Schakowsky Calls on Mattel to Recall Dangerous Infant Sleeper

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by: Jan Schakowsky (D-IL, 9th)

Washington, D.C. - April 18, 2019 - (The Ponder News) -- Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, Chair of the Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, today called on Mattel to issue a recall for the Fisher Price Rock ‘n Play. With at least 32 deaths associated with the use of this infant sleeper, it is beyond time to remove this item from store shelves and online markets.

“I have written to the Consumer Product Safety Commission and I have made a direct plea to Mattel to do what’s right and issue a recall on this infant sleeper immediately,” said Congresswoman Schakowsky. “Mattel should put children’s lives and safety first and quickly alert consumers and stores that this product should not be used or sold. Any delay continues to put more children’s lives at risk.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has long advised that babies should sleep flat on their backs in a clutter-free environment. The Rock ‘n Play is an inclined sleeper, which also recommends using its restraint system, which is also contrary to AAP recommendations.

DelBene Introduces Legislation to Protect Consumer Privacy

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by: Suzan Delbene (D-WA, 1st)

Washington, D.C. - April 1, 2019 - (The Ponder News) -- Congresswoman Suzan DelBene reintroduced legislation that would change the way consumers' personal, private information is protected. The Information Transparency and Personal Data Control Act would give people control over their most sensitive information while ensuring the government can enforce these rules.

“A lack of privacy control is a threat Americans face every day. As a former tech entrepreneur with experience in this field, I’m aware of the critical moment we’re facing. This is a time for consumers, policymakers and the private sector to come together and protect consumers’ sensitive personal information from bad actors,” said DelBene.

She added, “Under this legislation, privacy will be the default. People will no longer have to dig through confusing user policies and opt out of highly invasive settings, and the Federal Trade Commission will have the authority to hold companies accountable. The U.S. must take a national stance and be a leader in setting global standards on this important issue. Let’s use our standing as the world’s undeniable leader in tech innovation to protect the people who use it every day.”

“This legislation is an important step forward in finding a balanced approach to consumer data protection. This proposal would significantly strengthen the FTC’s enforcement capabilities, establish uniform national rules for the digital economy, and ensure businesses are focused on protecting consumers’ most sensitive information. This legislation shows that it is possible to both protect consumers without undermining innovation, and we encourage Congress to move forward quickly with this proposal to provide guidance and certainty to consumers and business alike,” said Daniel Castro, Vice President of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation.

“We thank Congresswoman DelBene for her leadership in introducing the Information Transparency and Personal Data Control Act. Privacy is one of the most important issues before Congress, and this legislation is a valuable contribution to the discussion. BSA stands ready to work with all Members of Congress and the committees of jurisdiction to pass a strong, comprehensive federal bill to create one national standard that protects privacy and restores the American people’s trust,” said Craig Albright, Vice President of Legislative Strategy, BSA | The Software Alliance.

DelBene's legislation would:

Help consumers by ensuring all users are presented with companies’ privacy policies in "plain English."

Require companies to allow users to “opt in” before companies can use consumers’ most sensitive private information in ways the public might not expect.

Require companies to declare if and with whom private and behavioral data will be shared, and the purpose of sharing such information.

Give the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) privacy targeted rule making authority and empowers states attorney generals to also pursue violations of this legislation.

Give the FTC the ability to fine bad actors on their first offense.

Require companies to obtain privacy audits by a neutral third party and submit the results to the FTC biannually.

The bill text can be read here and full details of the bill can be found here. DelBene first introduced a similar version of this legislation in the 115th Congress.

Rep. DelBene is a member of the House Ways and Means Committee as well as the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress. She also serves as Vice-Chair of the New Democrat Coalition. She is co-chair of the Digital Trade Caucus, Women's High Tech Caucus, and Internet of Things Caucus.

She represents Washington’s first congressional district.

