Consumer Resources
Articles Index - page 2
Bush Plans to Make Tax Cuts Permanent
In his radio address of Jan. 11, 2003, President Bush stated he planned to ask Congress to make permanent all of his previous tax relief measures, and warned of coming tax hikes if Congress doesn't go along.
IRS Upgrades Website for 2004 Tax Season
Taxpayers pondering a question, taxpayers searching for a form or taxpayers looking for their refund now can go to just one new IRS Web page.
USDA Expands Mad Cow Beef Recall
On Dec. 28, 2003, the USDA has expanded to eight U.S. states and the territory of Guam the recall of beef related to the recent discovery of one case of mad cow disease in Washington State on Dec. 23. The recall now extends to stores in Washington State, Oregon, California, Nevada, Alaska, Montana, Hawaii, Idaho and Guam.
USDA Says Mad Cow Came from Canada
The USDA has determined that the dairy cow found to be infected with BSE -- mad cow disease -- slaughtered on December 9 at Vern's Moses Lake Meats in Washington State, had been imported into the U.S. from Canada in 2001.
Top Ten Dot Cons
Con artists have gone high-tech, using the Internet to defraud consumers. Whether they're using the excitement of an Internet auction to entice consumers into parting with their money, applying new technology to peddle traditional business opportunity scams, using email to reach vast numbers of people with false promises about earnings through day trading, or hijacking consumers' modems and cramming hefty long-distance charges onto their phone bills, scam artists are just a click away.
State Quarters Program to Hit Halfway Mark
By far the most popular commemorative coin offering in the history of the U.S. Mint, the 50 State Quarters® program will reach the halfway mark with the release of the Arkansas coin on January 26, 2004.
Firm Recalls Beef After Mad Cow Confirmed
Verns Moses Lake Meats, a Moses Lake, Wash., establishment, is voluntarily recalling approximately 10,410 pounds of raw beef that may have been exposed to tissues containing the infectious agent that causes bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.
U.S. Meat Industry Responds to Mad Cow Case
American Meat Institute President J. Patrick Boyle issues a statement on the single case of mad cow disease confirmed in a cow slaughtered in Washington State.
Bush On: Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa
In one joyous swoop, President Bush delivered his best wishes for persons observing any or all of our three major wintertime holidays: Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.
About Federal Flood Insurance
Since 1978, the federal flood insurance program has paid out over $11.6 billion in claims. Up to 25 percent of that went to owners of flood damaged property located outside of designated "flood prone" areas. Read on for the basics of the federal flood insurance program.
In Time for Valentine's Day - Candy Hearts Stamps
Candy hearts -- a Valentine's tradition for more than a century -- adorn the latest stamp in the U.S. Postal Service Love series bearing the sweet message I LOVE YOU. The Love: Candy Hearts stamp will be made available for the first time on Jan. 14 at a ceremony at the New England Confectionery Company (NECCO), in Revere, Mass. The stamp will be available nationwide the following day.
U.S. Tuna Fishermen Challenge FDA Warning
In reaction to the FDA's recent warning to women on the dangers of eating seafood, US albacore tuna fishermen have demanded that the FDA immediately implement a formal program to systematically test hundreds of albacore fishing community members, including women and children, for any effects caused by methylmercury.
FTC Warns of Envelope Stuffing Schemes
The ads promise easy money for simply stuffing envelopes, but according to Howard Beales, Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, "Stuffing is fine for turkeys and stockings, but envelope-stuffing scams deserve a lump of coal." Learn how to keep from being taken for a work-at-home ride.
DOT Proposes Major Traffic Control Changes
Fluorescent pink signs to alert drivers to traffic crashes, large print on road signs for older drivers, and "animated eyes" to caution pedestrians at intersections are among the improvements federal highway engineers are recommending states consider to make travel safer and easier.
FDA Warns Women of Seafood Dangers
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued its first definitive consumer warning concerning fish and shellfish consumption for persons at risk from exposure to high mercury levels, including pregnant women, nursing mothers, women who may become pregnant, and young children.
Do Not Call List is Free: FTC Warns of Scam
The Federal Trade Commission is warning consumers to be on the lookout for persons claiming they can, for a fee, register or pre-register consumers for the FTC’s National Do Not Call Registry.
Congress Sends Anti-Spam Bill to Bush
By a voice vote, the House of Representatives has given Congress' final approval to a bill outlawing several forms of junk email, or 'spam' and creating a national 'do not spam' registry, similar to the anti telemarketing 'do not call' registry.
New Law to Protect Against Identity Theft
"Slips of paper that most people throw away should not hold the key to their savings and financial secrets," said President Bush as he signed a new law intended to protect Americans from identity theft and unfair credit practices.
Bush Signs Healthy Forest Act
After months of debate and controversy, President Bush has signed into law the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 designed to reduce the risk of wild fires by thinning dense undergrowth and brush in forested areas. Exactly what will this new law do to prevent forest fires?
CPSC Issues 2003 Hazardous Recalled Toys List
From 'Woody' dolls with choking buttons to sidewalk chalk with loads of lead, the Consumer Product Safety Commission releases is 2003 list of recently recalled toys and children's products that pose serious safety threats to youngsters.
New Website Helps Families Plan for College
After a new report showed that parents and students often greatly overestimate the cost of college tuition, the U.S. Department of Education created a new Web site designed to give students and families the facts they need to better plan and prepare for college.
How To Make A Telemarketing Complaint
The Federal Communication Commission has released detailed information outlining specific steps consumer should take if they have put their names on the National Do-Not-Call Registry and are called by telemarketers on or after October 1, 2003. It provides information about when there is a violation of the FCC do-not-call rules, and specifics about how to file a complaint.
Sen. Schumer Calls for Blackout Hearings
US Sen. Charles Schumer (D-New York) has called for Congressional hearings into the massive power outage that struck much of the Northeast, Ontario, and the Midwest last week leaving as many as 50 million people in the dark.
Big Brother - Thinner Brother
Obesity... overweight... fat. No questions, it's one of this nation's worst and most costly health problems. But, can government, in its finest "we know what's best for you" tradition, use laws to bring about the thinning of America?
What's Under Your Sink Could Kill You
A handy new online database from the National Institutes of Health provides useful, possibly even life-saving information on the potential health effects of more than 2,000 ingredients contained in more than 4,000 common household products.