Home

Welcome to NMPIRG

What's New

All
News
Milestones
Reports

News Release | NMPIRG Education Fund | Tax

Thirty Fortune 500 Companies Paid More to Lobby Congress than they Did in Federal Income Taxes

With the second anniversary approaching of the Supreme Court’s decision in the Citizens United case – which opened the floodgates to corporate spending on elections – NMPIRG Education Fund and Citizens for Tax Justice reveal 30 corporations that spent more to lobby Congress than they did in taxes.

News Release | USPIRG | Tax

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Senator Carl Levin Introduces Stop Tax Haven Abuse Act

The Stop Tax Havens Abuse Act is introduced to close corporate tax loopholes and save taxpayers the $100 Billion in lost revenue from tax dodgers.

Report | Consumer Protection

Trouble in Toyland

The 2011 Trouble in Toyland report is our 26th annual survey of toy safety. In this report, we provide safety guidelines for consumers when purchasing toys for young children and provide examples of toys currently on store shelves that may pose potential safety hazards.

News Release | U.S. PIRG | Budget

Supercommittee Squanders Opportunity to Cut Waste

Following months of partisan bickering, the Supercommittee has squandered a major opportunity to cut truly wasteful spending and special interest handouts.

News Release | NMPIRG Education Fund | Budget

New Report Outlines Problems with Red-Light and Speed Cameras

A new research report outlines problems with the growing trend among cities to outsource traffic enforcement to red-light and speed camera vendors. Several alternative options are recommended to make roads safer.

Pages

News Release | NMPIRG Education Fund | Tax

Thirty Fortune 500 Companies Paid More to Lobby Congress than they Did in Federal Income Taxes

With the second anniversary approaching of the Supreme Court’s decision in the Citizens United case – which opened the floodgates to corporate spending on elections – NMPIRG Education Fund and Citizens for Tax Justice reveal 30 corporations that spent more to lobby Congress than they did in taxes.

News Release | USPIRG | Tax

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Senator Carl Levin Introduces Stop Tax Haven Abuse Act

The Stop Tax Havens Abuse Act is introduced to close corporate tax loopholes and save taxpayers the $100 Billion in lost revenue from tax dodgers.

News Release | U.S. PIRG | Budget

Supercommittee Squanders Opportunity to Cut Waste

Following months of partisan bickering, the Supercommittee has squandered a major opportunity to cut truly wasteful spending and special interest handouts.

News Release | NMPIRG Education Fund | Budget

New Report Outlines Problems with Red-Light and Speed Cameras

A new research report outlines problems with the growing trend among cities to outsource traffic enforcement to red-light and speed camera vendors. Several alternative options are recommended to make roads safer.

News Release | U.S. PIRG | Tax

Chairman Camp’s Tax Reform Would Create a Permanent Corporate ‘Tax Holiday’

We were disappointed to see the introduction of Chairman Camp’s tax reform proposal especially given the revelations regarding the growing number corporate tax avoidance schemes this past year. The plan would take today’s flawed tax system and make it even worse.

Pages

Result | Consumer Protection

KIDS’ SCHOOL LUNCHES NOW SAFER

For years, America’s schoolchildren have been eating beef, chicken and other foods that would have been rejected as substandard even by fast food chains. Thanks in part to our advocacy, the U.S.D.A. has stopped buying such low-quality meat for school lunches.

Result | Health Care

Young People Now Covered

This year, the federal health care reforms that NMPIRG worked to win have started to pay off for young people. In the past, teens saw their premiums soar or were denied coverage when they turned 19, even if they’d been insured their whole lives. Now, they can remain on their parents’ plans until age 26.

Result | Consumer Protection

Keeping Families Safe From Dangerous Products

Corporations that violate product safety laws will face stiff fines and penalties, and hazardous products will be removed from store shelves more quickly, under a landmark law championed by NMPIRG in 2008, the Conumer Product Safety Improvement Act. Our members—and staff in D.C.—helped overcome the last-minute opposition from the chemical industry.

Result | Health Care

Holding Drugmakers Accountable For Safety

As drug companies aggressively market their products, they also cover up the side effects, as we saw with the scandals surrounding Vioxx, Paxil and Avandia. In 2007, the president signed a NMPIRG-backed law that makes drugs safer, and prevents pharmaceutical companies from keeping important clinical information from doctors.

Result | Health Care

Standing Up To Prescription Drug Companies

Prescription drug companies are making it harder and harder for families to afford the medication they need. To help New Mexicans get a better deal, NMPIRG worked in 2005 to expand the state’s SenioRX and bulk purchasing programs to all New Mexicans.

Pages

Report | Consumer Protection

Trouble in Toyland

The 2011 Trouble in Toyland report is our 26th annual survey of toy safety. In this report, we provide safety guidelines for consumers when purchasing toys for young children and provide examples of toys currently on store shelves that may pose potential safety hazards.

Report | NMPIRG Education Fund | Budget

Caution: Red Light Cameras Ahead

Privatized traffic law enforcement systems are spreading rapidly across the United States. As many as 700 local jurisdictions have entered into deals with for-profit companies to install camera systems at intersections and along roadways to encourage drivers to obey traffic signals and follow speed limits. Local contracting for automated traffic enforcement systems may sometimes be a useful tool for keeping drivers and pedestrians safe. But when private firms and municipalities consider revenues first, and safety second, the public interest is threatened.

Report | USPIRG Education Fund | Health Care

Making the Grade

This report assesses the progress that the states have made, and for the states that have begun to set up their health care exchange, evaluates them on the myriad policies and criteria that will determine whether it is ultimately successful in improving health care for consumers.

Report | Food

Apples to Twinkies

America is facing an obesity epidemic – one that’s hitting children especially hard. Childhood obesity rates have tripled over the last three decades, with one in five kids aged 6 to 11 now obese.

Report | U.S. PIRG Education Fund | Budget

Toward Common Ground

To break through the ideological divide that has dominated Washington this past year and offer a pathway to address the nation’s fiscal problems, the National Taxpayers Union and U.S. PIRG joined together to identify mutually acceptable deficit reduction measures.

Pages

YOUR TAX DOLLARS BECOME TWINKIES

Billions of taxpayer dollars have subsidized the ingredients in junk food. We're calling on Congress to end agribusinesses handouts.

Learn more

Take Action
STOP TAX DODGERS

Corporate tax avoidance cost taxpayers $100 billion last year. We're working to close the loopholes that allow companies to avoid paying the taxes they owe.

Learn more

Take Action
BUILDING A BETTER HEALTH CARE MARKETPLACE

Now the fight for health care reform is in New Mexico.

Learn More
DANGEROUS TOYS ON STORE SHELVES?

Find out what to watch out for — from toxic chemicals to choking hazards — in our “Trouble In Toyland” report.

Learn more

Get the report

Act Now
Donate
Join Us

PRIORITY ACTION

Every year, our tax dollars pay for enough corn syrup and other junk food additives to buy 2.8 million Twinkies. It's time to stop subsidizing obesity.

Support Us

Your donation supports NMPIRG’s work to stand up for consumers on the issues that matter, especially when powerful interests are blocking progress.

Consumer Alerts

Join our network and stay up to date on our campaigns, get important consumer updates and take action on critical issues.