|
Washington, D.C.—
The National Consumers League applauds the Senate’s passage of
the
Consumer Product Safety Commission Reform Act, S. 2663,
which will bring substantial and long-overdue improvements to
the federal agency that is charged with monitoring the safety of
more than 15,000 toys and goods.
“At long last, we are seeing concrete, specific improvements to
the CPSC, which will help to ensure the safety of millions of
consumers,” said Sally Greenberg, NCL Executive Director. “The
CPSC will finally get the resources it so desperately needs to
help restore American consumers’ confidence in the quality and
safety of the products they buy.”
The bipartisan legislation under consideration by the Senate
last week will lead to increases in the agency’s staff and
budget, rising to $155 million from its current paltry budget of
$63 million. The agency will set standards for acceptable lead
levels in children’s toys under this bill. Further, the fines
imposed on companies required to report but too often do not –
evidence that has come to attention about a hazardous product –
will go up substantially from just over $1 million to a
potential $10 million penalty. The act will also create
whistleblower protection for government and private employees
that report unsafe products and safety violations.
Perhaps most important of all, CPSC under the Senate version of
the bill will be required to make public a database of reports
from consumers about products they’ve found to be dangerous or
defective products. Right now, under Section 6 (b) of the
Consumer Product Safety Act, CPSC is required to consult with
the manufacturer before the information is made public,
sometimes resulting in consumers’ inability to find information
about a product that may have harmed another person – even if it
was previously reported to CPSC. This Web site will help to
share that critical safety information.
“The Senate’s passage of the bill is a significant and
comprehensive step in the right direction. The Senate must work
out the difference between its bill and the House of
Representatives’ version, which will lead to higher safety
standards, more stringent enforcement, and increased agency
funding, all of which is crucial to ensuring the safety of
children and consumers of all ages,” said Greenberg. “The
National Consumers League looks forward to continuing to work
with the Senate and the House in making the changes that is so
desperately needed to keeping consumers safety.” |
