Today the CPSC has taken a big step towards improving our rules implementing Section 6(b) of the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA). This is long overdue as our current rules, which are more restrictive than the statute requires, were adopted almost forty years ago, and have remained essentially unchanged since that time. Section 6(b) often prevents the CPSC from issuing timely warnings about dangerous consumer products when the Commission must negotiate with the manufacturer to make any relevant information public. When the CPSC is delayed in releasing information on product-related deaths and injuries, additional deaths or serious injuries can occur.
CPSC is the only federal safety agency with this statutory restriction. As long as 6(b) remains in law, the CPSC cannot adequately inform the public of unreasonable risk of injury associated with products that are often already in consumers’ homes. That is why moving forward with the Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking today is so critical – the CPSC can and should provide as much detailed safety information as possible under our statute so that consumers can make informed decisions for themselves and their families.
Through this proceeding, I hope to align our rules with the statutory limitations of the CPSA and enable the agency to better function in the world we are living in today – where information can be shared at the click of a button. By taking responsible steps to prioritize the safety interests of the American people over protecting corporations in our section 6(b) rules, the Commission can
better satisfy its mandate and protect the public against unreasonable risk of death or injury caused by dangerous products. I look forward to receiving public comment on the proposal and will continue to work with my colleagues to move forward on this important issue.