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News Release | MASSPIRG | Food

CONGRESS PASSES SHAM GMO FOOD LABELING BILL

On July 14, 2016, the U.S. House voted (306-117) to pass an industry backed GMO labeling bill, S. 764, that makes a mockery of consumers’ right to know. The bill now heads to President Obama for his signature or veto.

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News Release | MASSPIRG | Democracy

Press Statement on Governor Baker’s Veto of Early Voting Appropriation

From our earliest civics classes, we learn that when a bill becomes a law it must be enacted and enforced. This is a basic tenet of government, but it has been compromised by Governor Charlie Baker’s cut to the early voting budget. 

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News Release | MASSPIRG | Food

US SENATE PASSES SHAM GMO FOOD LABELING BILL

On July 7, 2016, the U.S. Senate voted 63-30 to pass an industry backed, GMO labeling bill, S. 764, that makes a mockery of consumers’ right to know. The bill must be approved by the U.S. House and the President before becoming law.

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News Release | MASSPIRG Education Fund | Antibiotics

Activists Celebrate National Fried Chicken Day by Calling on KFC to Save Antibiotics

On National Fried Chicken Day, volunteers and staff with MASSPIRG and U.S. PIRG, network of state affiliates, held thirty events in front of KFCs across the country to call on the Colonel of fried chicken to switch to serving chicken raised without routine antibiotics. 

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News Release | MASSPIRG | Public Health

New Poll Reveals Overwhelming Majority of Doctors Concerned About Antibiotics Use on Healthy Food Animals

The overwhelming majority of doctors--a total of 93 percent--are concerned about the common meat industry practice of using antibiotics on healthy animals for growth promotion and disease prevention, according to a new poll released today commissioned by Consumer Reports and released by Consumers Union and U.S. PIRG.

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News Release | MASSPIRG Education Fund | Democracy

Big Money Playing an Outsized Role in Massachusetts Elections

In Massachusetts’ congressional primaries, bigger wallets give a small set of mega-donors an outsized voice, according to new information released today by the MASSPIRG Education Fund and Demos.

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News Release | MASSPIRG

New Report Shows Mounting Evidence of Millennials’ Shift Away from Driving

A new report from the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG) and Frontier Group shows mounting evidence that the Millennial generation’s dramatic shift away from driving is more than temporary. While the 2000s saw a marked decrease in the average number of miles traveled by young Americans, the study explains that those trends appear likely to continue even as the economy improves – in light of the consistency of Millennials’ surveyed preferences, a continued reduction of Millennials driving to work, and the continued decreases in per-capita driving among all Americans.

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Media Hit | Solid Waste

Advertisements with inaccurate data aid foes of wider bottle law

A barrage of critical television advertisements containing information that state statistics show is false has apparently led to a dramatic increase in opposition to a November ballot proposal to expand the state bottle law.

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News Release | MASSPIRG | Public Health, Consumer Protection, Health Care

Some Good, Some Bad in Obama Executive Order on Protecting Antibiotics

New executive order on antibiotics takes several important steps necessary to control the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, it misses the opportunity to call for critical reforms in the agricultural sector that are essential to protect public health. 

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Report | Consumer Protection

The Key to Safeguard Your Credit

Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in America. Identity theft is the taking of another's personal information-such as social security number, name or date of birth-for the purpose of assuming the victim's identity to commit fraud. The Federal Trade Commission estimates that identity theft claims nearly 10 million victims annually, costing businesses and consumers $53 billion.

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Report | Consumer Protection

Lagging Behind

Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the nation. Every week a new security breach of consumers' sensitive personal information exposes thousands, if not millions, of Americans to identity theft. These breaches are mostly the result of sloppy business practices by large corporations and government entities, and fuel the problem of identity theft.

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Report | Budget, Higher Ed

Easy Money

Over the last three decades, higher education has become an even greater necessity for all Americans. Our citizens know that the key to economic success for them and their children is to invest in education.

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Report | Consumer Protection

Can You Hear Us Now?

In the summer of 2004, MASSPIRG surveyed 874 of its members to gauge Bay State consumers’ satisfaction with their cell phone service. This survey reveals that cell phone companies are not providing Massachusetts customers with the level of service quality that subscribers expect.

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Report | Center for Insurance Research | Consumer Protection

The Limitations of a Competitive Auto Insurance Market

Auto insurance markets are atypical. To illistrate this, it is helpful to compare the market for auto insurance with the market for refrigerators. The market for refridgerators is an excellent example of an efficient market. The auto insurance market, in sharp contrast, is a very inefficient one, at least from the consumer’s perspective, and is unlike most markets . .

 

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News Release | U.S. PIRG Education Fund

Salmonella outbreak affects papayas in Northeastern US

As summer begins, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) told consumers in six states to stop eating papayas after a fast-moving outbreak was tied to papaya fruit in Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Jersey.

News Release | MASSPIRG Education Fund

New report provides best practices for composting waste

Composting all organic waste -- including food scraps and yard trimmings -- could eliminate nearly one-third of all materials sent to landfills and trash incinerators across the United States. That’s according to Composting in America, a new report released today by the MASSPIRG Education Fund and the Frontier Group. The report outlines best practices for composting programs, which are critical for mitigating the negative impact of waste on the climate and public health.    

Report | MASSPIRG Education Fund

VOLKSWAGEN SETTLEMENT STATE SCORECARD

Volkswagen was caught cheating emissions laws and settled with federal authorities. The settlement included nearly $3 billion for the Environmental Mitigation Trust. How well does Massachusetts rank on plans for investing VW mitigation trust funds in clean transportation projects?

Report | MASSPIRG Education Fund

Blueprint for Tomorrow

Infrastructure is at the heart of America’s greatest challenges. The infrastructure investments made by generations past have contributed to improved health and welfare, and to the nation’s unparalleled economic prosperity. But the infrastructure decisions of the past have also cast a long shadow, leaving America to deal with the burden of lead water pipes that jeopardize our children’s health, fossil fuel pipelines that contribute to global warming, and transportation and solid waste infrastructure that no longer serve today’s needs.

News Release | U.S. PIRG Education Fund

Fisher-Price recalls nearly 5 million potentially deadly Rock n’Play sleepers

Fisher-Price recalled 4.7 million Rock n’Play baby sleepers on Friday. U.S. PIRG Consumer Watchdog Adam Garber issued a response: "“While we’re pleased that Fisher-Price is finally recalling these dangerous sleepers, 30 deaths in 10 years is 30 deaths too many and 10 years too late."

  • Trouble In Toyland
    Our report highlights the toys that have been recently recalled, explains the hazards they pose, and shines a spotlight on those that may still be available for sale online.
    Get the tips
  • Why are health experts alarmed?
    More and more fast food chains are going antibiotic-free, but if we want to protect our lifesaving medicines, we need all big chains to do their part.
    Learn More
  • PROTECT YOURSELF
    We've created consumer tips to help protect you from unfair bank fees, identity theft, loan rip-offs and more.
    Get The Tips
  • NO CAR? NO PROBLEM.
    Technology is making it ever easier to live a full and engaged life without owning a car. We ranked 70 large U.S. cities on just how easy it is. How did your city do?
    GET THE REPORT

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