Agency says, we don't need your help Posted by Don Mays at 10/26/07 09:59 AM

Today's Washington Post (requires registration) reports that the Consumer Product Safety Commission has decided to oppose legislation giving it more staff, increased authority, and greater transparency. According to the agency, these things will make us less safe.

The chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission says a Senate bill that would more than double the agency's budget and expand its authority would be too difficult for the agency to implement and "put the American people at greater risk."

"It is my and the CPSC staff's assessment that many of our existing public safety activities would have to be severely curtailed or would cease entirely in order to attempt to fulfill all of the bill's proposed statutory directives," acting chairman Nancy Nord wrote Wednesday in a letter to Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii). The Senate Commerce subcommittee on consumer affairs is expected to take up the bill next week.

The agency didn't comment in the article on the fact that the new legislation will more than double its budget and raise its staff to meet the new requirements (and better handle the old ones). And the new authority will make it easier and less time consuming to quickly respond when dangerous products are found in the market--whether found by consumers, industry, or whistleblowers.

Agency officials claim that the new law would bring the CSPC too much information about unsafe products. Higher penalties for companies and protection for whistleblowers will mean that more potentially unsafe products will be reported.

Acting Chairman Nancy Nord told the Post that a lower penalty would reduce the incentive for companies to report unsafe products, and ensure that only the worst unsafe products come before the agency. But that means that she believes that lots of potentially unsafe products should not be reported. Industry, with a reduced and manageable penalty, could afford to let some unsafe products go unreported and just pay the fine as a cost of doing business.

Do you want penalties to be set at a level that encourages companies and whistleblowers to report anything they think might be a problem, or just some things?

comments (60)

1 Posted by Celestino Rodriguez at 10/29/07 10:00 AM

Please do all that you can to protect all consumers. Please!

2 Posted by sally sommer at 10/29/07 10:11 AM

More of the same from our industry occupied regulatory agencies, harm is not harm, regulation is bad for you, accountability is non-existent, and the press and our legislators are mostly asleep.

3 Posted by Paula Stevens at 10/29/07 10:21 AM

In other words, they might actually have no more excuses to do the job they are paid to do? Adequate words fail me!

4 Posted by Michael Moran at 10/29/07 10:24 AM

Since when does the United States congress need a bureaucratic appointee to tell it if it should pass legislation that protects American citizens? If Ms. Nord cannot do the job with a larger staff and budget then perhaps we need to replace Ms. Nord for the safety of our citizenry.

5 Posted by Mark Velazquez at 10/29/07 10:39 AM

I agree that Credit Card Companies should stop doing these charges.

6 Posted by Kathleen Burt at 10/29/07 10:40 AM

We need more than a slap on the wrist for corporations; a real incentive for them to fix the problems before products go to market. We need reward incentives for whistleblowers. $50,000 for small problems and $100,000 for big ones. The bonuses would give them plenty to time to look for their next jobs as consultants for non-profit groups, etc.

7 Posted by Robert Blundin at 10/29/07 10:42 AM

It is a fundemental fact of human nature that in all human activities, some of us will do the right thing... and some just won't. Commerce is a human activity. Some companies will do the right thing. Some won't. It's because of those who won't... those who would subject the public to risk in order to protect the bottom line... that I place my trust in effective oversight and regulation. Legislation with teeth will help gaurantee the public safety.

8 Posted by C. Wright at 10/29/07 10:43 AM

Maybe the Chairman of the CPSC should be 'FIRED' and someone hired that will do the job as all american citizens expect this agency to do their jobs! I wonder what kind of salary the chairman makes????????

9 Posted by Elaine Donovan at 10/29/07 10:45 AM

Opposing legislation giving the Consumer Product Safety Commission more staff by the Consumer Product Safety Commission is another attempt to defund agencies leading to failure in protecting citizens hence opening the way and justification for privatization. I think this Administrations ultimate goal is to dismantle government.

10 Posted by Thomas M. Kelley at 10/29/07 11:06 AM

This is further proof of the nastiness of the current regime.

11 Posted by carolyn at 10/29/07 11:12 AM

Most of us understand the headaches involved in retooling a system in order for it to serve changing conditions, but the CPSC exists to protect American consumers. The system is broken, and the new senate bill would provide measures and funding to fix it.

