Federal
Federal Trade Commission: This is the Federal Trade Commission's website designed with an objective of protecting America's consumers. It contains numerous consumer categories under it's “consumer protection” link on the top menu, including information on automobiles (purchasing/financing), computers and the internet, credit and loans, I.D. theft, telemarketing and others. It also has a link to translate it into Spanish.
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: This site deals with safety issues relating to consumer products (except autos). This is the place to go if you are seeking information about safety of everything from children's clothing to amusement park rides. There are also multiple links to other governmental consumer protection sites and a place to sign up for email notifications of press releases and product recalls. Translates to Spanish also.
Government Information for Senior Citizens: This is a site in which the Federal Government provides a wealth of information and resources for seniors. The parent site, www.usa.gov is a very useful tool for consumers as well as businesses, government employees and visitors to the U.S.
FirstGov for Consumers: This consumer oriented site is the federal government's portal to its consumer resources online. On this site is consumer information ranging from food safety to identity theft. It also contains links to other government sites for consumers.
Federal Citizen Information Center: This is a website provided by the Fed. Citizen Information Center of the General Services Administration. It is a one-stop source for answers to consumer problems and government services. Consumers can get information through a phone call to a toll free number (Spanish available), through numerous free publications or through information posted on teh FCIC's family of websites, including www.kids.gov the self-proclaimed kid's portal to the U.S. Government.
U.S. Product Recalls: This site consolidates information from six federal agencies with differing jurisdictions to alert Americans as to unsafe, hazardous or defective products. The U.S. government calls this a “one-stop-shop” for U.S. government recall information on consumer products, motor vehicles, boats, food, medicine, cosmetics and environmental products.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration Consumer Information: This page of a very useful site is the launching point for information regarding goods, drugs and medical devices. Specific products and topics are mentioned and there is an option to receive email notifications of alerts.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: This site contains nearly everything you would need to know about automobile safety. It also contains information regarding school bus safety and child safety seats.
Code of Federal Regulations– National Archives Code of Federal Regulations – Searchable.
Historical Documents Federalist Papers – Searchable on the Library of Congress site.
U.S. Code — House of Representatives Searchable. Dated Codes. Links to CFR, Federal Register, some federal court decisions, and treaties.
US Congress Information
Directory of Information: House and Senate
House of Representatives Information on Representatives, committees, legislation, hearings and schedules.
Identify Representative Information on members of Congress. Can search by zip code. States that their accuracy is 85 percent.
Search Engines Library of Congress
Senate: Information on Senators, committees, legislation, hearings and schedules
Legislative Information: Current and past Congressional activities and bills; Congressional Record and committee reports for last several years.
Legislative Links House and Senate Proceedings, Schedule, Directories, Bills and their Status, Congressional Record and Committee Actions.
Other Useful Links
Pennsylvania Child Support Site: This site contains invaluable information regarding child support issues in the Commonwealth of PA, including a manner in which to investigate outstanding liens for child support. There are multiple links relating to child oriented issues such as health insurance, paternity issues and child support guidelines along with information regarding local domestic relations offices where claims for child support can be filed.
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania website: The State's official website linking to all the various state agencies, including the Department of Transportation, the Corporate Bureau, and others. Information on voter's registration, forms for ordering driver's license renewal and countless other links to important statewide information.
Non-Profit Organizations and Other Links
Better Business Bureau: This is a nationwide organization that assists consumers as well as businesses in resolving complaints between them. The national council maintains statistics on member companies, including consumer complaints. It issues what it calls “reliability reports” on member companies and contains consumer tips regarding numerous industries.
National Fraud Information Center This site contains information about telemarketing and Internet fraud schemes. It includes a link to information about fraud against various businesses. There are fraud alerts and pages with instructions on how to report fraud.
PA Better Business Bureau site:
This is the Pennsylvania division of the BBB which covers Washington D.C. as well as Eastern Pennsylvania.
AFL-CIO Consumer Protecton for the Working Family: This site, provided by the national AFL-CIO labor union, affords much good information about consumer protection and also about current issues affecting working families.
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