Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015
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93d open
vs 3,548 other S bills in the 114th — cohort avg 43d
Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015 (Sec. 2) This bill makes a provision of a form contract void from the inception if it: (1) prohibits or restricts an individual who is a party to such a contract from engaging in written, oral, or pictorial reviews, or other similar performance assessments or analyses of, including by electronic means, the goods, services, or conduct of a person that is also a party to the contract; (2) imposes penalties or fees against individuals who engage in such communications; or (3) transfers or requires the individual to transfer intellectual property rights in review or feedback content (with the exception of a nonexclusive license to use the content) in any otherwise lawful communications about such person or the goods or services provided by such person. A "form contract" is a contract with standardized terms: (1) used by a person in the course of selling or leasing the person's goods or services, and (2) imposed on an individual without a meaningful opportunity to negotiate the standardized terms. The definition excludes an employer-employee or independent contractor contract. The standards under which provisions of a form contract are considered void under this Act shall not be construed to affect: legal duties of confidentiality; civil actions for defamation, libel, or slander; or a party's right to establish terms and conditions for the creation of photographs or video of such party's property when those photographs or video are created by an employee or independent contractor of a commercial entity and are solely intended to be used for commercial purposes by that entity. Such standards also shall not be construed to affect any party's right to remove or refuse to display publicly on an Internet website or webpage owned, operated, or controlled by such party content that: (1) contains the personal information or likeness of another person or is libelous, harassing, abusive, obscene, vulgar, sexually explicit, inappropriate with respect to race, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, or other intrinsic characteristic; (2) is unrelated to the goods or services offered by or available at such party's website; or (3) is clearly false or misleading. A provision shall not be considered void under this Act to the extent that it prohibits disclosure or submission of, or reserves the right of a person or business that hosts online consumer reviews or comments to remove, certain: (1) trade secrets or commercial or financial information; (2) personnel and medical files; (3) law enforcement records; (4) content that is unlawful or that a party has a right to remove or refuse to display; or (5) computer viruses or other potentially damaging computer code, processes, applications, or files. A person is prohibited from offering form contracts containing a provision that is considered void under this Act. Enforcement authority is provided to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and states. The FTC must provide businesses with nonbinding best practices for compliance.
These links require the bill number to appear in the filing's source-reported specific issue text. Client expenses and lobbying-firm income are separate disclosure fields.
Filing registrants (15)
Referred to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade.
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Received in the House.
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
The committee substitute withdrawn by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S8639-8640; text as reported to Senate: CR S8639)
Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S8639-8640)
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 316.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Thune with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 114-175.
Bills with similar content found using semantic analysis.
Sources: Congress.gov
2017 · first_quarter · Computer Industry
General education about the company's business model, bringing specificity and transparency to job search. Anti-SLAPP legislation, including H. R. 2304, SPEAK FREE Act and H. R. 2110 and S. 2044, Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015.
Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $10,000
Government targets: Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Labor, Dept of (DOL), SENATE, White House Office
2016 · fourth_quarter · Consumer Issues/Safety/Products
Discussions regarding proposed legislation & agency reports affecting the collection, use and disclosure of personally identifiable information and self regulatory programs providing protection for consumers; communication of retail views regarding data security and breach notification laws and procedures in protecting customer information; proposed federal breach notification and data security standards, including all provisions of: S. 177, Data Security & Breach Notification Act; H.R. 1770, Data Security and Breach Notification Act of 2015; H.R. 2205, Data Security Act of 2015; S. 961, Data Security Act of 2015 and discussion drafts of data security breach legislation by Senator Warner and by Senators Grassley/Feinstein; H.R. 2576, Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, all provisions; CPSC Oversight issues - overall agency review on key issues such as targeting, import issues, Sec. 1110 rule; proposed voluntary recall rule; European Union-United States Privacy Shield issues; S.2044 - Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015, all provisions; H.R.5111, Consumer Review Fairness Act of 2016, all provisions; S.2508/H.R.4460 - Youth Sports Concussion Act, all provisions; H.R. 3765, The ADA Education and Reform Act of 2015", all provisions; H.R. 6032, Data Breach Insurance Act, shared retail views on tax credits for purchase of data breach insurance, implementing cyber framework, tokenization, p2p encryption.
Client expense: $1,640,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: Commerce, Dept of (DOC), Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Federal Maritime Commission, Federal Reserve System, Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Natl Economic Council (NEC), Natl Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Patent & Trademark Office (PTO), SENATE, Small Business Administration (SBA), State, Dept of (DOS), Transportation, Dept of (DOT), Treasury, Dept of, U.S. Customs & Border Protection, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), White House Office
Lobbied in support of the S. 2044, the Consumer Review Freedom Act. The purpose of this legislation is to protect consumers from gag clauses in non-negotiable consumer form contracts.
Client expense: $150,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE
Advocated for increased competition in the online space. Expressed concern regarding anticompetitive behavior and consumer harm occurring because of certain companies on the Internet. Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015, HR 2110, S.2044; Free Speech; SPEAK FREE Act of 2015, HR 2304; Cyber Security
Client expense: $150,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE
Advocated for federal anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) legislation and legislation to outlaw non-disparagement clauses in consumer contracts in order to protect citizens first amendment right to share real first-hand experiences without fear of harm or intimidation. Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015, HR 2110, S.2044; Free Speech; SPEAK FREE Act of 2015, HR 2304
Client expense: $150,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Introduced in Senate
| Senate |
| Referred to |
| September 16, 2015 |
| September 16, 2015 |
| Democratic |
| NJ |
| Jerry Moran | Republican | KS |
| Richard Blumenthal | Democratic | CT |
| Ron Wyden | Democratic | OR |
| Steve Daines | Republican | MT |
2016 · first_quarter · Computer Industry
Online Competition; Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015, HR 2110, S.2044; Free Speech; SPEAK FREE Act of 2015, HR 2304; Cyber Security
Client expense: $150,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE
2016 · fourth_quarter · Consumer Issues/Safety/Products
Issues related to data protection, encryption, data retention, data breach notification, data security, cross border data flows, privacy, drone privacy, the US-EU Safe Harbor Agreement, the Electronic Privacy Communications Act, sale and marketing of dietary supplements, and cloud computing including: SAFE KIDS Act (S. 1788); Data Security and Breach Notification Act of 2015 (S. 177); Cyber Privacy Fortification Act of 2015 (H.R. 104); Protecting Cyber Networks Act (H.R. 1560); Personal Data Notification and Protection Act of 2015 (H.R. 1704); and Data Security and Breach Notification Act of 2015 (H.R. 1770); Student Digital Privacy Act (H.R. 2092); Data Security Act of 2015 (H.R. 2205); Consumer Privacy Protection Act of 2015 (S. 1158); Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015 (S. 2044); Digital Security Commission Act of 2016 / McCaul-Warner Commission on Digital Security (H.R. 4651).