Bipartisan Legislation To Protect Privacy of Consumers’ Online Data Introduced

Washington, D.C. - January 21, 2019 - (The Ponder News) -- U.S. Senators John Kennedy (R-LA) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced the Social Media Privacy and Consumer Rights Act, bipartisan legislation that will protect the privacy of consumers’ online data. The legislation will improve transparency, strengthen consumers’ recourse options when a breach of data occurs and ensure companies are compliant with privacy policies that protect consumers.

“I don’t want to regulate Facebook or any private social media company, but these platforms continue to compromise their users’ private data,” Kennedy said. “Our legislation reinforces data privacy standards and requires these companies to be transparent with how they are using our private information. In today’s world, private data is the equivalent of our personal identities, and companies need to know that they’ll be held accountable when they violate the public’s trust and compromise our private information. Our legislation does just that.”

“Every day, companies profit off of the data they’re collecting from Americans, yet leave consumers completely in the dark about how their personal information, online behavior and private messages are being used. Consumers should have the right to control their personal data,” Klobuchar said. “Our legislation would ensure that companies use plain language to explain to consumers how their data is being used, allow consumers to opt out of certain data tracking and collection, and require companies to notify consumers of privacy violations within 72 hours of a breach.”

Social media and other online platforms routinely capture users’ behavior and personal information, which is then used to help advertisers or other third parties target those users. Kennedy and Klobuchar’s legislation would protect the privacy of consumers’ online data. Specifically, the Social Media Privacy and Consumer Rights Act would:

Give consumers the right to opt out and keep their information private by disabling data tracking and collection,

Provide users greater access to and control over their data,

Require terms of service agreements to be in plain language,

Ensure users have the ability to see what information about them has already been collected and shared,

Mandate that users be notified of a breach of their information within 72 hours,

Offer remedies for users when a breach occurs,

Require that online platforms have a privacy program in place.

Related Information


Amy Klobuchar, John Kennedy again push bipartisan online-privacy legislation in Senate
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McHenry and Booker Introduce Fintech Bill to Automate Income Verification

Washington, D.C. - October 2, 2017 - (The Ponder News) -- Chief Deputy Whip Patrick McHenry (R, NC-10), the Vice Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced the IRS Data Verification Modernization Act of 2017. This bipartisan bill will require the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to automate the Income Verification Express Services process by creating an Application Programming Interface (API) allowing small businesses and consumers to access accurate credit assessments more efficiently. Joining McHenry as an original cosponsor of H.R. 3860 is Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D, OR-03), a senior member of the House Committee on Ways and Means.

“Innovation in financial services has created more convenient and secure ways to meet the demands of American consumers," said Congressman McHenry. "For financial innovation to succeed, however, Washington must update its information technology infrastructure to keep up with the growth and creativity in the private sector.

"Our federal government needs to do a better job in updating and securing its technology to make lending more accessible for all Americans," McHenry continued. "In light of the recent SEC and Equifax breaches, now is the time for Congress to take a leading role in creating a more safe and affordable process so that consumers are protected.  This bill takes a small but important step in that direction by modernizing one of the most important processes in the financial system: income verification.”

“Helping small businesses access capital is one of the best things we can do to support their development and grow the economy," said Senator Booker. "Our commonsense bill simplifies the loan process for small businesses and entrepreneurs by providing lenders quicker access to financial records and data, while safeguarding private information. This bill will cut red tape and unreasonably lengthy waiting periods, making the process more efficient in getting much-needed capital into the hands of small businesses.”

Joining Senator Booker as an original cosponsor to the Senate companion legislation to H.R. 3860 is Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID).

Background: As part of the loan and mortgage processes for consumers and small businesses, each applicant completes an IRS form called a “4506-T,” which gives the lender the right to access a summarized version of their tax transcript, which is used to confirm certain data points on their application.  According to industry reports, this manual process at the IRS takes two to eight days, which creates needless delay for fintech companies and banks that rely on leveraging data and technology to make faster, informed decision for consumer and small business lending.