logo

U.S. PIRG Consumer Blog

« Verizon "lowers" cell plan penalty fees | Main | John Kerry Blogs For Net Neutrality »

June 29, 2006

Stratton Leaves CPSC

One of the nation's chief safety regulators, Consumer Product Safety Commission Chairman Hal Stratton has announced his resignation (Washington Post). He's had a largely indifferent to anti-consumer tenure at the commission. MORE.

Although CPSC did impose a few big fines while he was there, and he did open negotiations with the Chinese to improve safety of their product pipeline into the U.S., he'll be best remembered for pushing through a mattress flammability rule that asserts broad preemption of state law legal remedies. If upheld by the courts, that rule will prevent consumers from obtaining fair compensation for horrific burn injuries. In addition, our previous blog explains that without the threat of paying compensation, companies will have little incentive to improve products, even with the new rules. And recently, for no legitimate reason at all, the commission has proposed a twisted new loophole-ridden interpetation of its strong and clear rule requiring companies to notify the CPSC of defective products. The result will be that the safety agency will not learn of problems. These two actions undercut consumer protection and will not look good to historians of safety.

Posted by Ed Mierzwinski at June 29, 2006 05:39 PM


Comments

Post a comment




Remember Me?



218 D. Street, SE Washington, DC 20003
Phone (202) 546-9707

E-mail: