Re: Take action: Urge Congress to pass Biden's proposed Junk Fee Protection Act

Friend, during last Tuesday's State of the Union address, President Biden [gave]( Congress a clear call to action: Crack down on junk fees. [Sign and send a petition to Congress: Follow President Biden's lead. Save American consumers billions of dollars by cracking down on unnecessary junk fees.]( [SIGN AND SEND A PETITION]( Junk fees have skyrocketed across all industries. It might be a charge hidden in the fine print, a transaction tacked on at the end of a purchase, or a fee combined with taxes. Whether it's an extra $3 or $50 at a time, trumped up fees are big money-generators for corporations, costing American consumers a [reported]( $29 billion annually in excessive charges. President Biden's [proposed]( Junk Fees Prevention Act would limit hidden fees and surcharges on things like service fees at concerts and sporting events, added costs charged by airlines so that family members can sit together, and early termination charges for TV, phone, and internet service. [President Biden is right: Americans are tired of being played for suckers. Congress must pass the Junk Fee Prevention Act so companies stop ripping us off. Sign and send a petition today.]( [SIGN AND SEND A PETITION]( Keep fighting, Monique Teal, Daily Kos P.S. Read more about what the Junk Fee Prevention Act would do below. --------------------------------------------------------------- Friend, [sign and send a petition to Congress: Follow President Biden's lead. Save American consumers billions of dollars by cracking down on unnecessary junk fees.]( [SIGN AND SEND A PETITION]( It's probably happened to you. Maybe you wanted to book a cheap flight only to find out it costs hundreds more than advertised? Perhaps you paid a termination fee when you switched cable providers, or a random "service fee" while purchasing a concert ticket? Americans lose billions of dollars annually to hidden "junk fees" and penalties like these that creep into everyday retail services across many industries, including entertainment, utility, travel and more. To put an end to this, President Biden has proposed the Junk Fee Prevention Act. It would target excessive fees on things like online concerts, sporting events, airline tickets, hidden hotel fees, and termination fees for TV, phone, and internet services. [Sign and send to Congress: Follow President Biden's lead. Crack down on "junk fees."]( [SIGN AND SEND A PETITION]( Aptly named "junk fees" are [hidden charges, costs, and add-ons for goods or services]( that inflate costs while adding little to no value for consumers. Sometimes they are used to hide the full price, making it hard for consumers to compare products. They can also be added when you try to terminate a service, and may be presented as mandatory when they are, in fact, optional. Of course, not all additional fees are junk fees. The cost of upgrading from an economy seat to a business class seat on a flight, for example, would not be considered a junk fee. The Biden administration is taking aim at [four specific categories of fees]( "designed either to confuse or deceive consumers or to take advantage of lock-in or other forms of situational market power" including: - Mandatory fees that often hide the full price, a practice can lead consumers to pay more than they would otherwise, and it also makes it hard for consumers to comparison shop. - Surprise fees that consumers learn about after purchase, which make it hard to stay within budget and can burden household finances. - Exploitative or predatory fees that target consumers who are locked into a product or service, or are otherwise economically vulnerable, imposing a financial burden. - Fraudulent fees that involve outright fraud or misrepresentations on the part of the seller. With everyday Americans working more and being paid less, every single dollar makes a difference. Corporations prioritize profits over basic decency, so it's well past time to rein in their worst abuses. The Biden administration has already started making [significant moves]( to help Americans keep more of our money. Congress has the ability to do much more. [Sign and send to Congress: Follow President Biden's lead. Crack down on "junk fees."]( [SIGN AND SEND A PETITION]( Keep fighting, Monique Teal, Daily Kos Daily Kos Relies on Readers Like You We don't have billionaire backers like some right-wing media outlets. Half our revenue comes from readers like you, meaning we literally couldn't do this work without you. Can you chip in $5 right now to help Daily Kos keep fighting? [Chip in $5]( If you wish to donate by mail instead, please send a check to Daily Kos, PO Box 70036, Oakland, CA, 94612. Contributions to Daily Kos are not tax deductible. Sent via [ActionNetwork.org](. To update your email address, change your name or address, or to stop receiving emails from Daily Kos, please [click here](.