Selected U.S. Senate Proceedings and Debates on Consumer Protection, 1965-1975

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Speeches & Publications Submitted

  • Senator Mondale introduces S. 3187, the Fair Warning Act of 1966, requiring automobile manufacturers to immediately notify consumers with defective cars. The bill is referred to the Committee on Commerce. 89th Cong., 2nd sess., Congressional Record 112 (April 5, 1966): 7581-7582.

  • Senator Mondale introduces Amendment No. 537, the Fair Warning Amendment, to S. 3005, the Traffic Safety Act of 1966. The amendment requires automobile manufacturers to notify consumers with defective cars. 89th Cong., 2nd sess., Congressional Record 112 (April 18, 1966): 8215-8217.

  • Senator Mondale is critical that Ford Motor Company deliberately avoids mentioning safety implications in their callback notices to consumers; he submits the letters sent by Ford. 89th Cong., 2nd sess., Congressional Record 112 (April 19, 1966): 8322-8323.

  • Debate on the Traffic Safety Act of 1966, S. 3005; Senator Mondale argues in favor of the act: "This bill will not work miracles. It will not bring back those precious lives and careers that have been lost. It will take 10 years or more before all cars on our highway include the barest minimum safety standards for the protection of the occupants. It will take many more years before the States are able to effect some degree of uniformity on their roads and before most drivers have been educated in how to drive. But we have an obligation to the people we represent to begin immediately the safety programs provided for in the bill." The bill is passed. It becomes Public Law 89-563 in September. 89th Cong., 2nd sess., Congressional Record 112 (June 24, 1966): 14214-14260. (Mondale at 14245)

  • Debate on the Highway Safety Act of 1966, S. 3052 (introduced in March by Senators Randolph, D-WV, and Cooper, R-KY); Senator Mondale introduces an amendment requiring the Secretary of Commerce to undertake a comprehensive study of alcoholism and its relationship to traffic safety. The bill is passed. It becomes Public Law 89-564 in September. 89th Cong., 2nd sess., Congressional Record 112 (June 24, 1966): 14260-14273. (Mondale at 14269)

  • Senator Nelson (D-WI) praises Senator Mondale’s fair warning amendment to the Traffic Safety Act and expresses hope that the House of Representatives includes it in its bill; he submits an article written by Senator Mondale concerning the fundamental right of consumers “to know about any hidden hazards associated with the products they buy.” 89th Cong., 2nd sess., Congressional Record 112 (July 18, 1966): 16003-16004.

  • Senator Mondale reacts to a recent announcement by the automobile companies that car prices will rise because of new safety standards: “I think it is most strange that an industry which is so experienced and expert at making expensive annual styling changes in automobiles without increasing prices, finds it necessary to substantially increase prices to meet the modest safety standards being required this year. I cannot recall ever hearing an industry spokesman say ‘prices will have to be increased this year because of the costly styling changes in our new cars.’ But let anyone mention the most trivial safety requirement and immediately we hear that it will be terribly costly and that the consumer will have to pay extra for it. ” 90th Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 113 (June 1, 1967): 14412-14417.

  • Senator Mondale submits his and Senator Magnuson’s (D-WA) correspondence with the four major automobile companies; he is critical and suspicious of their inability to determine what the consumer will be charged for safety improvements. 90th Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 113 (August 3, 1967): 21335-21341.

  • Senator Mondale submits an article on a political slush fund started by meat industry officials: "The meat industry's sudden interest in the political careers of 'friendly' Congressmen, coming at a time when federal legislation regulating the slaughter and processing of meat sold to consumers is under consideration, can only lead to the conclusion in the public eye that this was a crass attempt to influence Congress." 90th Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 113 (November 2, 1967): 30900-30902.

  • Senator Nelson (D-WI) submits Senator Mondale's statement relating to the remedying of safety-related defects in automobiles. 92nd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 117 (December 17, 1971): 47592.

  • Senator Mondale introduces three amendments to S. 945 (reported in June from the Committee on Commerce), the National No-Fault Motor Vehicle Insurance Act, that would "afford substantial additional protection to the consumer-policy holder." The bill is referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. 92nd Cong., 2nd sess., Congressional Record 118 (July 25, 1972): 25172.

  • Senator Mondale introduces Amendment No. 1197 to S. 354, the National No-Fault Motor Vehicle Insurance Act (introduced in January by Senator Magnuson, D-WA): "This amendment is a consumer amendment. It is designed to insure that the benefits of no-fault insurance will be available to the consumer at the lowest possible cost." 93rd Cong., 2nd sess., Congressional Record 120 (April 30, 1974): 12376-12385.

  • Debate and voting on amendments to S. 354, the National No-Fault Motor Vehicle Insurance Act, including passage of Senator Mondale's Amendment No. 1197. The bill passes the Senate and is referred to the House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce. 93rd Cong., 2nd sess., Congressional Record 120 (May 1, 1974): 12564-12570. (Mondale at 12566)

General Consumer Protection

Meat and Poultry Inspection

  • Senator Mondale introduces S. 2218, the Wholesome Meat Act: "Shockingly unsanitary and unwholesome conditions in unregulated slaughter and processing plants have been disclosed in recent weeks. In my judgment, these conditions make it absolutely imperative that we take action." The bill is referred to the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry. 90th Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 113 (August 3, 1967): 21283-21291.

