Welcome to Consumer Action's Take Action Center. Consumer Action offers e-advocacy tools to help you make your voice and opinions heard. The free service allows you to play active role in the political process by finding contact information for your federal and state elected officials, writing to Congress, sending letters to the editor, responding to key legislation and more. If you like our Take Action Center, consider supporting our work.
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Featured Actions
Support
National Action
Free access to credit scores
Date: Thu, April 25, 2013
Legislation introduced in the U.S. House and Senate would give consumers free credit scores along with their free annual credit reports.
Support
California Legislation
SB 515: Amendment to California Deferred Deposit Transaction Law
Sponsor: Senator Hannah Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) on Feb 21, 2013 and amended on April 5, 2013
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/postquery?bill_number=sb_515&sess=CUR&house=B&author=jackson
This legislation targets "payday loans" that trap mostly low-income borrowers in a repeated cycle of debt. It would require lenders to give borrowers at least 30 days to repay loans and prevent people from taking out more than six payday loans in a year.
Support
National Legislation
S 418: Do-Not-Track Online Act of 2013
Sponsor: John Rockefeller [D-WV] on 2013-02-28
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/s418
Senator Jay Rockefeller, Chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, has introduced S. 418, a bill that would give consumers the ability to control their personal information and allow them to prevent online companies from collecting and using the personal details for profit.
Petition
National Action
Save Wireless Lifeline!
Date: Thu, April 11, 2013
Let your elected representatives know that you strongly oppose any cuts to Lifeline. Sign our petition to protect low-income Lifeline telephone subsidies. A recent Washington Post article highlighted growing criticism of the low-income phone subsidy program known as Lifeline, which was founded under President Ronald Reagan's administration and expanded to include cellphone service during the presidency of George W. Bush.
Support
National Legislation
S 114: Fairness for Struggling Students Act of 2013
Sponsor: Sen. Richard Durbin [D-IL] on 2013-01-23
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/s114
Fairness for Struggling Students Act of 2013 - Revises federal bankruptcy law with respect to the exemption from the exception to discharge in bankruptcy for certain educational loans if excepting such debt from discharge would impose an undue hardship on the debtor and debtor's dependents.
Support
National Legislation
S 525: Constitutional Amendment to Restore Citizen’s Rights
Sponsor: Sen. Bernard “Bernie” Sanders [I-VT] on 2013-03-12
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/s525
A bill proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to restore the rights of the American people that were taken away by the Supreme Court's decision in the Citizens United case and related decisions, in order to protect the integrity of our elections from corporate influence.
Watching
National Legislation
S 150: Assault Weapons Ban of 2013
Sponsor: Sen. Dianne Feinstein [D-CA] on 2013-01-24
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/s150
Would amend the federal criminal code to ban the import, sale, manufacture, transfer or possession of semiautomatic assault weapons.
Support
National Legislation
S 471: Fair Access to Credit Scores Act of 2013
Sponsor: Sen. Bernard “Bernie” Sanders [I-VT] on Mar 06, 2013
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/s471
A bill to amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act to require the inclusion of credit scores with free annual credit reports provided to consumers, and for other purposes. Consumer Action believes that consumers should receive a credit score along with their free annual credit reports.
Support
National Legislation
S 113: Know Before You Owe Private Student Loan Act of 2013
Sponsor: Sen. Richard Durbin [D-IL] on Jan 23, 2013
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/s113
A bill to amend the Truth in Lending Act and the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require schools to counsel students before they sign on to expensive, even unnecessary, private student loan debt and inform them if they have any untapped federal loan eligibility.
Support
National Legislation
HR 645: Equal Employment for All Act
Sponsor: Rep. Steve Cohen [D-TN9] on Feb 13, 2013
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/hr645
To amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act to prohibit the use of consumer credit checks against prospective and current employees for the purposes of making adverse employment decisions.



