Our Federal Program

An Agenda For The 111th Congress

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PRIORITIES FOR THE NEW CONGRESS—In 2009, PennPIRG’s Liz Hitchcock -- seen here testifying before a Senate Commerce subcommittee -- will lead our efforts to persuade the 111th Congress to increase safety at chemical facilities.

A new president and a new Congress open the door to opportunities to affect Americans in communities across the country. We recognize that old habits die hard and powerful interests remain in Washington, but PennPIRG staff see possibilities for real and lasting change on a number of important fronts.

Cleaning Up Washington: During his campaign, President Barack Obama pledged to fix the presidential campaign funding system to keep wealthy interests from bankrolling campaigns. The president declined to use public financing, a system he called broken. We look forward to working with the new administration to reduce special interest influence in campaigns.

Ensuring Our Financial Security: PennPIRG’s Securing America’s Financial Future campaign brought together a number of the nation’s top economists and consumer and taxpayer advocates to fight for greater oversight of and accountability for the bailout funds. Our advocates will prepare and deliver a reform package for the new Congress.

Lowering The Cost Of Health Care: America’s health care system costs too much and delivers too little. PennPIRG’s campaign for affordable and dependable health care will partner with a large coalition of national and state organizations to promote policies to bring far-reaching new consumer protections to the marketplace. The effort builds and expands upon the victories of several other state PIRGs in curbing some of the worst insurance industry abuses and the spiraling cost of care.

Funding Public Transportation: The 111th Congress will renew the Transportation Bill, which funds highways, bridges and public transportation every six years. We’re calling for investments that will boost our economy by expanding public transportation and spend taxpayers’ money more wisely.

Financial Security

Wallstreet Bailout: Where Did All The Money Go?

As Congress and President Bush rushed to pass legislation to bail out Wall Street last fall, PennPIRG’s Ed Mierzwinski warned that the law didn’t do enough to hold banks accountable or protect Americans.

“The hastily developed law gave unprecedented spending authority to a single individual in the administration but lacked basic protections for taxpayers and assistance to homeowners,” said Mierzwinski.

Just one week after taxpayers bailed out the insurance giant AIG with $85 billion, the company spent nearly half a million dollars at the swanky St. Regis resort, including $23,000 at the spa, $150,000 on meals and wine, and $545 per night on the “Pamper Your Pooch” package for their dogs.

Aided by contributions from our e-mail activists in support of our Main Street Before Wall Street platform, Mierzwinski and PennPIRG staff worked to correct the shortcomings of the bailouts. We advocated consumer and taxpayer protections, we argued that priority should be given to efforts to stabilize the housing market by protecting homeowners and neighborhoods and opposed using taxpayer funds to pay for future executive bonuses.

PennPIRG
Citizen Advocate
Winter 2009
Vol. 22, No. 2

An Agenda For The 111th Congress

Wallstreet Bailout: Where Did All The Money Go?

The 2009 Funding Bill: A Chance To Get On Track

Driving Record Voter Turnout

Keeping The Pressure On Toy Manufacturers

More News Briefs

To Our Members

In 2008 we won several significant victories, none bigger than a landmark consumer protection bill that will mean safer toys and children’s products on Pennsylvania’s store shelves.