Protecting Democracy [1]

American democracy is in jeopardy, from the disastrous Citizens United ruling that flooded our politics with corporate cash to the immoral assault on voting rights. We work every day to defend against these threats and advance bold reforms.

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Generative Artificial Intelligence and Threats to Democracy

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Making Government Work [2]

The U.S. government should work for the public, not corporations or industry. It should safeguard consumers, workers and the environment, and be funded well enough to do so. The budget process must not be obstructed by partisanship.

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It’s Time to Cut the Bloated Pentagon Budget to Fund People, Not Military Contractors

Ensuring Public Money Does Not Go To Private Equity
Consumer & Worker Safeguards [3]

Every day, Big Banks, Big Polluters, and Big Tech companies are threatening our economy, our environment, and our democracy – sacrificing Main Street Americans and our families on the altar of corporate profits. Public Citizen advocates for ordinary people by taking on corporate interests and their cronies in government.

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Public Citizen Calls on Presidential Candidates, Parties to Pledge Not to Use Dangerous, Manipulative Deepfakes

Within Reach: Banker Pay Reform
Safe & Affordable Drugs & Devices [4]

Prescription drugs are unaffordable and new drugs and devices often are approved without being proven safe and effective. Public Citizen challenges Big Pharma, device manufacturers and federal regulators to make drugs and medical devices safe, effective and accessible to all.

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Health Care [5]

Health care in the U.S. leaves too many people out, costs too much and doesn’t meet acceptable standards of quality. Much of the care that we get is unaffordable, unnecessary or harmful. Public Citizen advocates Medicare for All, stronger oversight of dangerous doctors and safe clinical trials.

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Report: Ranking of the Rate of State Medical Boards’ Serious Disciplinary Actions, 2019-2021

Petition to the FDA to Strengthen Safety Warning for Botox and Related Drugs and Remove Misleading Claims From Botox/Botox Cosmetic Labeling
Globalization & Trade [6]

Global Trade Watch’s mission is to ensure that in this era of globalization, a majority have the opportunity to enjoy economic security, a healthy environment, safe food, medicines and products, access to quality affordable services such as health care and the exercise of democratic decision-making about the matters that affect our lives. Global Trade Watch has led the fight against corporate-rigged “trade” agreements that provide special powers for Big Pharma to raise medicine prices, promote the outsourcing of jobs to low-wage countries and undermine the food safety and other safeguards on which our families rely. For decades, we have fought for progressive alternatives that benefit people and the planet.

President Biden: No Secrecy in Indo-Pacific Trade Talks

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Climate Peace Clause Needed to Stop Trade Attacks on Climate Policies

Big Tech’s “Digital Trade” Power-Grab
Climate & Energy [7]

The climate crisis is the challenge of our time. We can fix it with solutions that will make us healthier and more economically secure. We must act quickly to make our economy run on renewable power — and ensure that disadvantaged families and displaced workers share equitably in the new economy. We also must fight the corrupting power of fossil fuel companies and ensure that energy regulators are effective and publicly accountable.

Tell Toyota: Go all-in on EVs

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Climate Roadmap for U.S. Financial Regulation

Toyota’s Troubling Electric Vehicle Track Record
Justice & the Courts [8]

Litigation can remedy or deter wrongdoing, impact policy and meaningfully slow abuses of power. Whether suing on behalf of our members to ensure the honest functioning of government, or representing individual consumers seeking redress in court, our litigation draws on our expertise in administrative law, constitutional law, and government transparency.

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September 15, 2009

Our very own Tom "Smitty" Smith honored for environmental advocacy

thomas-smith Cross-posted from Texas Vox.

Today the Heinz Foundation announced that it has honored Tom “Smitty” Smith, Public Citizen Texas’ Director of 24 years, with the 15th annual Heinz Award. Smitty was one of ten recipients of this major award, which this year honors individuals that “have helped bring about a cleaner, greener and more sustainable planet.”

Teresa Heinz, chairman of the Heinz Family Foundation, had the following to say about Smitty:

When we hear “Texas,” we don’t think renewable energy. We think oil—refineries and wells. But thanks to Heinz Award recipient Thomas Smith, the Lone Star state is leading the way in both energy efficiency and renewable sources of energy like wind and solar. Mr. Smith looked out at what most people would have seen as a wall of improbability, he saw a way to change the state through hard work, community and inexhaustible determination and the country and the planet will benefit greatly from his efforts.

Smitty himself had the following to say about this achievement:

Award for Efforts to Combat Global Warming Shows That Citizen Organizing Can Pay Off

Global warming is a much more serious problem now than anyone ever thought it could be. Our best science tells us we have very little time to reduce the dangerous greenhouse gasses causing an impending climactic disaster.

I am honored to be among the individuals receiving this award because of their work on global warming and environmental issues. As our efforts in Texas have shown, citizen organizing can result in policies that create green jobs and new industries which make a profound difference in reducing greenhouse gasses, even in states where political leadership is in a state of denial.

Our efforts will continue to focus on addressing global warming by encouraging solar power and energy efficiency, which will even further strengthen the Texas economy, create new jobs and economic opportunities, and reduce electric costs. Our experience has shown that renewable energy deployment and efficiency place a hedge around volatile, rising fossil fuel energy costs, protecting families’ pocketbooks and their quality of life for future generations.

Press hits:

Texas director of Public Citizen receives $100,000 award, Dallas Morning News

Local environmentalist honored with hefty prize money, Austin American Statesman

Texas consumer leader among Heinz Award winners, Associated Press