{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-backs-action-to-ban-hidden-junk-fees-that-cost-consumers-tens-of-billions-of-dollars-annually", "Reed Backs Action to Ban Hidden \u2018Junk Fees\u2019 That Cost Consumers Tens of Billions of Dollars Annually", "2023-10-11", "2023", "2023-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", "jackreed", "https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC -- Calling it a major step forward for consumer protection, U.S. Senator Jack Reed is backing the Biden Administration\u2019s efforts to ban hidden \u2018junk fees\u2019 across multiple industries.\n\nJunk fees are hidden charges and misleading fees that companies add to customer bills, costing consumers tens of billions of dollars annually and stifling business competition.\n\nSenator Reed today applauded the independent Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the independent Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) for announcing new actions and proposed rules against companies charging consumers junk fees.\n\nThe FTC\u2019s proposed rule would end hidden fees and make it clearer when businesses are adding extra charges, like at hotels, car rentals, apartment companies, live-ticket events, and more. It would also prohibit businesses from advertising prices that leave out mandatory fees, giving consumers a more accurate upfront cost. If this proposed rule is finalized as proposed, the FTC could bring enforcement actions to impose financial penalties on companies that don\u2019t disclose their full upfront price and secure refunds for customers who have been defrauded by companies charging hidden fees.\n\nThe CFPB is issuing guidance to enforce junk fee rules from financial institutions. The CFPB proposal would help prevent large banks from unfairly charging fees for basic services, like balance requests or other information. The consumer watchdog also announced $2 billion in savings and $140 million in consumer refunds from previous crackdowns on junk fees.\n\nReed says he favors the moves by the FTC and CFPB and supports federal efforts to crack down on excessive hidden fees while promoting greater transparency, fairness, and competition in the market for all kinds of consumer goods and services.\n\n\u201cJunk fees are an annoying, unfair business practice designed to confuse consumers. Unfortunately, they\u2019ve become business as usual for too many companies these days and the practice needs to stop. The new actions by the FTC and CFPB will help crack down on deceptive junk fees and ensure fair competition in the marketplace. It will ensure businesses compete on price, not on who can hide their prices and tack on the most junk fees at the end. This is a major step forward for consumers that targets bogus junk fees and will save working families real money. It will help put tens of billions of dollars back into the wallets of consumers,\u201d said Senator Reed.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:49:26Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-backs-action-to-ban-hidden-junk-fees-that-cost-consumers-tens-of-billions-of-dollars-annually"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8127512410283089, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}