Client expense: $2,660,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: Agriculture, Dept of (USDA), Commerce, Dept of (DOC), Defense, Dept of (DOD), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Federal Reserve System, Federal Trade Commission (FTC), General Services Administration (GSA), Government Accountability Office (GAO), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Natl Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA), Natl Economic Council (NEC), Natl Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Office of Science & Technology Policy (OSTP), Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Patent & Trademark Office (PTO), Postal Regulatory Commission, SENATE, Small Business Administration (SBA), State, Dept of (DOS), Transportation, Dept of (DOT), Treasury, Dept of, U.S. Copyright Office, U.S. Postal Service (USPS), U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), White House Office
2016 · fourth_quarter · Copyright/Patent/Trademark
H.R. 9, Innovation Act H.R. 805, Domain Openness Through Continued Oversight Matters (DOTCOM) Act of 2015 H.R. 1477/S. 779, Fair Access to Science and Technology Research Act of 2015 H.R. 1770, Data Security and Breach Notification Act of 2015 H.R. 1907/S. 1015, Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 H.R. 2045, Targeting Rogue and Opaque Letters Act of 2015 H.R. 3326/S. 1890, Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2015 S. 1137, Protecting American Talent and Entrepreneurship (PATENT) Act of 2015 S. 2044, Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015 Potential legislation similar to S. 3523, Innovative Design Protection Act of 2012 Various issues relating to copyright review; Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP); Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement; Office of the Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator and the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center; USPTO IP Attache Program; appropriations related to the PRO-IP Act (P.L. 110-403); funding issues related to the USPTO; IP issues related to Australia, Canada, China, India, Brazil, Russia, Europe, and Mexico; IP issues related to internet counterfeiting and piracy; IP issues related to trade secret theft; expanded use of software asset management by the Federal Government and its contractors; patent linkage and regulatory data protection; plain packaging; the implementation of Section 182 of the Trade Act of 1974 (P.L. 93-618), as amended by the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 and the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (the Special 301 Report); the World Intellectual Property Organization; the World Trade Organization; the World Health Organization; the International Telecommunications Union; Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP); Trade Promotion Authority (TPA); IP Issues related to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC); IP issues related to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
Client expense: $18,590,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: Agriculture, Dept of (USDA), Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers), Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), Commerce, Dept of (DOC), Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), Defense, Dept of (DOD), Education, Dept of, Energy, Dept of, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Executive Office of the President (EOP), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Federal Reserve System, Federal Trade Commission (FTC), General Services Administration (GSA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Interior, Dept of (DOI), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Natl Economic Council (NEC), Natl Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST), Natl Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Natl Security Council (NSC), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Patent & Trademark Office (PTO), Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), SENATE, Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), Small Business Administration (SBA), State, Dept of (DOS), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Transportation, Dept of (DOT), Treasury, Dept of, U.S. Copyright Office, U.S. Customs & Border Protection, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), White House Office
2016 · fourth_quarter · Consumer Issues/Safety/Products
Discussions regarding proposed legislation & agency reports affecting the collection, use and disclosure of personally identifiable information and self regulatory programs providing protection for consumers; communication of retail views regarding data security and breach notification laws and procedures in protecting customer information; proposed federal breach notification and data security standards, including all provisions of: S. 177, Data Security & Breach Notification Act; H.R. 1770, Data Security and Breach Notification Act of 2015; H.R. 2205, Data Security Act of 2015; S. 961, Data Security Act of 2015 and discussion drafts of data security breach legislation by Senator Warner and by Senators Grassley/Feinstein; H.R. 2576, Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, all provisions; CPSC Oversight issues - overall agency review on key issues such as targeting, import issues, Sec. 1110 rule; proposed voluntary recall rule; European Union-United States Privacy Shield issues; S.2044 - Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015, all provisions; H.R.5111, Consumer Review Fairness Act of 2016, all provisions; S.2508/H.R.4460 - Youth Sports Concussion Act, all provisions; H.R. 3765, The ADA Education and Reform Act of 2015", all provisions; H.R. 6032, Data Breach Insurance Act, shared retail views on tax credits for purchase of data breach insurance, implementing cyber framework, tokenization, p2p encryption.
Client expense: $1,640,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: Commerce, Dept of (DOC), Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Federal Maritime Commission, Federal Reserve System, Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Natl Economic Council (NEC), Natl Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Patent & Trademark Office (PTO), SENATE, Small Business Administration (SBA), State, Dept of (DOS), Transportation, Dept of (DOT), Treasury, Dept of, U.S. Customs & Border Protection, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), White House Office
2016 · fourth_quarter · Telecommunications
S.177,Data Security and Breach Notification Act of 2015, all provisions; H.R. 1770, Data Security and Breach Notification Act of 2015, all provisions; S.754,Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015, all provisions; Online Travel Company Taxation, taxation of hotel room reservations made over the Internet; Emergency Services Dialing procedures; H.R.1643, Digital Goods and Services Tax Fairness Act of 2015, all provisions; S.851, Digital Goods and Services Tax Fairness Act of 2015, all provisions; Issues related to online consumer deception; issues related to data breach; Issues related to cyber security; Issues related to data privacy; Issues related to Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers; Issues related to online copyright; Issues related to consolidation in the Travel Industry; H.R.2110, Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015; S.2044, Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015; H.R.1428, Judicial Redress Act of 2015; S.1600, Judicial Redress Act of 2015; H.R.4167, Kari's Law Act of 2015; issues related to online travel services ;issues related to short-term rentals; S.2553, Kari's Law Act of 2016; H.R.4526, Stop Online Booking Scams Act of 2016; S.2599, Truth in Hotel Advertising Act of 2016; S. 3402, Stop Online Booking Scams Act of 2016; Issues related to telecommunications and broadband; Issues related to online consumer disclosures.