Inertia is not an acceptable response, even when cloaked with an absurd rationale such as the one set forth by Nancy Nord.

12 Posted by Jeff Lowry at 10/29/07 11:13 AM

It would seem to me that we may need more, not less intervention into consumer protection against corporations that shirk the law to produce more and more products that leave long term disabilities and even death against the unknowing consumers. As consumers we put our trust in the companies that promise to do the right thing, but unless we impliment large fines, and jail for those compainies that have no regard for the future safety and protection of every consumer, then we should create legislation that will impower all citizens to stop this act of corporate greed.

13 Posted by Robert Wagner at 10/29/07 11:15 AM

CPSC Chair Nancy Nord must be fired for incompetence - immediately! She's obviously acting as someone's puppet, or she actually doesn't WANT to do her job, which is protecting America's consumers from dangerous products.

Whoever heard of someone REFUSING the added resources that would help their agency do a MUCH better job of fulfilling their mission?

Something smells fishy here - and we'd better find out what it is.

14 Posted by Laura at 10/29/07 11:15 AM

Unbelieveable. Could it be any more clear that the fox is guarding the hen house?

15 Posted by Lowell Johnson at 10/29/07 11:51 AM

With all of the business leaders that have gone to jail in recent years, it seems that the need to protect whistleblowers and help protect consumers is obvious. Perhaps someone who is philosophically in tune to the mission of the CPSC is needed to head the commission rather than someone who is looking for the easy way out.

16 Posted by Michael at 10/29/07 11:58 AM

Sounds like those in charge in the CPSC need to step aside, in favor of people who are willing to lead and work for the protection of the consumer.

Even allowing for the fact that the White House is no doubt applying pressure here, there is no excuse for this. If Ms. Nord is unable or unwilling to step forward and discharge the responsibilities of her office, she needs to step aside in favor of somebody that will.

17 Posted by John Martin at 10/29/07 12:04 PM

It seems quite obvious to me from her remarks, that Ms. Nord is enjoying payoffs from the industries she is appointed to oversee. Very much like the pharmaceutical industry paying the FDA for testing (approving) their drugs while withholding the results of their clinical trials. How are our citizens being served by this??

18 Posted by William Smith at 10/29/07 12:05 PM

Whistle blowers should be paid large incentive rewards because they will most likely be unable to find new employment. The reward should be paid by the offending company's officers and board members, not tax payers. Ms. Nord's statements indicate stong lobbying by industry. Safety has a cost, but it should not mean ignoring safety for profit. Imports must meet the same standards as domestic products

19 Posted by Timothy Brennan at 10/29/07 12:18 PM

The CPSC is broken and being further harmed by Ms Nord and others. The are failing to perform the fullest protection that their mission requires.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission must step-up to the "moral high ground" in the best interest of the people, for the betterment of business fairness, and and just penetalies that hurt or stimulate safe quality products.

20 Posted by B. Davis at 10/29/07 12:29 PM

I am surprised that Ms. Nord is refusing the extra money and staff. Sounds like something else is going on behind the scenes, which needs to be investigated. It is the CPSC's job to protect our nation's citizenry from dangerous substances in our products, including in our imported products. I have noticed that many of our own companies are trying to save money by importing items--having them made in Asian or Middle Eastern countries, for example--since it costs less to make the products that way. However, as we noticed in a recent news report about some children's items that one of our countries was contracting China to make, there was lead and possible other dangerous substances in those items. Can't our companies and our legislature inspect these items first, before they reach our consumers?

21 Posted by David Kelder at 10/29/07 12:48 PM

CPSC Chair Nancy Nord at a minimum is guilty of fuzzy thinking. More staff and stronger laws/rules would mean more reports of dangerous products. That is a GOOD thing Nancy , not a bad thing. BUT the best response is for consumers to boycott the source of the dangerous products until they improve. For example, consumers can boycott all food from China until the entire mess is cleaned up. Don't just boycott what has been identified as dangeroue.

