After the Republican effort to repeal core elements of the 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA) was pulled minutes before it was to be considered for a vote by the House of Representatives, both President Trump and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan indicated that the ACA was the “law of the land” for the time-being, and that there likely wouldn’t be another repeal attempt this year. But now, Ryan and other lawmakers are already indicating that they may work together to target the ACA again sooner than expected.
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Government Policy
Just When You Thought It Was Dead, ACA Repeal Talks Are Back
By 3.28.17
House Votes To Allow Internet Service Providers To Sell, Share Your Personal Information
By 3.28.17 — Updated: 3.29.17
The new Federal Communications Commission’s rules intended to limit how companies like AT&T, Comcast, Verizon, and Charter can use internet customers’ sensitive personal information are effectively dead in the water, thanks to a House of Representatives vote today to kill the regulations, making sure internet service providers can use and sell user data. [More]
Lawmakers Ask FCC To Seek Fixes For Phone Network Vulnerabilities
By 3.28.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
When you think about phone security, you’re probably thinking about the apps on your phone, who’s listening in on the call you make, or perhaps even the metadata you leave behind. You’re probably not thinking about the national and global network of fibers, cables, and businesses that makes your phone call physically possible. But that network has vulnerabilities, and two lawmakers want the FCC to protect consumers from them. [More]
First Amendment Group Wants Homeland Security To Turn Over Records On Phone Searches At Borders
By 3.28.17
House Expected To Vote On Rolling Back Internet Privacy Rules Tomorrow
By 3.27.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
If you like having any control over what your internet service provider does with the personal data it has on you, we’ve got some bad news: The House of Representatives is expected to vote tomorrow to reverse the FCC rules that limit what the Comcasts, AT&Ts, Verizons, and Charters of the world can do with the data they have on you. [More]
GOP Pulls Obamacare Repeal Bill Minutes Before Scheduled House Vote
By 3.24.17
Facing all but certain death in the House of Representatives, the American Health Care Act — the budget resolution intended to repeal much of the 2010 Affordable Care Act — was pulled from consideration only minutes before legislators were set to vote. [More]
Treasury Secretary Mnuchin Says To Go See ‘LEGO Batman,’ One Of Many Movies He Produced
By 3.24.17 — Updated: 3.27.17
UPDATE 3/27: A Treasury spokesperson responded to Consumerist’s request for comment in a statement on Monday, saying: “As his statement reflects, the Secretary clearly recognized that he generally may not promote private interests and specifically gave the legal disclosure that he was not promoting a movie, but answering a question he was asked directly.” [More]
FCC Plan To Let Phone Companies Block More Annoying Robocalls Moves Forward
By 3.23.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
Many of the FCC’s most visible consumer protection moves — net neutrality, privacy — prove contentious within the Commission. But today, in a rare show of unanimity, all three sitting commissioners agreed with consumers about one big fact: Robocalls really, really suck, and the FCC is in a position to do something about it. [More]
Senate Votes To Roll Back Privacy Protections For Internet Users
By and 3.23.17
The FCC’s efforts to put restrictions on what internet service providers can do with the information they have about their users is all but dead, following a party-line 50-48 vote in the Senate this afternoon to roll back this regulation. [More]
Illinois Lawmakers Propose Bill Legalizing Recreational Marijuana
By 3.23.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
Medical marijuana is already legal in Illinois, and newly introduced legislation hopes to add the Land of Lincoln to the small but growing list of states allowing the sale and use of recreational pot.
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Why Are So Many Tech & Telecom Companies Bad At Respecting Your Privacy?
By and 3.23.17
The 21st century world is all about data: who has it, how they use it, when they share it, and how much they make from selling it. Despite the proliferation of terms of service and privacy policies, the companies responsible for handling our data are largely doing a poor job of telling us what they do with it. [More]
Supreme Court’s Ruling In Cheerleader Uniform Case Could Lead To Higher Prices For Clothing, Furniture
By 3.22.17
This morning, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling in a case that involves cheerleader uniforms, but which some critics believe could eventually result in higher prices for everything from clothing to furniture to housewares. [More]
Uber’s Plan To Let Drivers Ask For Tips May Be Illegal In Some States
By 3.22.17
Unlike traditional taxis, Uber passengers aren’t expected to tip; you can’t even add a tip on the app. However, Uber did recently settle a class-action lawsuit by allowing drivers to solicit and receive tips, but only in cash. One big problem: This policy appears to be illegal in multiple states. [More]
5 Reasons People Are Suddenly Concerned About Brazilian Beef
By 3.22.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
Are you having beef for dinner? Do you know where it came from? No, not the grocery store down the street, but where the cow was raised? Most of us probably can’t answer those questions, and that’s a growing concern for health advocates, retailers, and lawmakers amid reports that some meatpackers in Brazil — one of the world’s largest exporters of beef — are shipping out rotten, salmonella-tainted beef. [More]
Former Lobbyist, Son Of Student Loan Debt-Collector, Resigns From Dept. Of Education
By 3.22.17
In our recent story on the Trump administration’s decision to roll back protections for potentially millions of student loan borrowers, we also told you about new Department of Education advisor Taylor Hansen, a former lobbyist for the for-profit college industry whose father is the CEO of a student loan debt collection company that has been suing Taylor’s new employer since 2015 for the right to charge thousands of dollars in fees to people who are already having trouble paying back their loans. Now comes news that Hansen’s brief life as a federal employee has come to an end. [More]
Here Are The Changes Made To The Obamacare Replacement Plan Since Last Week
By 3.21.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
As you’ve probably noticed, there is is a lot going on down in D.C. right now. Amid all the confirmation hearings, investigative hearings, and press events about hearings, the House of Representatives is preparing to vote on the recently unveiled replacement to the Affordable Care Act. However, the bill they consider later this week will be slightly different from what was first released. [More]
DHS Bans Laptops, Other Electronic Devices From Airplane Cabins For Flights From 10 Airports
By 3.21.17
If you’re doing any travel to or from the Middle East, northern Africa, or Turkey in the coming months, you may not be able to work or watch videos on your laptop or tablet. A new Department of Homeland Security rule bans all electronic devices “larger than a smartphone” from the cabins of all flights coming to the U.S. from ten international airports. [More]
Florida’s Definition Of Skim Milk As “Imitation Milk Product” Ruled Unconstitutional
By 3.20.17
The long-running legal battle over Florida’s definition of “skim milk” may have finally come to an end today, with a federal appeals court ruling that it’s unconstitutional for the state to require that unfortified skim milk be labeled “imitation milk product.” [More]
