FTC Issues Report of 2009 Top Consumer Complaints
"FTC Issues Report of 2009 Top Consumer Complaints
New Video Details How to File a Complaint
The Federal Trade Commission today released a report listing top complaints consumers filed with the agency in 2009. It shows that while identity theft remains the top complaint category, identity theft complaints declined 5 percentage points from 2008.

The FTC is releasing a new animated video showing how people can file a complaint, and offers examples of what complaints the FTC handles. To watch the video, visit http://ftc.gov/multimedia/video/scam-watch/file-a-complaint.shtm (also available in Spanish at http://ftc.gov/multimedia/video/scam-watch/file-a-complaint_es.shtm).

The report breaks out complaint data on a state-by-state basis and also contains data about the 50 metropolitan areas reporting the highest per capita incidence of fraud and other complaints. In addition, the 50 metropolitan areas reporting the highest incidence of identity theft are noted.

The top complaints were:

Rank Category No. of Complaints Percentages
1 Identity Theft 278,078 21%
2 Third Party and Creditor Debt Collection 119,549 9%
3 Internet Services 83,067 6%
4 Shop-at-Home and Catalog Sales 74,581 6%
5 Foreign Money Offers and Counterfeit Check Scams 61,736 5%
6 Internet Auction 57,821 4%
7 Credit Cards 45,203 3%
8 Prizes, Sweepstakes and Lotteries 41,763 3%
9 Advance-Fee Loans and Credit Protection/Repair 41,448 3%
10 Banks and Lenders 32,443 2%
11 Credit Bureaus, Information Furnishers and Report Users 31,629 2%
12 Television and Electronic Media 26,568 2%
13 Health Care 25,414 2%
14 Business Opportunities, Employment Agencies and Work-at-Home Plans 22,896 2%
15 Computer Equipment and Software 22,621 2% "

Overdraft Rules for Debit and ATM Cards
"Bank account overdraft fees can be a source of unexpected costs for consumers. A new online Federal Reserve Board publication will help consumers better understand rules that provide additional protection when a debit card or automated teller machine (ATM) transaction causes an account to be overdrawn.

Federal Reserve Board rules that take effect on July 1, 2010, prohibit financial institutions from charging overdraft fees for ATM and one-time debit card transactions unless a consumer consents, or opts in, to the overdraft service for those types of transactions. What You Need to Know: New Overdraft Rules for Debit and ATM Cards provides an explanation of how the rules will affect existing and new account holders. It contains basic information about types and typical costs of overdraft services and defines common terms consumers may encounter in communications from their bank about overdrafts.

Under the Board's rules, financial institutions must provide consumers a notice that explains the financial institution's overdraft services, including the fees associated with the service, and the consumer's choices. Institutions will soon begin providing these notices, and this publication will help consumers understand how to use the information to make the best choices regarding overdraft services..."

Administrator Jackson Sends Letter to Senators
"U.S. EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson issued a letter responding to a letter sent to her the evening of February 19 by eight U.S. Senators asking about the agency’s plans for 2010.

In the letter, the administrator outlines several of the decisions she has made for 2010-2011:

No facility will be required to address greenhouse gas emissions in Clean Air Act permitting of new construction or modifications before 2011.

For the first half of 2011, only facilities that already must apply for Clean Air Act permits as a result of their non-greenhouse gas emissions will need to address their greenhouse gas emissions in their permit applications.

EPA is also considering a modification to the rule announced in September requiring large facilities emitting more than 25,000 tons of greenhouse gases a year to obtain permits demonstrating they are using the best practices and technologies to minimize GHG emissions. EPA is considering raising that threshold substantially to reflect input provided during the public comment process.

EPA does not intend to subject smaller facilities to Clean Air Act permitting for greenhouse gas emissions any sooner than 2016."

Policies for Increasing Economic Growth and Employment in the Short Term
Testimony. Statement of Douglas W. Elmendorf, Director Congressional Budget Office, prepared for the Joint Economic Committee, February 23, 2010.

FTC Amends Free Credit Reports Rule To Help Consumers Steer Clear of ‘Free’ Offers that Cost Money
"Starting April 1, advertising for “free credit reports” will require new disclosures to help consumers avoid confusing “free” offers – which often require consumers to spend money on credit monitoring or other products or services – with the no-strings-attached credit reports available at AnnualCreditReport.com, or 877-322-8228.

