Public Interest Research Groups

Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs) are non-profit groups that advocate for the public interest. They typically work in areas like health, safety, environment, public welfare and ethical operation of government. They work to hold elected official to high ethical standards, close unfair legal loopholes that disadvantage average citizens, work to achieve affordable health care, promote greater voter participation, hold manufacturers accountable for the safety of their products and other topics that help keep citizens safe and treated fairly.

State-level PIRGs are part of a national federation of PIRGs called United States Public Interest Research Group, or U.S. PIRG.

The mission statement of the U.S. PIRG, states, "When consumers are cheated, or the voices of ordinary citizens are drowned out by special interest lobbyists, U.S. PIRG speaks up and takes action." PIRGS expose threats to public health and well-being and fight to end them, use tools like investigative research media expose's, grassroots organizing, advocacy and litigation to help protect public health, encourage a fair, sustainable economy, and foster responsive, democratic government.

Sourcewatch resources

 * United States Public Interest Research Group
 * New York Public Interest Research Group
 * Vermont Public Interest Research Group

External resources

 * Website of U.S. PIRG: ww.uspirg.org/

Contact
The Federation of State PIRGs 44 Winter Street, 4th Floor Boston, Massachusetts 02108 Phone: (617) 747-4370