January 31st, 2009 | 
Author: January 30, 2009 – The Consumers Union along with 5 other groups sent a letter to President Obama urging him to appoint new leadership in the CPSC that will help address concerns about who exactly is affected by the CPSIA as well as other concerns about which products are included.
"Unfortunately, the current CPSC leadership, which is responsible for implementing this critical new law, has delayed taking the necessary steps to ensure its successful implementation. As a result, the agency has not properly addressed concerns being raised by small businesses, home crafters, thrift stores, book publishers, and libraries among others. These concerns involve, for example, establishing common-sense exclusions from lead testing for textiles and paper-based books that are proven to be lead-free, component part testing where appropriate for lead and phthalates, and clear guidance for thrift stores. This did not have to be the case. The CPSIA already includes mechanisms for solving these legitimate concerns raised by these groups in a manner that protects the public health.
As a result, this has created a climate of confusion and is contributing to broader efforts to undermine consumer safety in this nation. Effective leadership at the CPSC is urgently needed to help implement the law as intended, to provide common sense interpretations of the law, and to clarify pervasive misstatements and confusion about this consumer protective law."
The CPSIA – the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, a law passed August 2008 and is suppose to be enforced February 10, 2009 has been under attack with the way the law is written since the bill was passed last year. The CPSC, although has been given the authority as written in the law to address concerns and provide exemptions to the rule as needed, is saying they don’t have that authority.
Clearly everyone is fed up with the CPSC skirting their allowed responsibilities and dancing around the issues.
