Consumer Protection
My political career began as a consumer advocate when I led the successful campaign in 1969 to put freshness dates on products sold in the supermarket. I am a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, where I serve as the Chairwoman of the Consumer Protection subcommittee. On the Committee, I have continued my efforts to protect consumers from unfair business practices, unsafe products, insurance abuses, and harmful chemicals in products, and to improve the safety of children's products, vehicles, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals.
Legislation I've Introduced
Safe Cosmetics Act – The Safe Cosmetics Act would phase out the use of dangerous chemicals, including carcinogens and reproductive toxins, from use in personal care products. Visit Cosmetic Safety for more information.
More on Consumer Protection
Lawmakers Call for Stronger Protections for Consumers Following Breaches
Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Ranking Member Diana DeGette (D-CO), and Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade Ranking Member Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) released the following statement regarding the resignation of Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director Katherine Archuleta. Yesterday, updated reports showed that 21.5 million individuals had sensitive information stolen in two separate breaches of OPM’s computer system:
CHICAGO – Today the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have jointly proposed new standards for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. Rep. Jan Schakowsky released the following statement on the new standards:
"I applaud the proposed fuel efficiency standards for trucks issued today by the EPA and NHTSA. These standards are both significant and attainable. With one billion fewer metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions expected to be emitted, the environmental and public health benefits are clear. Truckers and businesses will see up to a 24 percent reduction in fuel usage, resulting in significant savings.
Washington, DC – Rep. Jan Schakowsky issued the following statement after the House of Representatives passed a stand-alone Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) bill:
“I am disappointed that the House of Representatives passed a stand-alone ‘Fast Track’ bill this afternoon. If the Senate passes a similar stand-alone measure, TPA will be used to rush through the highly-flawed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement.
"Early this month the Office of Personnel Management reported that hackers have accessed the Social Security numbers and personnel data of millions of federal employees. If you were impacted you should get a letter or an email -- in fact, you may have already gotten one. Click here to view a special website OPM has set up for those who have been impacted and click here to read a statement by OPM on this breach. In addition, late last month, reports emerged that hackers gained access to past tax returns of more than 100,000 people.
Washington, DC– Rep. Jan Schakowsky issued the following statement after the Senate trade agreement package failed to pass the House of Representatives:
“Today the House voted to derail ‘fast track’ authority that would not only be used to push through a highly-flawed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement but that would prevent Congress from amending trade pacts for the next six years.
WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Jan Schakowsky released the following statement after news broke that 41 individuals in Bangladesh had been charged criminally for their role in the April 2013 Rana Plaza collapse:
“Justice has been a long time coming, but I am pleased to see criminal charges filed against many of those who bear some responsibility for this tragedy, including the owner of the Rana Plaza building, a number of factory owners and government officials. Their prosecution is a step in the right direction. I urge the Bangladeshi government to ensure that those affected by this horrific tragedy are made whole and to take necessary steps to protect workers throughout the country.
Victim of Takata Air Bag Failure, Consumer Advocates Urge Congress to Act
WASHINGTON, DC – On Tuesday, June 2, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade will hold a hearing on the Takata airbag recall.
CHICAGO – On May 22, the United States Senate passed legislation providing Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), or "fast track" for trade bills – not just to the current President but to whomever next sits in the White House. A vote on the bill is expected in the House in the coming weeks. Rep. Jan Schakowsky issued the following statement:
WASHINGTON, DC–Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Commerce, Trade, and Manufacturing Subcommittee Ranking Member Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) released the following statement today after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced steps to address fatal defects in Takata airbags. Takata has finally agreed to take action and expand its original recall to include 34 million potentially defective vehicles nationwide:
This is a critical week in Congress, with the Senate and likely the House poised to take up Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), a bill to provide "fast track" authority - not just to the current President but to whomever next sits in the White House.