The Trump administration wants to zero out funding for coronavirus testing, even as cases continue to spike, and the death toll grows. Tell your senators to demand that funding for testing be included in the next stimulus bill.
The Trump administration wants to zero out funding for coronavirus testing, even as cases continue to spike, and the death toll grows. Tell your senators to demand that funding for testing be included in the next stimulus bill.
Public Health
Responding to the COVID 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
Shut down, start over, do it right
Few people living today remember what it was like to live through a world war, but that’s what we’re in, and we’re going to have to sacrifice if we want to save ourselves and each other. Just as the greatest generation did, we need to step up to what history has delivered.
Consumer Protection | Illinois PIRG
$200 million fine is first step toward undoing harms of corrupt ComEd schemes
After being charged with corruption and exerting illegal political influence, utility Commonwealth Edison, or ComEd, has agreed to pay a $200 million fine for its nearly decade-long campaign to offer jobs, contracts and money in exchange for favorable public policy.
Consumer Protection
Illinois PIRG sues Clearview AI over privacy violations of millions of Illinoisans
Illinois PIRG has joined the ACLU in a lawsuit accusing the facial recognition startup Clearview AI of violating the privacy rights of millions of Illinois residents. In January, the New York Times reported that Clearview AI had collected more than 3 billion photos from the internet without the knowledge or consent of those pictured.
We can't do it without you.
Illinois PIRG is your advocate for the public interest, speaking out for healthier, safer, more secure lives for all of us.
News & Research
Blog Post
In the spring, we shut down our lives and our economy in hopes of reducing the spread of COVID-19 enough to be able to manage it through widespread testing and contact tracing. In spite of that shutdown, today the virus is raging virtually uncontrolled. We didn’t stick with it until the job was done.
News Release | U.S. PIRG
A new study that tested for PFAS in food containers from six restaurant chains found that, out of 29 unique samples, 14 tested above the screening level for fluorine, suggesting PFAS treatment.
Blog Post
The Chicago City Council Committee on Environmental Protection and Energy held a subject matter hearing today on ComEd and its response to the recently revealed illegal bribery scheme. Illinois PIRG director Abe Scarr made comments to the Commision during the meeting's public comment period and submitted extended written comments.
Blog Post
The Illinois Commerce Commission held a hearing today on internal reforms ComEd is making in response to the recently revealed illegal bribery scheme. Illinois PIRG director Abe Scarr made comments to the Commision during the meeting's public comment period.
News Release | U.S. PIRG
John Lewis was an American hero.
Most people knew him as a champion of civil rights, whether as a young man marching for freedom on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma in 1965 or serving as the “conscience of the Congress” for the past 33 years. Yet John Lewis was also a dependable ally on public interest issues, a tenacious advocate of voting reform and open government, consumer protection and a healthy environment.
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.