Farmers given choice on arbitration in Farm Bill
The Rural Advancement Foundation International - USA (RAFI-USA) won an important victory in the battle against binding mandatory arbitration. In the Senate version of the Farm Bill, the voluntary arbitration provision, Section 10203(b) which gives farmers a choice to arbitrate or not, was passed.

Final report still warns consumers about tax refund loans
The National Consumer Law Center and Consumer Federation of America have released their final report for 2008 on RALS or Refund Anticipation Loans.

FTC: US Postal Service needs more autonomy
The Federal Trade Commission has issued a report examining the Postal Service’s economic burdens and advantages that exist due to its status as a federal government entity, as well as those benefits resulting from its postal and mailbox monopolies.

Predatory lending: Its impact on Armed Forces
The Department of the Defense has released a highly anticipated report on "Predatory Lending Practices Directed at Members of the Armed Forces and Their Dependents," which details the harm done to military personnel and their families by the predatory lending establishments clustered around military bases nationwide.

GAO report blasts Postal Service performance standards
A Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released July 27 is highly critical of the U.S. Postal Service, and recommends that USPS take actions to modernize its delivery standards, implement delivery performance measures for major categories of mail and improve public accessibility of delivery performance standards, measures and results.

PIRG’s Congressional Scorecard
Now in its 12th year, U.S. PIRG's annual Congressional Scorecard is an important tool consumers can use to gauge Congressional votes on the environment, consumer protection.

Transparency for pork barrel votes
"It's time to stop passing bills in the dead of night that nobody has read," said Rafael DeGennaro, co-founder and president of Taxpayers for Common Sense and founder of Read the Bill. "We want sunshine at the Capitol by November. Any member of Congress who opposes this 72 online reform is part of the problem in Washington, D.C."