McCaskill Will Lead Senate’s Consumer Protection Panel

U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill today announced that she will chair the Senate Commerce Committee’s subcommittee devoted to protecting consumers from predatory practices and harmful products.

“Whether it’s Chinese goods made from toxic materials in U.S. stores, or questionable rules on airplanes about electronic devices—American consumers deserve rules that protect them, that are fair to our businesses, and that meet the test of common sense,” said McCaskill, former Jackson County Prosecutor and Missouri State Auditor. “We’ve seen some successes in the past few years, like protecting our veterans from scams by for-profit colleges and big banks, and successfully cracking down on predatory lending practices by credit card companies. And now, I’m thrilled to be in a position to do even more to protect consumers from unfair practices. I’m looking forward to using this new position to look out for Missouri’s families and businesses in a sensible way.”

McCaskill plans to use her new Chairmanship to address entities that target consumers in deceptive and predatory practices—an issue that has taken on increased importance due to the growing use of the internet and mobile devices.

The Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Insurance oversees:

·         the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, which has responsibility for prohibiting unfair and deceptive business acts and practices

·         the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which has responsibility for vehicle and highway safety

·         and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, which has responsibility for protecting the public from unsafe consumer products, including children’s toys

The Subcommittee also has jurisdiction over property and casualty insurance, as well as matters related to amateur and professional sports.

McCaskill has served on the Senate Commerce Committee since joining the Senate in 2007.