  • Discussion S. 2147, the Federal Meat Inspection Act (introduced in July by Senator Montoya); Senator Mondale supports the bill: "This measure will assure the American public of protection for all meat and meat products sold in this country as quickly as can possibly be done—but only if it is enacted into law immediately—only if it is enacted without weakening those provisions designed to protect the public health during the 2- to 3-year period when states are bringing in systems at least equal with the federal system, and only if adequate funds are provided." 90th Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 113 (November 27, 1967): 33838-33883.

  • Further discussion of S. 2147, the Federal Meat Inspection Act. The bill is indefinitely postponed and H.R. 12144 is passed in lieu. 90th Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 113 (November 28, 1967): 33961-33967, 33969-33972, 33986-33987.

  • The Senate discusses the Wholesome Meat Act (H.R. 12144) conference report; the conference report is adopted. H.R. 12144 becomes Public Law 90-201 in December. 90th Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 113 (December 6, 1967): 35353-35360.

  • Senator Mondale introduces S. 3383, the Wholesome Poultry, Eggs, and Fish Products Act of 1968, providing for mandatory inspection of all poultry and poultry products, fish and fish products, and egg and egg products, intended for human food: "The American consumer can wait no longer for adequate protection of protein products. This year in which spectacular progress is being made to prolong life through medical science seems the appropriate time to act to assure that the quality of life, the health of people, be protected as well." The bill is referred to the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry. 90th Cong., 2nd sess., Congressional Record 114 (April 25, 1968): 10592-10599.

  • Debate on an amendment proposed by Senator Holland (D-FL) to S. 2932 the Wholesome Poultry Products Act (introduced in February by Senators Ellender, D-LA, and Montoya, D-NM); Senator Mondale argues that the Holland amendment would "seriously impair the effectiveness of the Wholesome Meat Act and the Poultry Act." The bill is indefinitely postponed and H.R. 16363 is passed in lieu. It becomes Public Law 90-492 in September. 90th Cong., 2nd sess., Congressional Record 114 (July 27, 1968): 23835-23854. (Mondale at 23850)

  • Senator Mondale submits an amendment to S. 2116 (reported from the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry in January), striking out broad exemption authority given to the Secretary of Agriculture. The bill passes the Senate and is referred to the House Committee on Agriculture. 91st Cong., 2nd sess., Congressional Record 116 (February 2, 1970): 2087-2093.

  • Senator Mondale states his support for S. 1316, the Amendment of the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Products Inspection Act (introduced in March by Senators Curtis, R-NE, and Hruska, R-NE), and opposes an amendment proposed by Senator Mathias (R-MD), arguing that it weakens the federal and state relationship for inspections. The Mathias amendment is defeated. The bill passes the Senate and is referred to the Committee on Agriculture. 92nd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 117 (July 19, 1971): 27967- 27975. (Mondale at 27972)

Inflation

  • Senator Nelson (D-WI) submits a speech Senator Mondale gave to the Brookings Institution discussing inflation and steps Congress needs to take to combat it. 91st Cong., 2nd sess., Congressional Record 116 (February 6, 1970): 2697-2698.

  • Senator Mondale introduces Senate Resolution 357, insisting that the government pursue "a more balanced set of anti-inflationary policies," and that the Senate "examine the peculiar nature of inflation in different sectors of the economy ... and draw recommendations for a policy mix" based on its findings. The measure is referred to the Committee on Banking and Currency. 91st Cong., 2nd sess., Congressional Record 116 (February 6, 1970): 2706-2708.

  • Senator Mondale introduces S. 1542, imposing a 60-day freeze on prices and rents: "We are now in the midst of an inflationary psychology gone berserk.... To head this off we should make it clear-as this bill does-that the freeze will not allow prices higher than those prevailing on March 16." The bill is referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs. 93rd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 119 (April 11, 1973): 11864-11865.

  • Senator Mondale introduces Amendment No. 177 to S. 925, setting up a Federal Financing Bank (introduced in February by Senator Sparkman, D-AL); the amendment imposes a 90-day freeze on all prices, rents, and consumer interest rates, and directs the President to "use the time to develop and implement a long-term program to control inflation." The amended bill passes the Senate in June. 93rd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 119 (June 4, 1973): 17873-17874.

  • Senator Mondale introduces a resolution stating that the Democratic Majority of the Senate attach to the first appropriate Senate bill an amendment imposing a 90-day freeze on prices, profits, rents, wages and salaries, and consumer interest rates and that the President use the 90-day freeze to establish "a long-run program to control inflation that is firm, fair, and equitable." 93rd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 119 (June 5, 1973): 17994.

Truth in Packaging

  • Senator Hart (D-MI) submits a speech Senator Mondale gave in which he endorses Senator Hart's Truth in Packaging Bill. Senator Mondale states: "Government does have an ancient and indispensable responsibility to protect the ethical competitor and the consumer from those who would resort to fraud, misrepresentation and deliberately contrived confusion. And Government has a responsibility to protect the ethical competitor and the consumer from those who fail to clearly and responsibly disclose the essential facts necessary for a wise and rational consumer choice." 89th Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 111 (July 16, 1965): 17119-17121.

  • Senator Mondale speaks in support of the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act, an amended version of the Truth in Packaging Bill from 1965: “The consumer ... is being bilked. He is a member of an abused majority, and it is not his fault.... Price and quantity must be easily compared.” 89th Cong., 2nd sess., Congressional Record 112 (May 25, 1966): 11476-11477.

  • Debate on S. 985, the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act; Senator Mondale explains the procedural safeguards in the bill to address fears that a "runaway administrative agency would be in a position to subjugate the rights of citizens." 89th Cong., 2nd sess., Congressional Record 112 (June 8, 1966): 12664-12684. (Mondale at 12683)