Durbin Presses CPSC on Reforms

Press Release

Durbin Presses CPSC on Reforms

United States Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today chaired a hearing on the steps the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has taken to improve product safety after a series of high-profile product recalls last year. The hearing also focused on the agency's 2009 budget and Bush Administration's misinformed approach to consumer protection.

"American consumers are on a heightened state of alert for dangerous products after a year of near constant recalls," Durbin said. "With a huge budget increase, greater authorities and pending legislation which will dramatically reshape the agency, the CPSC needs to add personnel and upgrade its enforcement to protect American families."

Testifying at today's hearing were Acting CPSC Chairman Nancy Nord and CPSC Commissioner Thomas Moore.

After receiving their largest budget increase ever last year, the CPSC is not planning to hire enough critically-needed field staff, compliance officers and inspectors. In fact, CPSC full-time staffing levels have dropped from last year's already critically low levels, to its lowest level in history. The inability of the agency to maintain staff levels is concerning in light of the magnitude of the products they are tasked with overseeing.

"The CPSC has gone from a high of 978 full-time employees in 1980 to a low of 380 employees in January of this year. That is not encouraging," Durbin said.

Durbin also expressed concern about the Administration's commitment to consumer safety. The President's 2009 budget request for CPSC keeps flat the agency's budget for fourth year in a row. Even with the 28% budget increase Congress provided last year, this year's budget proposal would just maintain the current staff levels, not continue to hire additional staff. Durbin called the move "short-sighted" and doesn't take into account the new mandates that the House and Senate versions of the CPSC Reauthorization envision.

"This Administration, which has promised to ease what it views as costly rules that place unnecessary burdens on businesses, has often sided with industry to the detriment of consumers," Durbin said. "CPSC Commission Moore put it best, your commission is not a business protection agency, it's a consumer protection agency."

Earlier this year, the Senate approved the CPSC Reform Act, which dramatically increases funding and authorities for the watchdog agency. The bill increases fines and criminal penalties for companies who willingly violate product safety laws; requires that all children's products be tested by an independent third party lab; grants whistleblower protections and allows Attorneys General great ability to enforce product safety laws. The House passed a similar bill last year and Senate and House negotiations are expected to begin in the coming days.

Durbin, Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, has been a leader in attempting to strengthen the beleaguered consumer watchdog agency. This is the third hearing his committee has held on the issue of product safety and the CPSC.

Last fall, following months of recalls of Chinese manufactured toys, he convened an oversight hearing focused on toy safety. The hearing included testimony from CPSC; the CEO's of the nation's largest toy manufacturer and retailer -- Mattel and Toys "R" Us; and representatives of the Toy Industry Association, Consumers Union and American National Standards Institute.

Source