KATIE MURTHA

Support right to repair and consumer protections in budget appropriations. Lobbied on the bipartisan infrastructure deal.

Met with Rep. Krishnamoorthi's office about writing a letter to the CDC about establishing a PPE clearinghouse. Lobbied several congressional offices on the Baby Food Safety Act (HR 2229), pitching them on co-sponsoring it. Lobbied House and Senate offices to push the FDA to act quicker to set duration limits on antibiotics used in agriculture. Included pitching a dear colleague sign on letter and also working with offices on their own letters to the FDA. We also worked to convince House/Senate offices to include more money for the FDA in the appropriations bill, and to include language in it that would force the FDA to move quicker. Supported consumer protections from surprise medical billing, especially ambulatory care.

Lobbied on antibiotics in farm animals and meat, suprise billing and ambulance commission and healthcare. Lobbied Rep. Krishnamoorthi and Senator Blumenthal on the need for a government sponsored clearinghouse for PPE. Also lobbied Krishnamoorthi office about a new bill to establish safety standards on toxic metals in baby food. Participate in remote meetings with House/Senate and FTC official on privacy, consumer protection and competition matters. 26 January 2021- Join letter to Senate Judiciary and Commerce Committee leadership urging strong opposition to confirmation of any Big Tech lobbyists, lawyers or executives to positions where they could influence oversight of Big Tech regulation or antitrust or competition actions. 19 February 2021-Join petition to FTC requesting investigation of deceptive and unfair practices by the Edtech platform "Prodigy." 24 February 2021-Join letter to Senator Richard Blumenthal, new chair of Manufacturing, Trade, and Consumer Protection Subcommittee, Senate Commerce Committee, urging that only strong consumer safety advocates be considered for Consumer product Safety Commission. 29 March 2021-Join letter to FCC urging implementation of long-delaying regulations on illegal robocalls. (Written Ex Parte Presentation Rules & Regulations Implementing the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991, CG Docket No. 02-278)

Worked on getting funding in the end of year package to require FDA to adequately enforce duration limits on medically important antibiotics in farm animals.

Supported extension of the Clean Energy tax incentives in the end of the year final bill. This includes wind and solar.

Lobbied the Trump Admin to boost production of PPE through the Defense Production Act, lobbied Senate and the House to include the Medical Supply Transparency and Delivery Act into its COVID package. Lobbied the House and Senate to include more money for testing and PPE into the COVID package. Supported ending the practice of surprise medical billing. Lobbied for appropriations legislation that would include language limiting duration of medically important antibiotic use in agriculture. Lobbied House office of Rep. Mike Doyle to draft and introduce antibiotic related legislation.

Worked to get provisions related to incineration of chemicals out of the Save Our Sease 2.0 bill and worked to bring notice to and ultimately shape international provisions related to the USTR.

Opposed anti- Right to Repair provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act in the Senate. Urged leadership of Senate Commerce Committee not to schedule a confirmation vote on and more generally to oppose the nomination of former chemical industry lobbyist Nancy Beck to chair the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Conducted general outreach activities to Congress on this matter. Joined coalition letter to FTC urging it to withhold final consent to the merger of prescription drug companies Abbvie and Allergan (AbbVie and Allergan; File No. 191 0169). Submitted group comment to US DOT on Defining Unfair or Deceptive Practices in Airlines and Ticketing Agents, Docket No. DOT-OST-2019-0182. Sent civil society letter to House Judiciary Committee leaders opposing efforts by U.S. Chamber of Commerce to demand sweeping business immunity from COVID19-related claims by consumers or workers. Sent consumer group letter to Congressional leaders opposing efforts by U.S. Chamber of Commerce to demand sweeping business immunity from COVID19-related claims by consumers or workers. Sent civil society letter to Congressional leaders opposing efforts by U.S. Chamber of Commerce to demand sweeping business immunity from COVID19-related claims by consumers or workers.

Support curbing the use of antibiotics on citrus plants. support looking and working for a 21st century transportation plan. Support consumer protections from price gouging related to COVID-19. 27 March 2020 Sent a USPIRG comment and joined an NCLC.org comment to FTC opposing no-penalty settlement for collusion by rent-to-own stores, "In the Matter of Rent-to-Own Store Swaps," Commission File No. 191-0074. 24 Jan 2020 In comments responding to Request for Information urged House Energy and Commerce Committee leaders Pallone, Walden, Schakowsky and Rodgers to strengthen weak draft federal privacy bill that has yet to be introduced to ensure that stronger state laws are protected, consumers have a strong private right of action and other provisions are strongly pro-privacy. 20 March 2020 In group letter, urged Speaker Pelosi and Leader McConnell and all members of Congress to ensure that if personal data is used to limit the effects of pandemic, to ensure that guardrails are appended to protect privacy, limit uses to response measures but not allow any commercial or marketing

Lobbied to extend energy tax credits and incentives in a tax extender package. This includes tax credits for plug in hybrids and plug in vehicles, energy storage tax incentives, solar tax incentives, ITC and PCT.

