Rep. Carter withdraws amendment, Census funding maintained Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 7/13/2011 11:25:00 AM On July 13, the House Appropriations Committee passed the Fiscal Year 2012 Commerce/Justice/Science Appropriations legislation, which had already cut about 25% from Census funding compared to FY11, without an amendment which would have further sliced away at the Census Bureau's budget. Read More
Census funding threatened by amendments in Appropriations Committee today Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 7/12/2011 10:07:00 AM 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 testifies on Vermont S. 104 seeking to legalize research with physicians Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 4/20/2011 9:55:00 AM MRA testified this morning on legislation in the Vermont legislature, S. 104, which would legalize research with physicians. Read More
Alabama political polling sponsorship disclosure requirements advancing (S.B. 96) Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 3/28/2011 12:31:00 PM 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 targets automated polling (S.B. 40 and H.B. 226) Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 3/14/2011 12:47:00 PM 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
Bill in Maryland Amended to Exempt Pharma MR Incentives for Doctors - H.B. 818 Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 3/3/2011 5:24:00 PM 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
FDA Responds to MRA on Confidentiality of Respondent Data in Marketing Research Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 8/26/2010 5:17:00 PM The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has responded to MRA on our concerns regarding the confidentiality of marketing research data. Read More
MRA Supports Research Industry Self-Regulation Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 7/14/2010 5:28:00 PM 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
New Law Legalizes Exit Polling at Minnesota Voting Places Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 3/31/2010 10:27:00 AM 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
New U.S. Health Care Law Contains Huge Victory for Marketing Research Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 3/22/2010 8:56:00 AM 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