Washington, DC (February 6, 2007) – The House yesterday passed by a vote of 398-0 a resolution introduced by Rep. Rubén Hinojosa (D-TX-15th), co-chair of the Financial and Economic Literacy Caucus, that recognizes the importance of consumer protection. 

"Technological advances have made it easier than ever for criminals to take advantage of our nation's consumers," said Hinojosa. "We must remain vigilant in providing our citizens the best tools to combat the growing number of frauds and deceptions bombarding them.”
 
H. Res. 94 supports the goals and ideals of National Consumer Protection Week, which is Feb. 4th through 10th, and seeks to boost awareness of consumer protection options among Americans. To highlight the week's importance, Hinojosa is collaborating with the Federal Trade Commission and 14 other federal agencies on a Consumer Education Fair scheduled for Feb. 8th in 1302 Longworth House Office Building from 9 a.m. until noon. The fair will be open to all Capitol Hill staff as well as Members of Congress who would like material on how to help constituents improve their financial literacy levels. The general public is also welcome to attend.

In 30 states, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reports that more than 60 individuals per 100,000 population were victims of identity theft in 2005.  In Texas alone, there were over 26,000 reports of identity theft in one year.  According to the FTC, Texas ranks among the top five states where consumers are most likely to have their personal information compromised. 

The theme of this year’s National Consumer Protection Week, "Read Up and Reach Out: Be an Informed Consumer," encourages people to utilize the wealth of online resources that can vastly improve their confidence in the marketplace. Consumers can boost their knowledge by simply logging on to the National Consumer Protection Week’s Web site, www.consumer.gov/ncpw, where they can find useful tips on how to make well-informed purchase decisions.

“It’s critical that Americans take the necessary steps to protect themselves from consumer fraud and identity theft,” said Hinojosa. “I urge everyone to take advantage of the numerous available tools that will help them better secure their information.”