We need a COVID-19 testing plan that meets our current needs and implements the widespread testing public health experts say it will take to move away from social distancing.
We need a COVID-19 testing plan that meets our current needs and implements the widespread testing public health experts say it will take to move away from social distancing.
Public Health
Responding to the crisis
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, now more than ever, we need to work together to ensure that our government has a coordinated, strategic response to safeguard the public’s health, protect consumers from emerging dangers and ensure people can still participate fully in our democracy.
COVID-19
Massachusetts mayors join urgent call for more medical supplies
On April 3, more than 100 mayors and county executives across 17 states, including 12 from Massachusetts alone, signed a letter delivered by U.S. PIRG to the Trump administration. It called for centralized distribution of medical supplies such as ventilators and N95 masks to ensure that hospitals and frontline medical workers have the equipment they need during the coronavirus pandemic.
Transportation
Massachusetts Legislature considers bill to require MBTA to go electric
The Massachusetts Senate is considering a bill that would require the MBTA to fully transition to electric buses by 2040. The effect would be staggering: 55,000 tons of greenhouse gases would no longer be emitted each year — the equivalent of taking more than 10,600 cars off the road. MASSPIRG is urging the Legislature to pass this vital bill.
Public Health
Massachusetts unveils new program to protect kids from lead poisoning
On Jan. 14, Massachusetts launched a new program to get the lead out of school drinking water. The School Water Improvement Grants program (SWIG) will provide schools with water filling stations certified to remove lead, and will conduct water testing for schools that have not yet been tested.
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MASSPIRG is your advocate for the public interest, speaking out for healthier, safer, more secure lives for all of us.
News & Research
Blog Post
Mortgage servicers failed Americans during the last recession. And if early data from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is any indication, history may well be on its way to repeating.
News Release | U.S. PIRG Education Fund
This coming Monday, June 1, will mark the third full month that bills are due since COVID-19 was declared a national state of emergency in March. To help Americans manage their finances, U.S. PIRG Education Fund has published an updated guide with tips on what to do about paying bills during the crisis.
News Release | U.S. PIRG
U.S. PIRG has joined leading consumer and banking organizations to applaud a bi-partisan Senate bill to broaden protections in the recent COVID-19 stimulus package. Under the CARES Act, Congress exempted Economic Impact Payments from offset for debts owed to federal and state agencies, except in the case of child support, but did not exempt them from court-ordered garnishment to pay creditors.
Blog Post
Most airlines are only offering vouchers, not refunds, when passengers cancel their flights due to concerns about COVID-19.
News Release | MASSPIRG
BOSTON -- In the wake of Gov. Charlie Baker’s plans to move forward with a phased “re-opening” of Massachusetts while dealing with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, MASSPIRG Executive Director Janet Domenitz and Massachusetts Sierra Club Executive Director Deb Pasternak issued a statement.
RESOURCE
Coronavirus update
In the midst of the coronavirus outbreak, we’ve taken steps for all of our staff to work remotely for safety reasons. But rest assured, we’ll keep advocating for you as we work for a healthier, safer world.
Learn more about how we can work together to address the COVID-19 pandemic.