Archive by author:
Howard FienbergReturn
Based in Washington, DC, Howard is the Insights Association's lobbyist for the marketing research and data analytics industry, focusing primarily on consumer privacy and data security, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), tort reform, and the funding and integrity of the decennial Census and the American Community Survey (ACS).
Howard has more than two decades of public policy experience. Before the Insights Association, he worked in Congress as senior legislative staffer for then-Representatives Christopher Cox (CA-48) and Cliff Stearns (FL-06). He also served more than four years with a science policy think tank, working to improve the understanding of scientific and social research and methodology among journalists and policymakers.
Howard is also co-director of The Census Project, a 900+ member coalition in support of a fair and accurate Census and ACS.
He has also served previously on the Board of Directors for the National Institute for Lobbying and Ethics and and the Association of Government Relations Professionals.
Howard has an MA International Relations from the University of Essex in England and a BA Honors Political Studies from Trent University in Canada, and has obtained the Certified Association Executive (CAE), Professional Lobbying Certificate (PLC) and the Public Policy Certificate (PPC).
When not running advocacy for the Insights Association, Howard enjoys hockey, NFL football, sci-fi and horror movies, playing with his dog, and spending time with family and friends.
Today, the House Appropriations Committee will consider amendments to the Fiscal Year 2012 Commerce/Justice/Science Appropriations legislation, which already cut about 25% from Census funding compared to FY11.
Read More
MRA testified this morning on legislation in the Vermont legislature, S. 104, which would legalize research with physicians.
Read More
The Alabama Senate passed S.B. 96, which would amend Section 17-5-16 of the Alabama Code to require “any communication via phone bank or other automated telephone dialing service to be conducted” with a “notice at the beginning and ending of the phone call that the communication was a paid political advertisement, clearly identifying the identification of the person, nonprofit corporation, entity, principal campaign committee, or political action committee that paid f...
Read More
Alaska Senate Majority Leader Kevin Meyer (R-O) introduced S.B. 40, and Rep. Scott Kawasaki (D-9) introduced H.B. 226, legislation which would forbid using “an automated telephone system, device, or facsimile machine for the selection and dialing of telephone numbers and playing of recorded messages if a message is completed to the dialed number for the purpose of: (A) offering goods or services for sale; (B) conveying information on goods or services in soliciting sales or purchases; (C) ...
Read More
MRA convinced a state legislator to exempt respondent incentives for marketing research from his legislation, which would have banned most payments from pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers to health care professionals.
Read More
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has responded to MRA on our concerns regarding the confidentiality of marketing research data.
Read More
Congress approved sweeping financial system reforms today, eschewing a provision that could have threatened the entire research profession by vastly expanding regulatory control of the industry.
Read More
The Governor of Minnesota today signed a bill into law that legalizes exit polling at Minnesota voting places. The Marketing Research Association (MRA) had previously testified in support of the law in the state legislature.
Read More
The new U.S. healthcare law signed by President Obama today includes the Physician Payments Sunshine Act – and an important win for the survey and opinion research profession. Thanks to lobbying by the Marketing Research Association (MRA) and targeted outreach by MRA grassroots volunteers, the Sunshine Act excludes incentive payments for doctors who participate in marketing research projects.
Read More
A volunteer leader of the Marketing Research Association (MRA) testified this morning at a Minnesota committee hearing in defense of exit polling. Gayle Belkengren, President of the MRA Minnesota/Upper Midwest Chapter, spoke in the Minnesota State House in support of legalizing exit pollsters’ access to voting places.
Read More