22 Posted by Don Burlage at 10/29/07 12:59 PM

Yes, yes, yes and finally YES

23 Posted by Jane Frisch at 10/29/07 01:25 PM

I agree tht Mrs. Nord is not interested in doing the job that we expect her to do in protecting the American public from unscrupulous manufacturers who don't care what they produce. This regime is more interested in big business than our welfare

24 Posted by Wendell Williams at 10/29/07 01:43 PM

If chairman Nord of the CPSC does not believe that
enhancing the CPSC's ability to protect the consumers of our country, perhaps it is time for
a change at the chairmans level.

25 Posted by Susan Kelley Cohen at 10/29/07 02:39 PM

CPSC officials who reported "new law would bring the CSPC too much information about unsafe products" should be relieved of their employment. Caring of the safety of the citizenry should be paramount.

26 Posted by Lottie Duthu at 10/29/07 03:43 PM

I believe we should have consumer protection against corporations that shirk the law to produce more and more products that leave long term disabilities and even death against the unknowing consumers. CHINA for one needs to be reigned in. Why are we catering to them and even apologizing to them for putting us at risk. Am I a citizen of America or a third world country???? Until all who sell their goods can prove they are no longer a danger, we should not buy their products, especially food coming from China or any country that uses banned pesticides. Are not chemical companies selling those banned pesticides to the same countries that are sending their produce back to us and we are consuming it. We should also know if the products we eat in restaurants is coming from China or any nation that does not have strict laws governing how their food is produced and packaged.

27 Posted by William A Pansire at 10/29/07 04:28 PM

Acting Chairman Nancy Nord clearly defines the incompetency we have protecting us from dangerous products. How do these people end up in these positions. I thought the agency was there to identify problems and get corrective action, not just pick the "BIG ONES". This legislation must be passed NOW!

28 Posted by Dirk Faegre at 10/29/07 07:31 PM

I'm not quite so quick to diss Ms. Nord. If recent history is any lesson, Ms. Nord has been ordered by White House staff to take this stand. She may not like it and not want it. Personally if that's the case I'd encourage her to resign under protest -- that which was done by US Attorneys, EPA staff and many others in government positions that refuse to 'carry lies' for the administration. In any case, the CPSC should be forced to do their job -- one way or another. It's the Governments #1 job to provide security for the public. Here's a golden opportunity for them to do so. Get on it.

29 Posted by Julie Hesson at 10/29/07 07:35 PM

"too much information about unsafe products."
Where the health and safety of we Americans is concerned, THERE IS NO SUCH THING!!!

30 Posted by Renee Ireton at 10/29/07 07:39 PM

I wonder how Nancy Nord got hired and how come she is still holding this important position protecting Americans health and well being in a not so safe environment? Her attidute is unbelievable and she should be fired immediately without any benefits and pension. Who in the world would ever hire or keep a person with these views?

31 Posted by Ron Marceau at 10/29/07 07:46 PM

How stupid she must think the public is! I'd like to know who's paying her off. What a travesty she represents.

32 Posted by Carol Skinner at 10/29/07 10:01 PM

We have had more than enough examples of incompetence in government agencies in the past few years, and not nearly enough signs of improvement, or attempted improvement. FEMA appears to be not nearly so disastrous here in Southern California as it had been in New Orleans, but still unclear on the concepts. Ms Nord is one more example, along with the mercenary military companies and those well-connected businesses, of our government acting to increase profits for the favored few at the expense of the citizens

33 Posted by Ellen Chmiel at 10/29/07 10:20 PM

Bush et al are executing government by big business, for big business and of big business.
Yes, whistleblowers should be rewarded, esp. by funds from corporations which do dark deeds for the sake of their profits. Only we, the 'little people" can protect ourselves by banding together & publicizing what "our" gov. and business are doing, not to help the public, but solely to increase their profits not our safety. Medical insurance for kids is called "socialized medicine"--reminds me of trashing of Hillary's insurance plan in ads by Harold & Louise:"We won't be able to choose our own doctors?" Roads, airports, air traffic controllers, FDA + industrial safety are socialized already, except where Bush et al have made inspectors a smaller force to relax the rules. Fie on them! Keep the Internet as is and don't allow consolidation of media outlets.

34 Posted by Bob Koper at 10/29/07 10:51 PM

Acting Chairman Nord should do the country a great favor by resigning... then she can stop acting! We all know this is a political appointment, but maybe... just maybe... our Congress can take a hand in the CPSC game!