Client expense: $670,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: Commerce, Dept of (DOC), Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), General Services Administration (GSA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Natl Labor Relations Board (NLRB), SENATE, Small Business Administration (SBA), State, Dept of (DOS), White House Office
2016 · fourth_quarter · Computer Industry
Online Competition; Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015, S. 2044; Free Speech; SPEAK FREE Act of 2015, H.R. 2304; Consumer Review Fairness Act, H.R. 5111; Cyber security; Data Localization;
Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $50,000
Government targets: Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS), Commerce, Dept of (DOC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Minority Business Development Agency, Patent & Trademark Office (PTO), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA)
2016 · fourth_quarter · Civil Rights/Civil Liberties
Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015, S. 2044; Free Speech; SPEAK FREE Act of 2015, H.R. 2304; Consumer Review Fairness Act, H.R. 5111
Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $50,000
Government targets: Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS), Commerce, Dept of (DOC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Minority Business Development Agency, Patent & Trademark Office (PTO), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA)
2016 · fourth_quarter · Consumer Issues/Safety/Products
Issues related to privacy and data security; H.R. 5111 - Consumer Review Fairness Act of 2016 and S. 2044 - The Consumer Review Freedom Act.
Client expense: $300,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: Commerce, Dept of (DOC), Executive Office of the President (EOP), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Office of Science & Technology Policy (OSTP), Patent & Trademark Office (PTO), SENATE, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR)
2016 · fourth_quarter · Constitution
Advocate on behalf of First Amendment rights in relation to media regulation. Promote entertainment industry ratings and parental control technology. Protect against video game sale content regulation, specifically by promoting enforcement rating-related age appropriate guidelines for the retail industry. Promote anti-SLAPP (strategic lawsuits against public participation) legislation. HR 2304 - SPEAK FREE Act; HR 511 - Consumer Review Fairness Act; S. 2044 - Consumer Review Freedom Act.
Client expense: $1,806,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: Education, Dept of, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Patent & Trademark Office (PTO), SENATE, U.S. Copyright Office, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR)
2016 · fourth_quarter · Government Issues
General lobbying with regard to proposed revisions to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Federal Rules of Evidence. General lobbying with regard to clarifying state and federal court jurisdiction in certain cases. General lobbying with regard to altering the requirement of complete diversity. S. 401/H.R. 758 (Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2015); amends Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure to make sanctions mandatory. Lobbying with regard to federal judicial selection generally, including the Supreme Court of the United States, and with specific regard to the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Merrick Garland. H.R. 2304 (SPEAK FREE Act of 2015); Amends the federal judicial code to allow a person against whom a lawsuit is asserted to file a special motion to dismiss claims referred to as strategic lawsuits against public participation ("SLAPP suits") that arise from an oral or written statement or other expression, or conduct in furtherance of such expression, by the defendant in connection with an official proceeding or about a matter of public concern. H.R. 5111 (Consumer Review Fairness Act); prohibits the use of certain clauses in form contracts that restrict the ability of a consumer to communicate regarding the goods or services offered in interstate commerce that were the subject of the contract. H.R. 2110/S. 2044 (Consumer Review Freedom Act); prohibits the use of certain clauses in form contracts that restrict the ability of a consumer to communicate regarding the goods or services that were the subject of the contract. H.R. 384/H.R. 3279 (Open Book on Equal Access to Justice Act); amends titles 5 and 28, United States Code, to require annual reports to Congress on, and the maintenance of databases on, awards of fees and other expenses to prevailing parties in certain administrative proceedings and court cases to which the United States is a party. H.R. 2336/S.__ (Sunshine in Litigation Act); amends Chapter 111 of Title 28, United States Code, relating to protective orders, sealing of cases, disclosures of discovery information in civil actions, and for other purposes. H.R. 2110/S. 2044 (Consumer Review Freedom Act); prohibits contracts that prohibit consumers from making certain public comments on businesses. General lobbying with regard to regulatory reform issues. H.R. 185 (Regulatory Accountability Act of 2015); amends the Administrative Procedures Act (APA), which is the law that governs how federal agencies propose and establish regulations. S. 226/ H.R. 427 (REINS Act); provides that major rules of the executive branch shall have no force or effect unless a joint resolution of approval is enacted into law. S. 543/H.R. 1029 (EPA Science Advisory Board Reform Act of 2015); amends the Environmental Research, Development, and Demonstration Authorization Act of 1978 to revise the process of selecting members of the Science Advisory Board, guidelines for participation in Board advisory activities, and terms of office. H.R. 1927 (Fairness in Class Action Litigation Act of 2015); amends the federal judicial code to prohibit federal courts from certifying any proposed class unless the party seeking to maintain a class action affirmatively demonstrates through admissible evidentiary proof that each proposed class member suffered an injury of the same type and extent as the injury of the named class representatives. S. 1113; amends title 28, United States Code, to remand certain civil actions transferred by the judicial panel on multidistrict litigation. H.R. 1579 (ALERT Act of 2015); amends title 5, united States Code, to provide for the publication, by the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, of information relating to rulemakings H.R. 2648/S. 1109 (Truth in Settlements Act of 2015); requires adequate information regarding the tax treatment of payments under settlement agreements entered into by Federal agencies. General lobbying with regard to settlement disclosures. S. 1607 (Independent Agency Regulatory Analysis Act of 2015); authorizes the President to require an independent regulatory agency to: (1) comply, to the extent permitted by law, with regulatory analysis requirements applicable to other federal agencies; (2) publish and provide the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs with an assessment of the costs and benefits of a proposed or final economically significant rule and an assessment of costs and benefits of alternatives to the rule; and (3) submit to the Office for review any proposed or final economically significant rule. S. 708 (Regulatory Improvement Act of 2015); Requires the Commission to evaluate and make recommendations and propose legislation for modification, consolidation, or repeal of regulations that have been finalized not later than 10 years before the establishment of the Commission (covered regulations) for the purpose of reducing compliance costs, encouraging growth and innovation, improving competitiveness, and protecting public safety. S. 1820 (Early Participation in Regulations Act); requires agencies to publish an advance notice of proposed rule making for major rules. S. 1818 (Principled Rulemaking Act); amends title 5, United States Code, to reform the rule making process of agencies. S. 1817 (Smarter Regs Act of 2015); implements retrospective review of major rules. H.R. 3624 (Fraudulent Joinder Prevention Act of 2015); amends title 28, United States Code, to prevent fraudulent joinder. Lobbying with regard to factoring and structured settlements. H.R. 712 (Sunshine for Regulatory Decrees and Settlements Act); creates new requirements for civil actions seeking to compel agency actions. H.R. 1155 (SCRUB Act); creates new requirements for agencies when making a new rule, creates a regulatory oversight commission. S. 2006 (Regulatory Accountability Act of 2015); reforms the process by which Federal agencies analyze and formulate new regulations and guidance documents. H.R. 4768 (Separation of Powers Restoration Act); modifies the scope of judicial review of agency actions to authorize courts reviewing agency actions to decide de novo all relevant questions of law, including the interpretation of constitutional and statutory provisions and rules. H.R. 4612 (Midnight Rule Relief Act of 2016); prohibits some federal agencies from proposing or finalizing any midnight rule unless the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs finds that such a rule will not result in: (1) an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more; (2) a major increase in costs or prices; (3) significant adverse effects on competition, employment, investment, productivity, innovation, or the ability of U.S.