Congress WILL hear you

Today, my fellow Commissioners and I sent a report to Congress presenting some of the issues the Commission and the small business community have faced due to the unintended consequences of the CPSIA. I voted in favor of the recommendations in the report because I agree that statutory changes are needed. I also added a lengthy statement to the report with a number of more specific recommendations, including many of your notes and ideas.

Because of you and the concerns you shared with me, I had real life examples to show them about the costs and hardships the law is placing on America’s small business community. In my statement, I added an appendix with letters you have sent me – from the requests to extend the stay of enforcement to your recommended changes for the law - as this was a great opportunity to share the insights of people who are dealing with the unintended consequences of this law every day.

Together, we have a chance to persuade Congress that the CPSIA needs some changes – and I am hopeful that they will heed our requests and put this agency back on a course of focusing first on health risk and child safety and move away from interpreting and applying an unwieldy statute that has many provisions that provide little to no benefit for consumers.

Thank you for sending me your stories and recommendations and I hope you will continue to do so!