On May 5, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced a landmark legislative proposal—titled the Crypto Regulation, Protection, Transparency and Oversight (CRPTO) Act (hereinafter, the Proposal)—to tighten regulations...more
On May 5, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced a landmark legislative proposal—titled the Crypto Regulation, Protection, Transparency, and Oversight (CRPTO) Act (hereinafter, the Proposal)—to tighten regulations...more
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has brought far more consumer protection enforcement actions in conjunction with state attorneys general’s offices this year, and the trend shows no signs of slowing down.
For example,...more
1/9/2023
/ Advertising ,
AMG Capital Management LLC v FTC ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Consumer Protection Laws ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Enforcement Priorities ,
False Advertising ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
FTC Act ,
Misrepresentation ,
State Attorneys General
The coronavirus pandemic has led to increased attention from regulators - and in particular state attorneys general - concerning price increases for essential goods and services. Although COVID-19 case counts are currently...more
On June 22, the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis held a hearing titled “U.S. Economy On The Path To Strong Recovery.” Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell testified regarding the Fed’s emergency pandemic...more
6/24/2021
/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Congressional Committees ,
Congressional Oversight ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Economic Downturn ,
FEMA ,
Fraud ,
Main Street Lending Programs ,
OSHA ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Preliminary Injunctions ,
Proposed Legislation ,
State Attorneys General ,
Vaccinations ,
Veterans Administration
The House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis continues its investigation into PPP fraud. On May 27, the Select Subcommittee turned its focus to FinTech firms and partner banks implicated in Department of Justice...more
6/11/2021
/ CARES Act ,
Congressional Committees ,
Congressional Oversight ,
Consent Order ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Criminal Prosecution ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
FinTech ,
Fraud ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
SIGPR ,
State Attorneys General ,
Vaccinations
House Education and Labor Committee Chair Robert C. Scott (D-VA) issued a statement on May 18 criticizing the Biden Administration’s decision to use “the honor system” to report coronavirus vaccination status. He said, “One...more
5/20/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Criminal Prosecution ,
Fraud ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Joint Task Force ,
OSHA ,
Oversight Committee ,
Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
SIGPR ,
State Attorneys General ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
As part of its ongoing investigation into the Federal Reserve’s administration of pandemic relief lending programs, House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis Chair James E. Clyburn sent a letter to Fed Chair Jerome...more
5/14/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Economic Injury Disaster Loans ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Main Street Lending Programs ,
Municipal Liquidity Facility (MLF) ,
OSHA ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
SBA ,
State Attorneys General ,
Trump Administration ,
White Collar Crimes ,
Workplace Safety
The Congressional Oversight Commission released its 12th report on April 30. The report focuses on a $700 million loan to trucking company Yellow Corporation (formerly known as YRC Worldwide) under the CARES Act loan program...more
5/7/2021
/ American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 ,
CARES Act ,
Congressional Oversight ,
Constitutional Challenges ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Data Collection ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Financial Stimulus ,
Fraud ,
Government Investigations ,
Information Reports ,
Legal Opinion ,
National Security ,
Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) ,
OSHA ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Restaurant Industry ,
SIGPR ,
State Attorneys General
Pressure is increasing on the Biden Administration to release the delayed Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) to protect workers from COVID-related risks. On April 26, Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Rashida Tlaib...more
4/30/2021
/ Administrative Procedure Act ,
American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 ,
Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Educational Institutions ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Fraud ,
Immigration and Nationality Act ,
OMB ,
OSHA ,
Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) ,
State Attorneys General ,
US-Mexico Border Wall ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
On April 21, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation held a hearing entitled “Prepare for Takeoff: America’s Safe Return to Air Travel.” The...more
4/23/2021
/ Airlines ,
Congressional Committees ,
Congressional Investigations & Hearings ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Fraud ,
Inspector General ,
Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Price-Fixing ,
State Attorneys General
On March 15, the SBA Office of the Inspector General published a report identifying $692 million in duplicate PPP loans. This confirmed earlier findings made by the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis in...more
3/18/2021
/ Congressional Committees ,
Congressional Investigations & Hearings ,
Congressional Oversight ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Economic Injury Disaster Loans ,
