Consumer Federation of America

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The Consumer Federation of America (CFA) is a non-profit organization founded in 1968 to advance the consumer interest through research, education and advocacy.

According to CFA's website, its members are approximately 300 consumer-oriented non-profits, which themselves have a combined membership of 50 million people. Members pay dues ranging from under $100 to $20,000 per year, elect the board of directors and vote on policies.^[1]

CFA has a wide range of activities and interests, many centered around favoring rigorous and skeptical scrutiny of businesses and their practices, products, and services by citizens, civic groups, the news media, and government regulatory agencies as a method of defending the interests of the public at large. It is generally regarded as liberal in the modern American sense of the term, and is one of many groups associated with Ralph Nader and his consumer movement. CFA is headquartered in Washington, DC, with numerous state and local affiliates.

State consumer federations such as Consumer Federation of California also exist, advocating for similar rules and regulations but with a narrower geographic focus. Although many groups such as Consumer Federation of California are affiliated with CFA, they retain their autonomy. At the same time, their bylaws reflect a tendency to be united in purpose to in order to more significantly impact public policy.

[edit] Political Activity

CFA has been very active in lobbying the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to regulate the all-terrain vehicle industry during the 1980s, 1990s and into the 21st century. In the 1980s, the commission denied a request by CFA to ban ATVs, but ultimately entered into regulatory agreements with the ATV manufacturers that may have served to decrease the number of deaths and injuries associated with the product. In 2002, CFA was one of several organizations in a group that again petitioned CPSC to ban ATVs for use by children under the age of 16, citing the product's poor safety record and an again increasing number of deaths and injuries to children.