Oppose efforts in Congress to weaken the independent funding or single-director structure of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (including in FSGG Appropriations-HR3351 and related House or Senate bills and so-called mini-bus packages). Support efforts of Clean Budget coalition to oppose all "poison-pill" riders on all House and Senate Appropriations bills. Worked on amendments to the House Appropriations bils. Sent letters to members with vote recommendations.

Supported EV Tax Credits. Expand and lift the cap on tax credits for the purchase of electric vehicles and plug hybrid vehicles

Met with members of Senate and/or staff regarding airline safety in wake of Boeing 737 crashes. Supported efforts of FlyersRights.org to strengthen response. Joined consumer group comments (4 Feb 2019) on CPSC study (CPSC-2011-0074) on table saw safety. Attended lobby visits about consumer financial protections. Supported the need for oversight of the credit bureaus. Reiterated our support for the CFPB's independent source of funding and single director structure in some of these meetings. Provided ideas for fixing mistakes on reports, providing relief for consumers from negative information on their reports, and preventing future breaches. Testified before the Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy Hearing on Improving Data Security at Consumer Reporting Agencies. Met with members of House and Senate and/or their staffs regarding proposed legislation to establish umbrella privacy law that would unwisely preempt stronger state privacy protection laws. Urged FTC commissioners and senior staff, in meetings, to broaden their series of competition hearings to both add specific privacy hearings and to expand the number of non-aligned academic and NGO panelists. Worked on legislation to prevent the use of toxic pesticides on farms and the use of neonics in the federal wildlife refuge system.

Met with members of Senate and/or staff regarding airline safety in wake of Boeing 737 crashes. Supported efforts of FlyersRights.org to strengthen response. Joined consumer group comments (4 Feb 2019) on CPSC study (CPSC-2011-0074) on table saw safety. Attended lobby visits about consumer financial protections. Supported the need for oversight of the credit bureaus. Reiterated our support for the CFPB's independent source of funding and single director structure in some of these meetings. Provided ideas for fixing mistakes on reports, providing relief for consumers from negative information on their reports, and preventing future breaches. Testified before the Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy Hearing on Improving Data Security at Consumer Reporting Agencies. Met with members of House and Senate and/or their staffs regarding proposed legislation to establish umbrella privacy law that would unwisely preempt stronger state privacy protection laws. Urged FTC commissioners and senior staff, in meetings, to broaden their series of competition hearings to both add specific privacy hearings and to expand the number of non-aligned academic and NGO panelists. Worked on legislation to prevent the use of toxic pesticides on farms and the use of neonics in the federal wildlife refuge system.

Supported extension and removal of the cap for tax credit for electric and plug in electric hybrids, taxes as related to healthcare, Earned Income Tax Credit.

Supported using a transportation bill to move more people, not more cars. Encouraged including public transportation, walkable cities and similar policies in an infrastructure package.

Appropriations - no poison pill riders. CFBD funding, equifax/financial privacy protection issues; no financial riders in the budget, particularly those that would eliminate independent funding for the CFPB and allow the president to fire the director at will.

Opposed HR5059, the State Insurance Regulation Preservation Act (Rothfus) to reduce federal supervisory authority over insurance companies, including those with bank subsidiaries.

continued emails to congressional staff on 1- anniversary of equifax breach, reminders of how to protect yourself

Urge CPSC to to strengthen 2018 Operating Plan, especially to prevent furniture tipover and portable generator hazards. Urge FCC to strengthen consumer protections against robo-calls. Urge Dept. of Transportation to support continued airline passenger safety and consumer protection regulations. Urge EPA to support continued strong fuel economy (MPG) and emissions standards. Urge FTC to enforce strong privacy protections, including against Facebook. CFPB and general data privacy and privacy issues. Keeping appropriations riders out of appropriations bills from subcommittee on. Advocacy for data security and privacy bills that don't preempt states, including support for S.2289, S.1816, and S.2362

Legislation on Animal Drug User Fee Act working to set duration limits on the use of medically important antibiotics.

Prepared briefing on toxics in anticipation of the Farm Bill reauthorization which potentially will come up this summer.

Equifax, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, keeping banking laws on the books to protect consumers

Equifax, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, keeping banking laws on the books to protect consumers

Lobbied on the Equifax breach and how we can establish a free credit freeze. Also provided information and questions to Congressional offices in preparation for their hearings. Supported full funding for all appropriated agencies. All legislation, executive orders or agency actions concerning weakening of existing rules such as broadband privacy and net neutrality rules, whether by new administration or Congressional action. Oppose all appropriations riders to subject independent agencies to restrictive, duplicative regulatory cost-benefit analysis and OMB/OIRA oversight to include HR5 (Regulatory Accountability Act) and similar regulatory/Administrative Procedures Act/benefit-cost analysis bills and riders. Support stronger consumer privacy (S 964/HR 2356 MY DATA Act of 2017); S878 (To establish privacy protections); oppose bills to weaken consumer privacy, HR 2520 (BROWSER Act of 2017); Oppose HR2396 (Privacy Notification Technical Clarification Act). Urge CPSC to enact table saw protection rule.