early decades of the 20th century before becoming FDR’s Secretary of Labor and the first woman to serve in a U.S. Cabinet, was instrumental in ushering in a new era of economic security for American families. Perkins witnessed firsthand the devastation of poverty among older Americans, observing elderly people picking through garbage cans, starving with no money, no family, and nothing to eat. She called it a “national disgrace,” and that moral outrage drove NCL and others to fight for a social safety net for older Americans, resulting in the Social Security Act of 1935. 

“That principle is as important today as it was in 1935. Social Security has become one of the most important consumer protections in our nation’s history, helping millions of Americans afford the essentials and live with dignity in retirement, after the loss of a family breadwinner, or when disability makes work impossible,” said NCL CEO Sally Greenberg. “Frances Perkins understood that economic security is not a luxury—it is a foundation for a healthy, fair, and functioning society.” 

Today, 22 million Americans rely entirely on Social Security with no other source of income. The program was never intended to operate that way. It was designed as a supplement to a pension. But as pensions have become increasingly rare, Social Security has become the vital safety net that millions of Americans live on. “At NCL, we carry that same conviction into our work every day. Consumers cannot have true power or independence when they are one unexpected expense, illness, job loss, or other hardship away from financial ruin. We celebrate Frances Perkins and the legacy of the Social Security Act because protecting people means giving them the security to weather life’s inevitable challenges,” Greenberg concluded. “We must honor that legacy by protecting and strengthening the programs that American families have spent generations building and relying upon. We owe that to the women of NCL and the progressive movement of the early 20th century who made it possible.” 

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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.