About U.S. PIRG
Our team of researchers uncovers the facts; our staff bring our findings to the public, through the media as well as one-on-one interactions; and our advocates bring the voice of the public to the halls of power on behalf of consumers.
An Independent Voice For Consumers
U.S. PIRG is an advocate for the public interest, working to win concrete results on real problems that affect millions of lives, and standing up for the public against powerful interests when they push the other way.
The problems we face don’t care if you’re a liberal or a conservative, or if you live in a red or blue state — they affect each and every one of us. That’s why, for decades, we’ve taken a non-partisan, fact-driven, results-oriented approach to our work. And with your help, we can take on the difficult challenges ahead.
Our Top Priorities
Using the time-tested tools of investigative research, media exposés, grassroots organizing, advocacy and litigation, U.S. PIRG stands up to powerful interests and delivers concrete results.
| We can keep our consumer cop on Wall Street In the wake of the Great Recession, we helped create the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to be our watchdog on Wall Street. But now, Congress is trying to weaken or eliminate it. We need to keep our consumer cop on the financial beat. >LEARN MORE |
| STOP THE OVERUSE OF ANTIBIOTICS The overuse of antibiotics on farms is contributing to the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, threatening the health of millions every year. We're calling on states to address this growing public health threat. >LEARN MORE |
| BAN ROUNDUP New studies link the chemicals in Monsanto's Roundup to cancer and other serious health problems. We're calling on cities and counties across the country to ban Roundup unless and until it's proven safe. >LEARN MORE |
| DEMOCRACY FOR THE PEOPLE We're putting regular voters back in the driver’s seat of our democracy by increasing the influence of small donors in elections, overturning Citizens United, and modernizing how we register to vote. >LEARN MORE |
U.S. PIRG Staff
U.S. PIRG is an advocate for the public interest. When consumers are cheated, or the voices of ordinary citizens are drowned out by special interest lobbyists, U.S. PIRG speaks up and takes action. We uncover threats to public health and well-being and fight for the public interest.
Funded By Our Citizen Members
Thousands of U.S. PIRG members and supporters fund the staff who conduct research, public education and advocacy on the issues. Members provide the clout we need to win real results.
The chart below reflects the final audited financial information for United States Public Interest Research Group, Inc. and United States Public Interest Research Group Education Fund, Inc..
FY17 Expenses 72% Program |
What's New
This week, U.S. PIRG submitted 17,000 petitions to the EPA in support of the life-saving Mercury Air Toxics standards (MATs rule), a rule that the EPA proposes to suspend.
Fisher-Price recalled 4.7 million Rock n’Play baby sleepers on Friday. U.S. PIRG Consumer Watchdog Adam Garber issued a response: "“While we’re pleased that Fisher-Price is finally recalling these dangerous sleepers, 30 deaths in 10 years is 30 deaths too many and 10 years too late."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced today that it suspects ground beef caused an outbreak of E. coli-induced infections that has sickened more than 100 people in six states.
In an interview on iFixit’s Repair Radio, Washington State Rep. Jeff Morris, who was the original sponsor of the state's Right to Repair bill last year, claimed that “word on the street” was that big tech companies, specifically Microsoft, “marshalled forces to keep the bill from moving out of the House Rules committee.”
Donating phones to be reused can reduce electronic waste and save consumers money by fostering a robust used phone marketplace. Unfortunately, the rise of activation locks is leading to the scrapping of tens of thousands of perfectly reusable phones, which fuels the production of more new phones and the pollution that comes with that.
Consumer Protection | U.S. PIRG
Campus debit cards cost students over $24 million in fees
Report shows how campus debit cards — along with how they are marketed — are putting students' financial well-being at risk across the country.
Antibiotics | U.S. PIRG
Hold the antibiotics Wendy's
A recent estimate suggests that as many as 162,000 people die from antibiotic-resistant infections every year. Wendy's can help protect our life-saving medicines if it stops serving beef raised on routine antibiotics.
Solid Waste | U.S. PIRG
Let's move beyond plastic
Nothing we use for a few minutes should threaten our health and pollute our future for hundreds of years. One of the best ways to reduce the amount of trash headed to landfills is to ban items such as plastic foam cups and takeout containers.
Consumer Protection | U.S. PIRG
The real price of medications
The results of our investigation of variations in prescription drug prices may surprise you.
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Your donation supports U.S. PIRG’s work to stand up for consumers on the issues that matter, especially when powerful interests are blocking progress.