35 Posted by A V Whalen at 10/29/07 11:11 PM

It appears that Ms. Nord is a White House puppet. It's obviously time to clean house at the CPSC!

36 Posted by Tim Yelton at 10/29/07 11:36 PM

We pay the CPSC to do a job,They should do it right the first time.

37 Posted by Ralph Cooley at 10/30/07 03:29 PM

It's very obvious that Ms. Nerd either doesn't want to the job ( pay-offs are more lucrative!) or is completely incompetent. Either way she should be investigated by Congress, exposed, shamed, and then fired for what she is attempting to do. She demonstrats a complete lack of enough intelligence to even begin to fool the public. This works in our favor! We need to start a write - in to our Representatives to have her investigated and removed before she blunders her way to do anybody harm!

38 Posted by Ruth Mendes at 10/30/07 06:19 PM

Through the looking glass... curiouser and curiouser...clearly it is not this government's policy to solve problems, just to hide them. Wwhen Harry Truman said, "The buck stops here,." he acknowledged that responsibility for this dangerous and idiotic thinking sits with the Oval Office.

39 Posted by Alucard Namflow at 11/01/07 05:55 PM

I think that it's about time that people with lead induced health problems stand up (although I only have 1 leg) & be counted. All of the latest uproar about lead in products just makes our shame all the greater. Folks walk by on the street looking at my missing leg, I can literally see them looking at me & thinking & whispering & saying, "There goes another retarded paint eater". It was much simpler when society wasn't talking about lead all of the time. I've actually had people snicker & laugh & tell me to, "get the lead out" when I walk slowly because of my missing leg. I'm not ashamed of being a "lead eater", actually I'm real proud.

40 Posted by Harold Piggott at 11/01/07 05:59 PM

The Consumer Product Safety Commission should accept more money that Congress wants to provide it, so Consumers can have better protection in the U.S.!

41 Posted by Bobertt Weld at 11/01/07 06:03 PM

I think it's time Ms Nord stepped down as acting chairman and the president be forced to appoint a new chairman to fill the vacant position he has chosen to ignore along with many others.

42 Posted by Stan at 11/01/07 06:35 PM

You're doing a heck of a job, Nancy.

43 Posted by Amiguito at 11/01/07 07:22 PM

Before you take a position, please read the bill that is being proposed. It is not as simple as you might think. The additional money is tied to specific tasks, many that will not make the consumer safer, funded at levels that will not support the work. I encourage you to get the facts and make your own decision as many, including CU, are taking advantage of the situation to promote their own interest. No doubt that CPSC needs funding, but the strings that are attached do not get the public or CPSC where they need to be.

44 Posted by Gerald Altman at 11/01/07 11:50 PM

I'm with the majority, above. But just like with other ridiculous things coming out of the current regime (as someone else so aptly called it), I'm afraid that we will just have to keep swallowing what King George chooses to dish out, such as incompetents like Ms Nord. Just hope that the USA holds together until 1-20-09.

45 Posted by Harold at 11/02/07 07:44 AM

I have a feeling there much more to this story than we are being given.
Think about what the Goverment is offering her. More money and more staff. What agency wouldn't be happy with more money and staff to do their job.
But I'm sure there are MANY strings attached.
I can understand her point about getting to much information about bad products.
Think about it. As an example. Have you done any research on anything using the web to search. Using more than one particular search engine. You get so much information and conflicting views that most times it makes your job harder not easier.

She is worried that every little supposed defect in a product would be laid on her staff to check out. We as consumers should have some responsibility to look after OURSELVES. Her job is to look for defects that would be life threatening due to improper manufacturing or design. Not because we consumers are to dumb not to put an electrical device in the bath tub with us while we are taking a bath. I beleive most manufacturers design and build products that are safe to use as intended. But sometimes things are not always completely thought out before they are put into the public arena. Its the job of the CPSC to find these defects not to babysit every consumer.

46 Posted by Mary Frances Wolski at 11/02/07 08:11 AM

Pass the legislation; fire Ms. Nord. She was not hired to protect big business!

