Hearing of the House Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee - Oversight of the Consumer Product Safety Commission

Hearing

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for holding this important hearing about the
Consumer Product Safety Commission. The Commission and its mission of
protecting consumers from unsafe products is very near and dear to my heart.
I began my work as a consumer advocate as a young mother working to get
freshness dates on food packaging. I know how important it is that consumers
have access to health and safety information about the products they purchase and
use, and that they are protected against harmful products.

In 2008, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act was signed into law
by President Bush. The bill was the product of broad bipartisan negotiation, and it
marked the most significant reform of the Consumer Product Safety Commission
and its responsibilities in decades. The bill passed this Committee 51-0 and the
House by a vote of 424-1. It was slightly amended again on a bipartisan basis in
2011.

The legislation gave CPSC additional authority and resources so it could
become the consumer watchdog that Americans deserve.

I am proud to have authored several provisions to the bill, including a
provision requiring mandatory standards and testing for infant and toddler products
such as cribs and high chairs. I also successfully added to the reform bill a
requirement for postage-paid recall registration cards to be attached to products so
that customers can be quickly notified if products are dangerous.

The CPSC has been incredibly successful in its efforts to improve consumer
protections over the past few years. There was a 34% reduction in children's
product recalls from 2013 to 2014. The 75 children's product recalls in 2014 was
the lowest number in more than a decade. We have seen enhanced proactive
outreach to provide consumers with information about the dangers and best
practices associated with everything from window blinds to electric generators to
lawnmowers. And we've seen rulemakings to reduce the likelihood of preventable
tragedies.

I applaud the Commission on its important work. While I am disappointed
that we moved forward with this hearing on a day that Commissioner Robinson
was unable to appear, I look forward to hearing the perspectives of the other
Commissioners about the CPSC's work and its next steps.

The second panel today will provide analysis of H.R. 999, the RIDE Act.
I am strongly opposed to the bill, which would suspend the CPSC's statutory
authority to complete a rulemaking affecting recreational off-highway vehicles -- or
ROVs -- until after a study is completed at the National Academy of Sciences.
It is not clear to me why such a study is needed. After all, the CPSC has gone
through its regular rulemaking process on this issue, taking into account the input
of technical experts, the private sector, and the public. I'm also not sure why the
National Academy of Sciences would analyze the feasibility of -- among other
things -- providing consumers with safety information at the point of sale. While
the NAS has a highly skilled staff, market and consumer analysis is not its strong
suit.

It also makes no sense that NAS would be required to consider the impact of
a rulemaking on ROVs used in the military. The CPSC is responsible for
consumer products -- not military vehicles. The proposed rule is irrelevant to
military ROVs.

I believe this legislation is a delay tactic -- pure and simple. It would delay
the implementation of the CPSC's commonsense, consumer-focused rule to reduce
ROV rollovers, enhance safety, and increase consumer information.

It's not as if this rulemaking is moving too fast. The risk of ROV deaths is
not a new one, and the public comment period for the ROV rulemaking is currently
open. There is nothing preventing the supporters of this legislation from making
their concerns and suggestions known. That's the way the process is supposed to
work. What we cannot do is usher in a long delay for the sake of delay.

With 335 ROV-related deaths and 506 injuries from 2003-2013, I think it is
time to act to enhance ROV safeguards -- not tie the hands of the CPSC.

Again, I look forward to hearing from our witnesses about the CPSC and
HR. 999. I yield back.

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