Mission:
To test products, inform the public, and protect consumers. Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports, is an independent, nonprofit testing and information organization that serves only consumers. It is a comprehensive source for unbiased advice about products and services, personal finance, health and nutrition, and other consumer concerns.

Background:
Founded in 1936, Consumers Union works to protect consumers by arming them with information about the products they use. Its monthly magazine, Consumer Reports, covers current issues of concern to consumers and features in-depth information on matters that affect their health, money, and well-being. The organization's core areas of interest include health care, food safety, telecommunications and utilities, financial services, and product safety. Its Consumer Policy Institute in Yonkers, New York, and its three advocacy offices in Washington, D.C.; San Francisco; and Austin, focus on research, education, and policy analysis on consumer topics that are regional, national, and international in scope. Representatives from those offices frequently testify before various legislative and regulatory groups, petition government agencies, and file lawsuits on behalf of consumers.

Outstanding Feature:
Consumers Union recently launched a redesigned Web site with a new Take Action Center to help consumers engage in interactive advocacy. Visitors to the online center can get involved in policy debates that shape the marketplace by sending e-mail to members of Congress, state legislatures, regulatory agencies, as well as to news media outlets. In addition to the e-mail capabilities, the site provides contact information for state and federal policymakers and tracks current legislation. Consumers can also use the site to look up contributions to their elected officials by political action committees, check congressional schedules, and sign up for e-mail alerts about breaking issues.