47 Posted by Anthony Sparacio at 11/02/07 08:18 AM

Hey Harry .. when ya said "The buck stops here." did ya ever think one of your successor's would would take it $o literally? These guys ...Hi Nancy :)~... are making $ure that the "buck" $tops here.. and here.. and here... Too bad that it's the American people who are getting "short changed". Wo are these people (really) working for? .. it sure ain't us.

48 Posted by Maureen Johns-Davila at 11/02/07 08:22 AM

I think Ms. Nord is not aware of what the American Consumer wants done about unsafe products including food stuff on the shelves of companies where we shop. Asking certain industry companies to just pay a fine or fee on any unsafe products is just plain crazy we would never have recalls or safety alerts issued on some unsafe products; thus how would the average consumer be aware of these unsafe products. It's time that a new CPSC was appointed no more Bush puppets making decisions regarding the public's health & safety. There is no such thing as "too much information" on product safety.

49 Posted by jim jasen at 11/02/07 09:44 AM

I think that there is a mixed message in the Washington Post article and what has been reported. Expanding the CPSC perview would require restaffing and retraining - often a difficult proposition in any organization.

The underlying point may be that additional budget and staffing should be directed to beefing up the CPSC's enforcement of its current mandate!

50 Posted by Renae at 11/02/07 09:45 AM

Um, isn't it policy to remove people from office who have a conflict of interest?

Or did Georgie and our inept congress do away with that, too?

51 Posted by Vic at 11/02/07 10:13 AM

Yet another absurdity in this administration's bastardization of agencies that are supposed to be for the public interest (like a cable company honcho "regulating" cable laws, a logging industry honcho in charge of forestry issues, etc.).

52 Posted by matt at 11/02/07 10:31 AM

i am all for safty
but
i'm more interested in
less government
more freedom

53 Posted by karl smith at 11/02/07 12:44 PM

goverment do it's job and not 4 big busness like it's been last 7 yrears

54 Posted by Val Lester at 11/02/07 12:50 PM

Unbelieveable. I guess there is acceptable losses in the childrens toy sales game. I don't find any childrens death or injuries acceptable. She should be fired, and no unsafe products should be allowed on the shelves. Businesses that sell unsafe products should be held liable to pay for lead screening tests for all children who have recieved their tainted products. I have already told my family and friends that we are only accepting products made in the USA for the Holiday! I hope it catches on for our kids sake.

55 Posted by Jim & Ruth Allen at 11/02/07 08:13 PM

Go get 'um.

56 Posted by JAMES PARSLEY at 11/03/07 11:22 AM

THE ENTIRE COUNTRY IS BECOMING SO SUPERSENSITIVE
THAT WE WILL SOON NEED A GUARDIAN FOR EACH OF US.
IN TIMES PAST, MOST TOOK SOME RESPONSIBILITY AND TRIED TO PROTECT EACH OTHER. WE ARE NOW ALWAYS LOOKING FOR SOMEONE OR SOMETHING TO BLAME FOR OUR INABILITY TO LOOK AFTER OURSELVES.
HOW FAR WE HAVE FALLEN IN SO SHORT A TIME ! ! 65

57 Posted by JAMES PARSLEY at 11/03/07 11:28 AM

IN MY TENDER YEARS I STUFFED BEANS AND PEAS UP MY NOSE, GOT STUNG BY VARIOUS INSECTS, SWALLOWED SMALL OBJECTS INCLUDING PENNIES AND ATE ALL MANNER OF FORBIDDEN FRUIT AS WELL AS CRAYONS.
I HAVE MADE IT TO 82 YEARS OF AGE.
PLEASE MORE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY
AND LESS BXXXXXXX

58 Posted by Jerry Mulnick at 11/03/07 06:11 PM

Ms Nord in the pocket of industry and should not only be fired, but investigated for taking favors, i.e., travel, from certain firms.

59 Posted by Sal Blair at 11/15/07 10:39 AM

Make the retailers and wholesalers responsible for the safety of the toys, with penalties in the millions when they are unsafe.

60 Posted by Ralph Flesher at 11/17/07 07:48 AM

You gotta be kidding!! Too much information? I agree-with convoluted reasoning like this Nancy Nord has proven that she is not fit to head this dept.Get rid of her!