Fraud ,
Inspector General ,
OSHA ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Price Gouging ,
SIGPR ,
State Attorneys General ,
Trump Administration ,
Wire Fraud
Republican leaders urged their House Democrat counterparts to hold a joint hearing regarding the undercounting of COVID-19 deaths in New York nursing homes. The letter was signed by Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Cathy...more
3/12/2021
/ Congressional Committees ,
Congressional Investigations & Hearings ,
Congressional Oversight ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Economic Injury Disaster Loans ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Fraud ,
Nursing Homes ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Settlement ,
State Attorneys General ,
Wire Fraud
Although much attention recently has been focused upon debates in Congress, potential legislative changes to U.S. antitrust law are not limited to proposals at the federal level. Many states are considering changes to their...more
The House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis launched an investigation into One Medical’s COVID-19 vaccine-distribution practices. In a letter, Subcommittee Chair James Clyburn (D-SC) highlighted the need for...more
3/5/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Capital Requirements ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Congressional Committees ,
Congressional Oversight ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Fraud ,
Nursing Homes ,
OSHA ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Settlement ,
State Attorneys General ,
Travel Restrictions ,
Vaccinations
On February 19, the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis held a video briefing on ensuring equity in coronavirus vaccinations. In a press release, the Subcommittee identified the following takeaways from the...more
2/26/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
CARES Act ,
Congressional Committees ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Enforcement ,
Eviction ,
Fraud ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
State Attorneys General ,
Travel Restrictions ,
Vaccinations
On her first day as Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) said she would ask the FTC to look into N95 mask fraud, including 1.9 million counterfeits shipped to...more
2/19/2021
/ Amazon ,
CARES Act ,
Congressional Oversight ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Counterfeiting ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Fraud ,
Identity Theft ,
Indictments ,
Masks ,
OSHA ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
State Attorneys General ,
Workplace Safety
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said the House is planning to bring a coronavirus relief bill to a vote the first week of February. On the Senate side, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said he aims to secure passage of the...more
President Biden will seek quick Senate approval of his $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, the American Rescue Plan. The package includes more than $400 billion to combat the pandemic directly, including money to...more
Congress has been focused this past week on the aftermath of the January 6 attack on the Capitol, and the 232-197 vote to impeach President Trump for a second time, on a charge of “incitement of insurrection.” Meanwhile,...more
Chair of the House Oversight & Reform Economic and Consumer Policy Subcommittee Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) sent a letter to Peter Navarro, Assistant to the President and Director of Trade and Manufacturing Policy, requesting...more
12/17/2020
/ Congressional Committees ,
Congressional Oversight ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Fraud ,
Indictments ,
Oversight Committee ,
Paid Leave ,
Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) ,
Proposed Legislation ,
SIGPR ,
State Attorneys General ,
Warning Letters
The Congressional Oversight Commission will hold a hearing today to examine the funds authorized by the CARES Act that provide up to $17 billion for loans and loan guarantees to businesses critical to maintaining national...more
The Congressional Oversight Commission released its seventh report, which focuses on the Treasury and the Department of Defense’s $700 million loan to YRC Worldwide, Inc. The report is highly critical of the loan, noting that...more
12/4/2020
/ Airlines ,
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) ,
Congressional Committees ,
Congressional Oversight ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Defense (DOD) ,
Federal Loans ,
Healthcare Facilities ,
Loan Forgiveness ,
OSHA ,
Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Relief Measures ,
SBA ,
State Attorneys General ,
Transparency ,
Transportation Industry ,
U.S. Treasury
The Congressional Oversight Commission issued a statement on the Secondary Market Corporate Credit Facility (SMCCF), noting that the SMCCF “is still purchasing approximately $20 million worth of corporate bonds per day. The...more
11/19/2020
/ Cal-OSHA ,
Congressional Committees ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Oversight Committee ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Price Gouging ,
SBA ,
SIGPR ,
State Attorneys General ,
Wire Fraud
As lawmakers debate whether to extend the Federal Reserve’s emergency loan programs, Congressional Oversight Commissioners are divided on the issue. The New York Times reported that Commissioner Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA) is...more
11/13/2020
/ Amicus Briefs ,
Appropriation ,
Congressional Committees ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Credit Facilities ,
Federal Budget ,
Federal Reserve ,
Financial Stimulus ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Municipalities ,
OSHA ,
Presidential Proclamations ,
Relief Measures ,
Small Business ,
State Attorneys General ,
U.S. Treasury