Announced Actions for July 29, 2005

Further extension of public comment period on Marketing, Self-Regulation, and Childhood Obesity Workshop: The deadline for public comments regarding the recent two-day Marketing, Self-Regulation, and Childhood Obesity Workshop has been extended. As announced in a Federal Register notice that will be published shortly and can be found as a link to this press release on the Federal Trade Commission’s Web site, the public comment period now closes on August 12, 2005. The public workshop, sponsored by the FTC and the Department of Health and Human Services, was held in Washington, DC, on July 14 and 15, 2005. It brought together key experts for an open discussion on industry self-regulation concerning the marketing of food and beverages to children, as well as initiatives to educate children and parents about nutrition.

Comments and envelopes should be marked “Food Marketing to Kids Workshop – Comment, Project No. P034519,” and sent to FTC, Office of the Secretary, Room 159-H (Annex H), 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580. Comments can also be submitted electronically at: https://secure.commentworks.com/ftc-foodmarketingtokids. (FTC File No. P034519; the staff contacts are Richard Kelly, 202-326-3304, or Michelle Rusk, 202-326-3148, Bureau of Consumer Protection; see press release dated May 11, 2005).

Release of Commission report: The Commission has authorized the staff to release publicly the 27th Annual Report to Congress on the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). This report, which is available now on the FTC’s Web site, summarizes the Commission’s administration and enforcement of the FDCPA during 2004. It presents an overview of the types of consumer complaints received by the Commission, descriptions of the Commission’s debt-collection law enforcement actions, and a summary of the Commission’s consumer and industry education initiatives. The report also contains eight recommendations for amendments to the FDCPA that the Commission believes will improve the statute’s clarity and effectiveness as a law enforcement tool.

The FDCPA prohibits abusive, deceptive, and otherwise improper collection practices by third-party debt collectors. Section 815 of the FDCPA requires the Commission to submit annual reports to Congress. The Commission vote to issue the report was 4-0. (FTC File No. P054807; staff contacts are Seena D. Gressin and Thomas E. Kane, Bureau of Consumer Protection, 202-326-3224.)

Copies of the documents mentioned in this release are available from the FTC’s Web site at http://www.ftc.gov and also from the FTC’s Consumer Response Center, Room 130, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20580. Call toll-free: 1-877-FTC-HELP.