-based enterprises to compete internationally; or (4) a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small businesses. H.R. 5063 (Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act of 2016); prohibits government officials from entering into a settlement agreement resolving a civil action on behalf of the United States, or from enforcing such a settlement agreement, if that agreement requires a donation to be made to any person by any party (other than the United States) to such agreement. S. 3446/H.R. 3765 (ADA Education and Reform Act of 2015); amends the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 to promote compliance through education, to clarify the requirements for demand letters, to provide for a notice and cure period before the commencement of a private civil action. H.R. 241 (ADA Compliance for Customer Entry to Stores and Services (ACCESS) Act of 2015); amends the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 to prohibit an aggrieved person from commencing a civil action for discrimination based on the failure to remove a structural barrier to entry into an existing public accommodation unless the owner or operator of such accommodation: (1) is provided a written notice specific enough to identify such barrier; and (2) has, within specified time periods, either failed to provide the aggrieved person with a written description outlining improvements that will be made to remove such barrier or provided such description and failed to remove such barrier. H.R. 4719 (Correcting Obstructions to Mediate, Prevent, and Limit Inaccessibility (COMPLI) Act); amends the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 to prohibit persons aggrieved by certain public accommodation violations from commencing a civil action for discrimination unless they: (1) provide the owner or operator of the accommodation with a written notice that is specific enough to identify the violation; (2) specify in the notice that the owner or operator has 90 days to remove or correct the violation before an action will be brought; and (3) refrain from sending demand letters, requests for settlement, or other communications to the owner or operator during such 90-day period. General lobbying with respect to diversity jurisdiction and potential changes to the jurisdiction rules. S. 3155/H.R. 889 (Foreign Cultural Exchange Jurisdictional Immunity Clarification Act); to amend chapter 97 of title 28, United States Code, to clarify the exception to foreign sovereign immunity set forth in section 1605(a)(3) of such title) S. 2763/H.R. 6130 (Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act of 2016); to provide the victims of Holocaust-era persecution and their heirs a fair opportunity to recover works of art confiscated or misappropriated by the Nazis.
Client expense: $1,150,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Education, Dept of, Executive Office of the President (EOP), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Office of the Vice President of the United States, SENATE
2016 · fourth_quarter · Computer Industry
General education about the company's business model, bringing specificity and transparency to job search. Anti-SLAPP legislation, including H.R.2304, SPEAK FREE Act and H.R.2110 and S.2044, Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015.
Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $20,000
Government targets: Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Labor, Dept of (DOL), SENATE, White House Office
2016 · fourth_quarter · Consumer Issues/Safety/Products
H.R. 5111, Consumer Review Fairness Act of 2016; S. 2044, Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015
Client expense: $140,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Natl Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), SENATE, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR)
Advocated for federal anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) legislation and legislation to outlaw non-disparagement clauses in consumer contracts in order to protect citizens first amendment right to share real first-hand experiences without fear of harm or intimidation. Consumer Review Fairness Act of 2016 HR 5111, Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015, HR 2110, HR 5111, S.2044; Free Speech; SPEAK FREE Act of 2015, HR 2304
Client expense: $160,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE
Online competition; Consumer online freedom of speech: Consumer Review Fairness Act of 2016, HR 2110, S.2044; Free Speech; SPEAK FREE Act of 2015, HR 2304; Cyber Security
Client expense: $160,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE
Advocated for increased competition in the online space. Expressed concern regarding anticompetitive behavior and consumer harm occurring because of certain companies on the Internet. Consumer Review Fairness Act of 2016, HR 5111, S.2044; Free Speech; SPEAK FREE Act of 2015, HR 2304.
Client expense: $160,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE
Advocated for federal anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) legislation and legislation to outlaw non-disparagement clauses in consumer contracts in order to protect citizens first amendment right to share real first-hand experiences without fear of harm or intimidation. Consumer Review Fairness Act of 2016 HR 5111, Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015, HR 2110, HR 5111, S.2044; Free Speech; SPEAK FREE Act of 2015, HR 2304
Client expense: $160,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE
Advocated for increased competition in the online space. Expressed concern regarding anticompetitive behavior and consumer harm occurring because of certain companies on the Internet. Consumer Review Fairness Act of 2016, HR 5111, S.2044; Free Speech; SPEAK FREE Act of 2015, HR 2304.
Client expense: $160,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE
Online competition; Consumer online freedom of speech: Consumer Review Fairness Act of 2016, HR 2110, S.2044; Free Speech; SPEAK FREE Act of 2015, HR 2304; Cyber Security
Client expense: $160,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE
2016 · third_quarter · Consumer Issues/Safety/Products
Discussions regarding proposed legislation & agency reports affecting the collection, use and disclosure of personally identifiable information and self regulatory programs providing protection for consumers; communication of retail views regarding data security and breach notification laws and procedures in protecting customer information; proposed federal breach notification and data security standards, including all provisions of: S. 177, Data Security & Breach Notification Act; H.R. 1770, Data Security and Breach Notification Act of 2015; H.R. 2205, Data Security Act of 2015; S. 961, Data Security Act of 2015 and discussion drafts of data security breach legislation by Senator Warner and by Senators Grassley/Feinstein; H.R. 2576, Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, all provisions; CPSC Oversight issues - overall agency review on key issues such as targeting, import issues, Sec. 1110 rule; proposed voluntary recall rule; European Union-United States Privacy Shield issues; S.2044 - Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015, all provisions; H.R.5111 - Consumer Review Fairness Act of 2016, all provisions; S.2508/H.R.4460 - Youth Sports Concussion Act, all provisions; H.R. 3765, The ADA Education and Reform Act of 2015", all provisions;H,.R. 6032, Data Breach Insurance Act, shared retail views on tax credits for purchase of data breach insurance, implementing cyber framework, tokenization, p2p encryption.
