Senate Takes First Step Toward Product Safety in Wake of Recalls

Senator Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii) is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. He has signed on as a co-sponsor of the Consumer Product Safety Commission Reform Act of 2007. The bill was introduced in the Senate by Senator Mark Pryor (D-Ark.). The purpose of this bill is to improve consume safety by passing stronger consumer protection laws, giving increased authority and increasing authorization levels.

In his statement, Senator Inouye talks about how the public has been faced with many high profile recalls of all types of products. In the space of just two months about 2 million toys were recalled for being in violation of the lead paint standards. In addition to these toys, 5 million more were recalled for containing magnets that can come loose and cause a choking hazzard. Other products that have been recalled have included candles, all-terrain vehicles, cribs, bunk beds, space heaters, clothes, knives, scuba masks, radios, lamps, and electronic equipment.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is the agency in charge of monitoring the safety products. What has been found out is that the CPSC's job is being restrained and made harder by a combination of things including a far-reaching mandate, a shrinking staff, and the smallest budget of any federal health and safety agency.

These are the reasons Senator Inouye had given for his support of the CPSC Reform Act of 2007. He believes the act to be both comprehensive and aggressive designed to give new life to the commission as well as improve consumer safety with stronger consumer protection laws, giving the commission increases authority and increasing the commission's authorization levels. These are necessary to allow the CPSC to do its job properly.

The last time the CPSC was reauthorized was back in 1990. That means the budget and staff have not increased since 1990. In order for the CPSC to do its job, it needs more funding. In order to get more funding, it needs to be re authorized. This new bill reauthorizes the Commission for the next 7 years.