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Since 1968, the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) has provided consumers a well-reasoned and articulate voice in decisions that affect their lives. Day in and out, CFA's professional staff gathers facts, analyzes issues, and disseminates information to the public, policymakers, and rest of the consumer movement.

The size and diversity of its membership -- some 300 nonprofit organizations from throughout the nation with a combined membership exceeding 50 million people -- enables CFA to speak for virtually all consumers. In particular, CFA looks out for those who have the greatest needs, especially the least affluent.

CFA is an advocacy, research, education, and service organization. As an advocacy group, it works to advance pro-consumer policy on a variety of issues before Congress, the White House, federal and state regulatory agencies, state legislatures, and the courts. Its staff works with public officials to promote beneficial policies, to oppose harmful policies, and to ensure a balanced debate on important issues in which consumers have a stake.

As a research organization, CFA investigates consumer issues, behavior, and attitudes using surveys, polling, focus groups, and literatures reviews. The findings of such projects are published in reports that assist consumer advocates and policymakers as well as individual consumers. This research also provides the basis for new consumer initiatives, public service advertising, and consumer information and education efforts.

As an education organization, CFA disseminates information on consumer issues to the public and the media, as well as to policymakers and other public interest advocates. Conferences, reports, books, brochures, news releases, a newsletter, and a website all contribute to CFA's education program.

Finally, as a service organization, CFA provides support to national, state, and local organizations committed to the goals of consumer advocacy, research, and education. Some of these organizations are consumer advocacy, education, or cooperative organizations that belong to the federation.