The Federal Trade Commission’s Free Credit Reports Rule will require new prominent disclosures in advertisements for “free credit reports.” For example, any Web site offering free credit reports must include a disclosure, across the top of each page that mentions free credit reports, which states:

THIS NOTICE IS REQUIRED BY LAW. Read more at FTC.GOV.
You have the right to a free credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com
or 877-322-8228, the ONLY authorized source under federal law..."

Estimated Impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on Employment and Economic Output From October 2009 Through December 2009
"The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) contains a variety
of provisions intended to boost economic activity and employment in the United States.
Section 1512(e) of the law requires the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to comment on
the reports filed by certain recipients of funding under ARRA that detail how many jobs were
created or retained through funded activities. This CBO report fulfills that requirement. It
also provides CBO’s estimates of ARRA’s overall impact on employment and economic output
in the last quarter of calendar year 2009. Those estimates—which CBO considers more comprehensive
than the recipients’ reports—are based on evidence from similar policies enacted in
the past and various economic models..."

Putting Americans in Control of Their Health Care (President Obama's health care proposal)
"What will the President's proposal mean for you?
Take a few minutes to find out what health insurance reform would mean for you and your family. To begin, select which one describes your situation:

"I have insurance through my work."
"I own a small business."
"I have Medicare."
"I do not have insurance."
"I buy my own insurance.""

Administrator Jackson Unveils Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan
"U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson has released an action plan to guide the Obama Administration’s historic efforts to restore the Great Lakes. The action plan, which the administrator unveiled at a Sunday meeting with governors from the Great Lakes states, lays out the most urgent threats facing the Great Lakes and sets out goals, objectives and key actions over the next five years to help restore the lakes.

“We have an historic opportunity to restore and protect these waters. This action plan outlines our strategy to protect the environmental, human health, and economic interests of the millions of people who rely on the Great Lakes,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “We’re committed to creating a new standard of care that will leave the Great Lakes better for the next generation.”..

Credit Cards, New Rules
"The Federal Reserve's new rules for credit card companies mean new credit card protections for you. Here are some key changes you should expect from your credit card company beginning on February 22, 2010.

What your credit card company has to tell you

When they plan to increase your rate or other fees. Your credit card company must send you a notice 45 days before they can increase your interest rate;
change certain fees (such as annual fees, cash advance fees, and late fees) that apply to your account; or make other significant changes to the terms of your card.

If your credit card company is going to make changes to the terms of your card, it must give you the option to cancel the card before certain fee increases take effect. If you take that option, however, your credit card company may close your account and increase your monthly payment, subject to certain limitations.

For example, they can require you to pay the balance off in five years, or they can double the percentage of your balance used to calculate your minimum payment (which will result in faster repayment than under the terms of your account).

The company does not have to send you a 45-day advance notice if
you have a variable interest rate tied to an index; if the index goes up, the company does not have to provide notice before your rate goes up; your introductory rate expires and reverts to the previously disclosed "go-to" rate; your rate increases because you are in a workout agreement and you haven’t made your payments as agreed..."

Sebelius Unveils New Report on Requested Premium Increases in States Across the Country
"U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today unveiled a new report, Insurance Companies Prosper, Families Suffer: Our Broken Health Insurance System. The report highlights health insurance premium increases in states across the country and comes shortly after Anthem Blue Cross announced plans to raise rates on its California customers by as much as 39 percent, even after its parent company took in a profit of $2.7 billion in the previous quarter. The complete report is available at www.HealthReform.gov.

“Over the last year, America’s largest insurance companies have requested premium increases of 56 percent in Michigan, 24 percent in Connecticut, 23 percent in Maine, 20 percent in Oregon, and 16 percent in Rhode Island, to name just a few states,” said Sebelius. “Premium increases have left thousands of families that are already struggling during the economic downturn with an unpleasant choice between fewer benefits, higher premiums, or having no insurance at all. Hard-working families deserve better.”

The report examines requested insurance premium increases and notes:

Anthem of Connecticut requested an increase of 24 percent last year, which was rejected by the state.
Anthem in Maine had an 18.5 percent premium increase rejected by the state last year as being “excessive and unfairly discriminatory” – but is now requesting a 23 percent increase this year.
In 2009 Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan requested approval for premium increases of 56 percent for plans sold on the individual market.
Regency Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oregon requested a 20 percent premium increase.
UnitedHealth, Tufts and Blue Cross requested 13 to 16 percent rate increases in Rhode Island.
Rates for some individual health plans in Washington increased by up to 40 percent until Washington State imposed stiffer premium regulations..."

