Providing
Paperless Warranties for Consumers
On July 9, the E-Warranty Act of 2015 (S. 1359), introduced by
Senators Fischer and Nelson, passed the Senate by unanimous consent. The
legislation would allow manufacturers of consumer products the option to make
their warranties available online, providing more readily available access to
consumers while ensuring those without Internet access can still review
warranties before and after purchase. The bill now awaits consideration by the
House of Representatives, where it has been referred to the House Committee on
Energy and Commerce.
Improving
Vehicle Recalls
On July
9, Senators Nelson, Blumenthal, and Markey introduced the Motor Vehicle Safety
Act of 2015 (S. 1743). The bill: 1) improves wrongdoer accountability by
removing the cap on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s
(NHTSA) civil penalty authority and imposing criminal penalties on corporate
executives who knowingly conceal the fact that their product poses an imminent
danger; 2) improves the recall process by requiring commonsense practices such
as asking dealers to check for recalls and used cars dealers and rental
companies to fix cars before they sell or rent them, and explores new ways to
notify consumers of recalls such as by a dashboard light; 3) authorizes new
research to make vehicles safer such as by assessing if technology can help
prevent children from being left in hot cars; and 4) improves how NHTSA uses
and shares potential defect information.
Following
Takata, GM, and other tragic recalls, this bill would help ensure that
companies not hide lethal defects from the public, improves the recall process
for dangerous cars, and harnesses American innovation and ingenuity to make
vehicles safer.
Closing Loopholes in Firearms Screening
On July
9, Senator Nelson introduced S. 1735, the Undetectable Firearms Modernization
Act of 2015, which requires all major components of a firearm to be detectable
in security screenings, while closing a loophole in existing law that has
allowed certain firearms with removable metal parts to be legal. Senator Nelson
introduced this legislation with Senators Schumer, Blumenthal, Boxer,
Feinstein, Gillibrand, Markey, Menendez, Murphy, and Whitehouse. A companion
bill was introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressman Steve Israel
(D-NY) in June.
Updating the Tax Code
On July
9, Senator Nelson became an original co-sponsor of S. 1740, the Equal Dignity
for Married Taxpayers Act. This legislation would update the tax code by
removing gender-specific language in the law. More specifically, phrases in the
tax code like “husband and wife” would be replaced with “married couple.” The
legislation does not change the law, but only updates the language of the law
to ensure accuracy.
Protecting Soccer Players Against Misleading Safety Gear Claims
On June
26, Senator Nelson joined Senator Udall in requesting the Federal Trade
Commission to investigate potentially misleading claims made by manufacturers
of soccer headgear that their equipment reduces the likelihood of concussions.
The Senators expressed concern that sports equipment makers may be capitalizing
on concerns regarding concussions to market their products. In light of the
potential for real and sustained injury to children playing sports, Senators
Nelson and Udall urged the FTC to bring action against any soccer headgear
manufacturer engaging in unfair or deceptive practices.
Protecting American Workers from H-1B Visa Misuses
On June
30, Senator Nelson sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Labor underscoring
the need for a thorough inquiry into the H-1B visa program meant to bring more
high-skilled workers to the United States to work in specialized fields that
are experiencing labor shortages. Specifically, Senator Nelson informed the
Department of media reports that Florida-based Catalina Marketing is using an
outsourcing firm to replace U.S. employees with foreign workers
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