Client expense: $1,760,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: Commerce, Dept of (DOC), Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Federal Maritime Commission, Federal Reserve System, Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Natl Economic Council (NEC), Natl Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Patent & Trademark Office (PTO), SENATE, Small Business Administration (SBA), State, Dept of (DOS), Transportation, Dept of (DOT), Treasury, Dept of, U.S. Customs & Border Protection, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), White House Office
2016 · third_quarter · Consumer Issues/Safety/Products
Issues related to data protection, encryption, data retention, data breach notification, data security, cross border data flows, privacy, drone privacy, the US-EU Safe Harbor Agreement, the Electronic Privacy Communications Act, sale and marketing of dietary supplements, and cloud computing including: SAFE KIDS Act (S. 1788); Data Security and Breach Notification Act of 2015 (S. 177); Cyber Privacy Fortification Act of 2015 (H.R. 104); Protecting Cyber Networks Act (H.R. 1560); Personal Data Notification and Protection Act of 2015 (H.R. 1704); and Data Security and Breach Notification Act of 2015 (H.R. 1770); Student Digital Privacy Act (H.R. 2092); Data Security Act of 2015 (H.R. 2205); Consumer Privacy Protection Act of 2015 (S. 1158); Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015 (S. 2044); Digital Security Commission Act of 2016 / McCaul-Warner Commission on Digital Security (H.R. 4651).
Client expense: $2,710,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: Agriculture, Dept of (USDA), Commerce, Dept of (DOC), Defense, Dept of (DOD), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Federal Reserve System, Federal Trade Commission (FTC), General Services Administration (GSA), Government Accountability Office (GAO), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Natl Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA), Natl Economic Council (NEC), Natl Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Office of Science & Technology Policy (OSTP), Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Patent & Trademark Office (PTO), Postal Regulatory Commission, SENATE, Small Business Administration (SBA), State, Dept of (DOS), Transportation, Dept of (DOT), Treasury, Dept of, U.S. Copyright Office, U.S. Postal Service (USPS), U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), White House Office
2016 · third_quarter · Consumer Issues/Safety/Products
Discussions regarding proposed legislation & agency reports affecting the collection, use and disclosure of personally identifiable information and self regulatory programs providing protection for consumers; communication of retail views regarding data security and breach notification laws and procedures in protecting customer information; proposed federal breach notification and data security standards, including all provisions of: S. 177, Data Security & Breach Notification Act; H.R. 1770, Data Security and Breach Notification Act of 2015; H.R. 2205, Data Security Act of 2015; S. 961, Data Security Act of 2015 and discussion drafts of data security breach legislation by Senator Warner and by Senators Grassley/Feinstein. Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (S. 657), all provisions; CPSC Oversight issues - overall agency review on key issues such as targeting, import issues, Sec. 1110 rule; proposed voluntary recall rule; H.R. 2576, Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, all provisions; CPSC Oversight issues - overall agency review on key issues such as targeting, import issues, Sec. 1110 rule; proposed voluntary recall rule; European Union-United States Privacy Shield issues; S.2044 - Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015, all provisions; H.R.5111 - Consumer Review Fairness Act of 2016, all provisions; S.2508/H.R.4460 - Youth Sports Concussion Act, all provisions; H.R. 3765, The ADA Education and Reform Act of 2015", all provisions;H,.R. 6032, Data Breach Insurance Act, shared retail views on tax credits for purchase of data breach insurance, implementing cyber framework, tokenization, p2p encryption.
Client expense: $1,760,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: Commerce, Dept of (DOC), Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Federal Maritime Commission, Federal Reserve System, Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Natl Economic Council (NEC), Natl Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Patent & Trademark Office (PTO), SENATE, Small Business Administration (SBA), State, Dept of (DOS), Transportation, Dept of (DOT), Treasury, Dept of, U.S. Customs & Border Protection, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), White House Office
2016 · third_quarter · Constitution
Advocate on behalf of First Amendment rights in relation to media regulation. Promote entertainment industry ratings and parental control technology. Protect against video game sale content regulation, specifically by promoting enforcement rating-related age appropriate guidelines for the retail industry. Promote anti-SLAPP (strategic lawsuits against public participation) legislation. HR 2304 - SPEAK FREE Act; HR 511 - Consumer Review Fairness Act; S. 2044 - Consumer Review Freedom Act.
Client expense: $1,806,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: Education, Dept of, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Patent & Trademark Office (PTO), SENATE, U.S. Copyright Office, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR)
2016 · third_quarter · Telecommunications
S.177,Data Security and Breach Notification Act of 2015, all provisions; H.R. 1770, Data Security and Breach Notification Act of 2015, all provisions; S.754,Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015, all provisions; Online Travel Company Taxation, taxation of hotel room reservations made over the Internet; Emergency Services Dialing procedures; H.R.1643, Digital Goods and Services Tax Fairness Act of 2015, all provisions; S.851, Digital Goods and Services Tax Fairness Act of 2015, all provisions; Issues related to online consumer deception; issues related to data breach; Issues related to cyber security; Issues related to data privacy; Issues related to Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers; Issues related to online copyright; Issues related to consolidation in the Travel Industry; H.R.2110, Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015; S.2044, Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015; H.R.1428, Judicial Redress Act of 2015; S.1600, Judicial Redress Act of 2015; H.R.4167, Kari's Law Act of 2015; issues related to online travel services ;issues related to short-term rentals; S.2553, Kari's Law Act of 2016; H.R.4526, Stop Online Booking Scams Act of 2016; S.2599, Truth in Hotel Advertising Act of 2016; S. 3402, Stop Online Booking Scams Act of 2016; Issues related to telecommunications and broadband.