Justice Department and FBI Announce Formal Conclusion of Investigation into 2001 Anthrax Attacks
"The Justice Department, FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service today announced that the investigation into the 2001 anthrax attacks, which killed five individuals and sickened 17 others, has formally concluded.

Earlier today, representatives of the FBI and Justice Department provided a 92-page investigative summary along with attachments to victims of the attacks, relatives of the victims and appropriate committees of Congress. This document sets forth a summary of the evidence developed in the "Amerithrax" investigation, the largest investigation into a bio-weapons attack in U.S. history. As disclosed previously, the Amerithrax investigation found that the late Dr. Bruce Ivins acted alone in planning and executing these attacks.

The investigative summary and the attachments are now accessible to the public and have been posted to the Justice Department Web site at www.usdoj.gov/amerithrax under the Freedom of Information Act. In addition, roughly 2,700 pages of FBI documents related to the Amerithrax case are now accessible to the public and have been posted to the FBI website at http://foia.fbi.gov/foiaindex/amerithrax.htm under the Freedom of Information Act..."

Obama Administration Details Healthy Food Financing Initiative
"The Obama Administration today released details of an over $400 million Healthy Food Financing Initiative, which will bring grocery stores and other healthy food retailers to underserved urban and rural communities across America. The initiative was announced today in Philadelphia by Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. The two cabinet members appeared with First Lady Michelle Obama, who recently launched the Let's Move! campaign to solve the epidemic of childhood obesity within a generation. The initiative is a partnership between the Departments of Treasury, Agriculture, and Health and Human Services.

The Healthy Food Financing Initiative will promote a range of interventions that expand access to nutritious foods, including developing and equipping grocery stores and other small businesses and retailers selling healthy food in communities that currently lack these options. Residents of these communities, which are sometimes called "food deserts" and are often found in economically distressed areas, are typically served by fast food restaurants and convenience stores that offer little or no fresh produce. Lack of healthy, affordable food options can lead to higher levels of obesity and other diet-related diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer...

To help community leaders identify the food deserts in their area, USDA recently launched a Food Environment Atlas "www.ers.usda.gov/FoodAtlas/". This new online tool allows for the identification of counties where, for example, more than 40 percent of the residents have low incomes and live more than one mile from a grocery store.."

Internet Use in the United States, Oct. 2009
Find data on internet use by individuals and household as of October 2009. In addition, historical statistics are provided for "households with a computer at home" and "household with internet use at home" from 1984-2009.

The debt Limit: History and Recent Increases
"Total debt of the federal government can increase in two ways. First, debt increases when the
government sells debt to the public to finance budget deficits and acquire the financial resources
needed to meet its obligations. This increases debt held by the public. Second, debt increases
when the federal government issues debt to certain government accounts, such as the Social
Security, Medicare, and Transportation trust funds, in exchange for their reported surpluses.
This increases debt held by government accounts. The sum of debt held by the public and debt
held by government accounts is the total federal debt. Surpluses generally reduce debt held by
the public, while deficits raise it.

A statutory limit has restricted total federal debt since 1917 when Congress passed the Second
Liberty Bond Act. Congress has raised the debt limit eight times since 2001. Deficits each year
since 2001 and the persistent increases in debt held by government accounts repeatedly raised
the debt to or near the limit in place at the time. Congress raised the limit in June 2002,
and by December 2002 the U.S. Department of the Treasury asked Congress for another increase, which was passed in May 2003. In June 2004, the Treasury asked for another debt limit increase. After Congress recessed in mid-October 2004 without acting, the Secretary of the Treasury told
Congress that the actions he was taking to avoid exceeding the debt limit would suffice only
through mid-November. Congress approved a debt limit increase in a post-election session, which
the President signed on November 19, 2004..."

Racial disparities persist in the diagnosis of advanced breast cancer and colon cancer in the United States
"The incidence of advanced breast cancer diagnosis among black women remained 30 percent to 90 percent higher compared to white women between 1992 and 2004, according to new findings by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. In addition, the disparity in the incidence of advance colorectal cancer actually widened over this time period as rates fell among whites but increased slightly among blacks..."