The Protecting Tourism in the United States, COVID-19 Home Safety Act, and Protecting Seniors From Emergency Scams Act all passed in the Senate Commerce Committee

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) released the following statement after the Senate Commerce Committee passed three of her bills to protect consumers and boost tourism. The House versions of these three bills also passed in the U.S. House of Representatives this week.

The Protecting Seniors From Emergency Scams Act with Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS) will help prevent scammers from taking advantage of seniors during the coronavirus pandemic and future emergencies. The COVID-19 Home Safety Act with Jerry Moran (R-KS) will help protect children from injuries and death during the coronavirus pandemic by directing the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to launch a comprehensive study to examine products and evaluate the impact of these injuries on members of vulnerable groups - including children, minorities, seniors, and people with disabilities. And the Protecting Tourism in the United States Act with Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) will help improve tourism across the country by directing the U.S. Department of Commerce, in consultation with the United States Travel and Tourism Advisory Board and the heads of other relevant federal agencies to launch a comprehensive study on the effects of the pandemic on the travel and tourism industry and identify policy recommendations to help the hard-hit industry.

“Consumers deserve commonsense protections to ensure the health, safety, and economic vitality of our state and country,” Klobuchar said. “As we confront the coronavirus pandemic, my legislation to protect consumers and help our tourism industry recover will help improve safety and strengthen our economy.”

The Protecting Tourism in the United States Act directs the U.S. Department of Commerce, in consultation with the United States Travel and Tourism Advisory Board and the heads of other relevant federal agencies, to study the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on different sectors of the travel and tourism industry. The bill also requires the Commerce Department to consult with representatives from a range of travel and tourism sectors and provide policy recommendations for promoting and assisting the travel and tourism industry. To facilitate action on policies that provide immediate relief to the industry, the bill requires completion of an interim study within three months of the bill being enacted. Companion legislation is led in the House by Reps. Kathy Castor (D-FL) and Fred Upton (R-MI). The bill is endorsed by the U.S. Travel Association.

The Protecting Seniors From Emergency Scams Act directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to report to Congress on scams targeting seniors during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and make recommendations on how to prevent future scams during emergencies. The bill also directs the FTC to update its website with information that will help seniors and their caregivers access contacts for law enforcement and adult protective agencies, and directs the FTC to ensure seniors and their caregivers are informed. Companion legislation is led in the House by Reps. Robin Kelly (D-IL) and Roger Marshall (R-KS). This bill is endorsed by AARP, the Elder Justice Coalition, American Society on Aging, and the National Adult Protective Services Association.

The COVID-19 Home Safety Act directs the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to study the effect of the coronavirus pandemic on injuries and deaths caused by consumer products to members of vulnerable groups, including children, minorities, seniors, and people with disabilities. This bill will require the CPSC to submit quarterly reports to Congress examining the incidence of injuries and deaths from consumer products suffered by members of vulnerable groups and also directs the CPSC to coordinate with the media to distribute resource information to help increase home safety during the pandemic, such as the CPSC’s Home Safe Checklists. Companion legislation is led in the House by Reps. Tony Cárdenas (D-CA), the Vice Chair of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce, and Rodney Davis (R-IL). The bill is endorsed by Consumer Reports, National Consumers League, the Consumer Federation of America, and Kids in Danger.

###