Client expense: $610,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: Commerce, Dept of (DOC), Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), General Services Administration (GSA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Natl Labor Relations Board (NLRB), SENATE, Small Business Administration (SBA), State, Dept of (DOS), White House Office
2016 · third_quarter · Consumer Issues/Safety/Products
H.R. 5111, Consumer Review Fairness Act of 2016; S. 2044, Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015
Client expense: $230,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: Commerce, Dept of (DOC), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR)
2016 · third_quarter · Government Issues
General lobbying with regard to proposed revisions to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Federal Rules of Evidence. General lobbying with regard to clarifying state and federal court jurisdiction in certain cases. S. 401/H.R. 758 (Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2015); amends Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure to make sanctions mandatory. Lobbying with regard to federal judicial selection generally, including the Supreme Court of the United States, and with specific regard to the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Merrick Garland. H.R. 2304 (SPEAK FREE Act of 2015); Amends the federal judicial code to allow a person against whom a lawsuit is asserted to file a special motion to dismiss claims referred to as strategic lawsuits against public participation ("SLAPP suits") that arise from an oral or written statement or other expression, or conduct in furtherance of such expression, by the defendant in connection with an official proceeding or about a matter of public concern. H.R. 5111 (Consumer Review Fairness Act); prohibits the use of certain clauses in form contracts that restrict the ability of a consumer to communicate regarding the goods or services offered in interstate commerce that were the subject of the contract. H.R. 2110/S. 2044 (Consumer Review Freedom Act); prohibits the use of certain clauses in form contracts that restrict the ability of a consumer to communicate regarding the goods or services that were the subject of the contract. H.R. 384/H.R. 3279 (Open Book on Equal Access to Justice Act); amends titles 5 and 28, United States Code, to require annual reports to Congress on, and the maintenance of databases on, awards of fees and other expenses to prevailing parties in certain administrative proceedings and court cases to which the United States is a party. H.R. 2336/S.__ (Sunshine in Litigation Act); amends Chapter 111 of Title 28, United States Code, relating to protective orders, sealing of cases, disclosures of discovery information in civil actions, and for other purposes. H.R. 2110/S. 2044 (Consumer Review Freedom Act); prohibits contracts that prohibit consumers from making certain public comments on businesses. H.R. 185 (Regulatory Accountability Act of 2015); amends the Administrative Procedures Act (APA), which is the law that governs how federal agencies propose and establish regulations. S. 226/ H.R. 427 (REINS Act); provides that major rules of the executive branch shall have no force or effect unless a joint resolution of approval is enacted into law. S. 543/H.R. 1029 (EPA Science Advisory Board Reform Act of 2015); amends the Environmental Research, Development, and Demonstration Authorization Act of 1978 to revise the process of selecting members of the Science Advisory Board, guidelines for participation in Board advisory activities, and terms of office. H.R. 1927 (Fairness in Class Action Litigation Act of 2015); amends the federal judicial code to prohibit federal courts from certifying any proposed class unless the party seeking to maintain a class action affirmatively demonstrates through admissible evidentiary proof that each proposed class member suffered an injury of the same type and extent as the injury of the named class representatives. S. 1113; amends title 28, United States Code, to remand certain civil actions transferred by the judicial panel on multidistrict litigation. H.R. 1579 (ALERT Act of 2015); amends title 5, united States Code, to provide for the publication, by the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, of information relating to rulemakings H.R. 2648/S. 1109 (Truth in Settlements Act of 2015); requires adequate information regarding the tax treatment of payments under settlement agreements entered into by Federal agencies. General lobbying with regard to settlement disclosures. S. 1607 (Independent Agency Regulatory Analysis Act of 2015); authorizes the President to require an independent regulatory agency to: (1) comply, to the extent permitted by law, with regulatory analysis requirements applicable to other federal agencies; (2) publish and provide the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs with an assessment of the costs and benefits of a proposed or final economically significant rule and an assessment of costs and benefits of alternatives to the rule; and (3) submit to the Office for review any proposed or final economically significant rule. S. 708 (Regulatory Improvement Act of 2015); Requires the Commission to evaluate and make recommendations and propose legislation for modification, consolidation, or repeal of regulations that have been finalized not later than 10 years before the establishment of the Commission (covered regulations) for the purpose of reducing compliance costs, encouraging growth and innovation, improving competitiveness, and protecting public safety. S. 1820 (Early Participation in Regulations Act); requires agencies to publish an advance notice of proposed rule making for major rules. S. 1818 (Principled Rulemaking Act); amends title 5, United States Code, to reform the rule making process of agencies. S. 1817 (Smarter Regs Act of 2015); implements retrospective review of major rules. H.R. 3624 (Fraudulent Joinder Prevention Act of 2015); amends title 28, United States Code, to prevent fraudulent joinder. Lobbying with regard to factoring and structured settlements. H.R. 712 (Sunshine for Regulatory Decrees and Settlements Act); creates new requirements for civil actions seeking to compel agency actions. H.R. 1155 (SCRUB Act); creates new requirements for agencies when making a new rule, creates a regulatory oversight commission. S. 2006 (Regulatory Accountability Act of 2015); reforms the process by which Federal agencies analyze and formulate new regulations and guidance documents. H.R. 4768 (Separation of Powers Restoration Act); modifies the scope of judicial review of agency actions to authorize courts reviewing agency actions to decide de novo all relevant questions of law, including the interpretation of constitutional and statutory provisions and rules. H.R. 4612 (Midnight Rule Relief Act of 2016); prohibits some federal agencies from proposing or finalizing any midnight rule unless the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs finds that such a rule will not result in: (1) an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more; (2) a major increase in costs or prices; (3) significant adverse effects on competition, employment, investment, productivity, innovation, or the ability of U.S.-based enterprises to compete internationally; or (4) a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small businesses. H.R. 5063 (Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act of 2016); prohibits government officials from entering into a settlement agreement resolving a civil action on behalf of the United States, or from enforcing such a settlement agreement, if that agreement requires a donation to be made to any person by any party (other than the United States) to such agreement. S. 3446/H.R. 3765 (ADA Education and Reform Act of 2015); amends the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 to promote compliance through education, to clarify the requirements for demand letters, to provide for a notice and cure period before the commencement of a private civil action. H.R. 241 (ADA Compliance for Customer Entry to Stores and Services (ACCESS) Act of 2015); amends the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 to prohibit an aggrieved person from commencing a civil action for discrimination based on the failure to remove a structural barrier to entry into an existing public accommodation unless the owner or operator of such accommodation: (1) is provided a written notice specific enough to identify such barrier; and (2) has, within specified time periods, either failed to provide the aggrieved person with a written description outlining improvements that will be made to remove such barrier or provided such description and failed to remove such barrier. H.R. 4719 (Correcting Obstructions to Mediate, Prevent, and Limit Inaccessibility (COMPLI) Act); amends the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 to prohibit persons aggrieved by certain public accommodation violations from commencing a civil action for discrimination unless they: (1) provide the owner or operator of the accommodation with a written notice that is specific enough to identify the violation; (2) specify in the notice that the owner or operator has 90 days to remove or correct the violation before an action will be brought; and (3) refrain from sending demand letters, requests for settlement, or other communications to the owner or operator during such 90-day period. General lobbying with respect to diversity jurisdiction and potential changes to the jurisdiction rules. S. 3155/H.R. 889 (Foreign Cultural Exchange Jurisdictional Immunity Clarification Act); to amend chapter 97 of title 28, United States Code, to clarify the exception to foreign sovereign immunity set forth in section 1605(a)(3) of such title) S. 2763/H.R. 6130 (Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act of 2016); to provide the victims of Holocaust-era persecution and their heirs a fair opportunity to recover works of art confiscated or misappropriated by the Nazis.
