Ranking Member Cantwell to Consumer Product Safety Commission: Protect Our Families from Dangerous Products
Senator Cites Failures with the BOB Stroller, Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play during Oversight Hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Manufacturing, Trade, and Consumer Protection hosted all five commissioners of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) for an oversight hearing.
“The Consumer Product Safety Commission is a small federal agency with a huge mission: It is to be the cop on the beat when protecting consumers from potentially dangerous products,” said Senator Cantwell, the ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. “Time and time again, though, I’ve seen a pattern with this commission where it has deferred to the industry on critical product safety matters instead of being more aggressive.”
In April, Ranking Member Cantwell wrote to Acting Chairman Buerkle demanding documents about the Commission’s actions related to the BOB stroller after the Washington Post reported that Acting Chairman Buerkle may be using her position to restrict Commission staff and her fellow commissioners from doing their jobs to protect the public from dangerous products. Earlier this week, Acting Chairman Buerkle announced her intention to withdraw her nomination to lead the CPSC.
“So going forward I hope that the White House will put forth names of people to be on the commission that are going to use the authority, and put American consumers and our children first,” Ranking Member Cantwell said.
Video of Senator Cantwell’s opening statement is available HERE, and audio is available HERE.
Video of Senator Cantwell’s Q&A with the witnesses is available HERE, and audio is available HERE.
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