News and Issues

The CFPB is interested in hearing about people’s overall experiences with credit card products. In particular, the request is seeking information on: Terms of credit card agreements and the practices of credit card issuers; Effectiveness of disclosure of terms, fees, and other expenses of credit card plans; Adequacy of protections against unfair or deceptive acts or practices relating to credit card plans; Cost and availability of consumer credit cards; Safety and soundness of credit card issuers; Use of risk-based pricing for consumer credit cards; Consumer credit card product innovation more »

H. Con. Res. 7: A concurrent resolution commending the bravery, courage, and resolve of the women and men of Iran demonstrating in more than 133 cities and risking their safety to speak out against the Iranian regime; A bill to increase the punishment for certain offenses involving children; A resolution condemning the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey and committing to advancing reproductive justice and judicial reform; A bill to provide for research and education with respect to triple-negative breast cancer; A bill to enhance criminal penalties for health-related stalking; A bill to require that activities carried out by the United States in South Sudan relating to governance reconstruction and development and refugee relief and assistance support the basic human rights of women and women’s participation and leadership in these areas.   more »

“The Justice Department is committed to using all its tools to address stalking,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “Survivors need justice and safety, and communities require resources to respond and prevent this crime. OVW’s grantees play a critical role, providing essential services and justice solutions in their communities.” With the prolific misuse of the Internet and other forms of technology as weapons against stalking victims, today’s Strategies Showcase further emphasizes the White House’s priority to eradicate technology-facilitated violence. Last June, President Biden established the White House Task Force to Address Online Harassment and Abuse, an interagency effort to increase prevention, response and protection measures for survivors. more »

"The same devices used to take selfies and type out tweets are being repurposed and commercialized for quick access to information needed for monitoring a patient’s health. A fingertip pressed against a phone’s camera lens can measure a heart rate. The microphone, kept by the bedside, can screen for sleep apnea. Even the speaker is being tapped, to monitor breathing using sonar technology. In the best of this new world, the data is conveyed remotely to a medical professional for the convenience and comfort of the patient or, in some cases, to support a clinician without the need for costly hardware. But using smartphones as diagnostic tools is a work in progress, experts say. Although doctors and their patients have found some real-world success in deploying the phone as a medical device, the overall potential remains unfulfilled and uncertain." more »