ALERT…

I am pleased to report that it may not be just the hundreds of small businesses who have contacted me and this agency that realize the devastation caused by the CPSIA− it's also Congress. This week, the House of Representatives posted the fiscal year 2010 "omnibus" appropriations bill which will fund various government agencies, including the CPSC.

Accompanying that bill is report language (pages 33-34) requesting that the CPSC report to Congress by January 15, 2010 with specifics on what can be done to improve the statute...that is, before the stay is due to be lifted on February 10th. I intend to be responsive to this request.

So far, a majority of the Commission has declined to approach Congress formally to ask for meaningful changes to the law. But Congress is open to and, in fact, now requesting that the CPSC draw on its experience with the implementation of CPSIA to recommend changes in the law that will make it more reasonable without compromising child safety. Knowing the cost to both large and small businesses in dollars, lost jobs and reduced productivity, Congress is asking for recommendations to eliminate these unintended consequences. Woe to us if we waste this opportunity by making feeble suggestions that would help only one or two industries but leave the small business backbone of our economy with no relief. As I say in the title of my blog: Safety AND Common Sense…you can (and SHOULD) actually have both.

The House voted last night (12/10) to approve this bill and it may be considered in the Senate as early as tomorrow (12/12).