Client expense: $1,750,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: Education, Dept of, Executive Office of the President (EOP), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Office of the Vice President of the United States, SENATE
2016 · third_quarter · Copyright/Patent/Trademark
H.R. 6, 21st Century Cures Act H.R. 9, Innovation Act H.R. 805, Domain Openness Through Continued Oversight Matters (DOTCOM) Act of 2015 H.R. 1477/S. 779, Fair Access to Science and Technology Research Act of 2015 H.R. 1907, Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 H.R. 3326/S. 1890, Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2015 S. 1015, Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 S. 1137, Protecting American Talent and Entrepreneurship (PATENT) Act of 2015 S. 2044, Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015 Potential legislation similar to S. 3523, Innovative Design Protection Act of 2012 Various issues relating to copyright review; United Nations high-level panel on access to medicines; Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP); Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement; Office of the Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator and the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center; USPTO IP Attache Program; appropriations related to the PRO-IP Act (P.L. 110-403); funding issues related to the USPTO; IP issues related to Australia, Canada, China, India, Brazil, Russia, Europe, and Mexico; IP issues related to internet counterfeiting and piracy; IP issues related to trade secret theft; expanded use of software asset management by the Federal Government and its contractors; patent linkage and regulatory data protection; plain packaging; the implementation of Section 182 of the Trade Act of 1974 (P.L. 93-618), as amended by the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 and the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (the Special 301 Report); the World Intellectual Property Organization; the World Trade Organization; the World Health Organization; the International Telecommunications Union; Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP); Trade Promotion Authority (TPA); IP Issues related to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC); IP issues related to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
Client expense: $18,410,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: Agriculture, Dept of (USDA), Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers), Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), Commerce, Dept of (DOC), Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), Defense, Dept of (DOD), Education, Dept of, Energy, Dept of, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Executive Office of the President (EOP), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Federal Reserve System, Federal Trade Commission (FTC), General Services Administration (GSA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Interior, Dept of (DOI), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Natl Economic Council (NEC), Natl Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST), Natl Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Natl Security Council (NSC), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Patent & Trademark Office (PTO), Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), SENATE, Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), Small Business Administration (SBA), State, Dept of (DOS), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Transportation, Dept of (DOT), Treasury, Dept of, U.S. Copyright Office, U.S. Customs & Border Protection, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), White House Office
2016 · third_quarter · Telecommunications
S2044 Consumer Review Freedom Act Monitor the "Internet of Things" Review and monitor FCC Reauthorization Legislation Lobby on Spectrum issues, including spectrum auctions Monitor wireless services and issues FCC Broadband privacy S827 Improving Rural Call Quality
Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $20,000
Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE
2016 · third_quarter · Consumer Issues/Safety/Products
Issues related to privacy and data security; H.R. 5111 - Consumer Review Fairness Act of 2016 and S. 2044 - The Consumer Review Freedom Act.
Client expense: $300,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: Commerce, Dept of (DOC), Executive Office of the President (EOP), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Office of Science & Technology Policy (OSTP), Patent & Trademark Office (PTO), SENATE, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR)
2016 · third_quarter · Computer Industry
Online Competition; Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015, S. 2044; Free Speech; SPEAK FREE Act of 2015, H.R. 2304; Consumer Review Fairness Act, H.R. 5111; Cyber security; Data Localization;
Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $50,000
Government targets: Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS), Commerce, Dept of (DOC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Minority Business Development Agency, Patent & Trademark Office (PTO), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA)
2016 · third_quarter · Labor Issues/Antitrust/Workplace
Online Competition; Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015, S. 2044; Free Speech; SPEAK FREE Act of 2015, H.R. 2304; Consumer Review Fairness Act, H.R. 5111;
Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $50,000
Government targets: Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS), Commerce, Dept of (DOC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Minority Business Development Agency, Patent & Trademark Office (PTO), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA)
2016 · third_quarter · Civil Rights/Civil Liberties
Online Competition; Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015, S. 2044; Free Speech; SPEAK FREE Act of 2015, H.R. 2304; Consumer Review Fairness Act, H.R. 5111; Cyber security
Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $50,000
Government targets: Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS), Commerce, Dept of (DOC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Minority Business Development Agency, Patent & Trademark Office (PTO), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA)
Lobbied in support of the S. 2044, the Consumer Review Freedom Act. The purpose of this legislation is to protect consumers from gag clauses in non-negotiable consumer form contracts.
Client expense: $140,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE
Advocated for federal anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) legislation and legislation to outlaw non-disparagement clauses in consumer contracts in order to protect citizens first amendment right to share real first-hand experiences without fear of harm or intimidation. Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015, HR 2110, HR 5111, S.2044; Free Speech; SPEAK FREE Act of 2015, HR 2304
Client expense: $140,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE
Online Competition; Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015, HR 2110, S.2044; Free Speech; SPEAK FREE Act of 2015, HR 2304; Cyber Security
Client expense: $140,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE
Advocated for increased competition in the online space. Expressed concern regarding anticompetitive behavior and consumer harm occurring because of certain companies on the Internet. Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015, HR 2110, S.2044; Free Speech; SPEAK FREE Act of 2015, HR 2304.
Client expense: $140,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE
2016 · third_quarter · Computer Industry
General education about the company's business model, bringing specificity and transparency to job search. Anti-SLAPP legislation, including H.R.2304, SPEAK FREE Act and H.R.2110 and S.2044, Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015.
Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $20,000
Government targets: Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), General Services Administration (GSA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Labor, Dept of (DOL), SENATE, White House Office
2016 · second_quarter · Consumer Issues/Safety/Products
Discussions regarding proposed legislation & agency reports affecting the collection, use and disclosure of personally identifiable information and self regulatory programs providing protection for consumers; communication of retail views regarding data security and breach notification laws and procedures in protecting customer information; proposed federal breach notification and data security standards, including all provisions of: S. 177, Data Security & Breach Notification Act; H.R. 1770, Data Security and Breach Notification Act of 2015; H.R. 2205, Data Security Act of 2015; S. 961, Data Security Act of 2015 and discussion drafts of data security breach legislation by Senator Warner and by Senators Grassley/Feinstein. Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (S. 657), all provisions; CPSC Oversight issues - overall agency review on key issues such as targeting, import issues, Sec. 1110 rule; proposed voluntary recall rule; H.R. 2576, Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, all provisions; CPSC Oversight issues - overall agency review on key issues such as targeting, import issues, Sec. 1110 rule; proposed voluntary recall rule; European Union-United States Privacy Shield issues; S.2044 - Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015, all provisions; H.R.5111 - Consumer Review Fairness Act of 2016, all provisions; S.2508/H.R.4460 - Youth Sports Concussion Act, all provisions;
Client expense: $1,680,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: Commerce, Dept of (DOC), Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Federal Maritime Commission, Federal Reserve System, Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Natl Economic Council (NEC), Natl Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Patent & Trademark Office (PTO), SENATE, Small Business Administration (SBA), State, Dept of (DOS), Transportation, Dept of (DOT), Treasury, Dept of, U.S. Customs & Border Protection, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), White House Office
2016 · second_quarter · Consumer Issues/Safety/Products
Issues related to data protection, encryption, data retention, data breach notification, data security, cross border data flows, privacy, drone privacy, the US-EU Safe Harbor Agreement, the Electronic Privacy Communications Act, sale and marketing of dietary supplements, and cloud computing including: Data Security and Breach Notification Act of 2015 (S. 177); Cyber Privacy Fortification Act of 2015 (H.R. 104); Protecting Cyber Networks Act (H.R. 1560); Personal Data Notification and Protection Act of 2015 (H.R. 1704); and Data Security and Breach Notification Act of 2015 (H.R. 1770); Student Digital Privacy Act (H.R. 2092); Data Security Act of 2015 (H.R. 2205); Consumer Privacy Protection Act of 2015 (S. 1158); Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015 (S. 2044); Digital Security Commission Act of 2016 / McCaul-Warner Commission on Digital Security (H.R. 4651).
Client expense: $3,000,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: Agriculture, Dept of (USDA), Commerce, Dept of (DOC), Defense, Dept of (DOD), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Federal Reserve System, Federal Trade Commission (FTC), General Services Administration (GSA), Government Accountability Office (GAO), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Natl Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA), Natl Economic Council (NEC), Natl Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Office of Science & Technology Policy (OSTP), Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Patent & Trademark Office (PTO), Postal Regulatory Commission, SENATE, Small Business Administration (SBA), State, Dept of (DOS), Transportation, Dept of (DOT), Treasury, Dept of, U.S. Copyright Office, U.S. Postal Service (USPS), U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), White House Office
2016 · second_quarter · Consumer Issues/Safety/Products
Discussions regarding proposed legislation & agency reports affecting the collection, use and disclosure of personally identifiable information and self regulatory programs providing protection for consumers; communication of retail views regarding data security and breach notification laws and procedures in protecting customer information; proposed federal breach notification and data security standards, including all provisions of: S. 177, Data Security & Breach Notification Act; H.R. 1770, Data Security and Breach Notification Act of 2015; H.R. 2205, Data Security Act of 2015; S. 961, Data Security Act of 2015 and discussion drafts of data security breach legislation by Senator Warner and by Senators Grassley/Feinstein. Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (S. 657), all provisions; CPSC Oversight issues - overall agency review on key issues such as targeting, import issues, Sec. 1110 rule; proposed voluntary recall rule; H.R. 2576, Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, all provisions; CPSC Oversight issues - overall agency review on key issues such as targeting, import issues, Sec. 1110 rule; proposed voluntary recall rule; European Union-United States Privacy Shield issues; S.2044 - Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015, all provisions; H.R.5111 - Consumer Review Fairness Act of 2016, all provisions; S.2508/H.R.4460 - Youth Sports Concussion Act, all provisions;
Client expense: $1,550,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: Commerce, Dept of (DOC), Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Federal Maritime Commission, Federal Reserve System, Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Natl Economic Council (NEC), Natl Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Patent & Trademark Office (PTO), SENATE, Small Business Administration (SBA), State, Dept of (DOS), Transportation, Dept of (DOT), Treasury, Dept of, U.S. Customs & Border Protection, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), White House Office
Lobbied in support of the S. 2044, the Consumer Review Freedom Act. The purpose of this legislation is to protect consumers from gag clauses in non-negotiable consumer form contracts.
Client expense: $140,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE
Online Competition; Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015, HR 2110, S.2044; Free Speech; SPEAK FREE Act of 2015, HR 2304; Cyber Security
Client expense: $140,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE
Advocated for increased competition in the online space. Expressed concern regarding anticompetitive behavior and consumer harm occurring because of certain companies on the Internet. Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015, HR 2110, S.2044; Free Speech; SPEAK FREE Act of 2015, HR 2304; Cyber Security
Client expense: $140,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE
Advocated for federal anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) legislation and legislation to outlaw non-disparagement clauses in consumer contracts in order to protect citizens first amendment right to share real first-hand experiences without fear of harm or intimidation. Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015, HR 2110, HR 5111, S.2044; Free Speech; SPEAK FREE Act of 2015, HR 2304
Client expense: $140,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE
2016 · second_quarter · Copyright/Patent/Trademark
H.R. 9, Innovation Act H.R. 1477/S. 779, Fair Access to Science and Technology Research Act of 2015 H.R. 3326/S. 1890, Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2015 S. 1137, Protecting American Talent and Entrepreneurship (PATENT) Act of 2015 S. 2044, Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015 Various issues relating to copyright review
Client expense: $22,770,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: Agriculture, Dept of (USDA), Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers), Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), Commerce, Dept of (DOC), Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), Defense, Dept of (DOD), Education, Dept of, Energy, Dept of, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Executive Office of the President (EOP), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Federal Reserve System, Federal Trade Commission (FTC), General Services Administration (GSA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Interior, Dept of (DOI), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Natl Economic Council (NEC), Natl Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST), Natl Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Natl Security Council (NSC), Natl Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Patent & Trademark Office (PTO), Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), SENATE, Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), Small Business Administration (SBA), State, Dept of (DOS), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Transportation, Dept of (DOT), Treasury, Dept of, U.S. Copyright Office, U.S. Customs & Border Protection, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), White House Office
2016 · second_quarter · Consumer Issues/Safety/Products
S. 2044 / H.R. 5111, "Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015", provisions regarding consumer review submissions to websites.
Client expense: $210,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Federal Reserve System, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR)