Legislation considered in the Senate Health, Employment, Labor and Pension Committee today would abolish more than 150 state and local food safety and notification requirements.

Today, consumer and scientific groups commended the House of Representatives’ passage of H.R. 4040, the Consumer Product Safety Modernization Act. Consumers Union, Consumer Federation of America, the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, and the Union of Concerned Scientists released the following statement: “We appreciate the hard work that has gone into crafting H.R. 4040, the Consumer Product Safety Modernization Act, and thank the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Leadership for their prompt action today. Our current product safety system is in dire need of comprehensive reform, and this bill represents the first concrete effort to help protect consumers while addressing industry concerns.

On Wednesday November 7, the Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a recall for a common children’s product called Aqua Dots, a toy craft kit that includes small beads.

CPSC will be strengthened; Consumers will be better protected from Unsafe Products

Today, consumer, public interest and scientific groups applaud President Bush for signing product safety reform legislation into law that will overhaul the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

Today, consumer, public interest and scientific groups applaud the U.S. House of Representatives for passing strong product safety reform legislation that would overhaul the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

The number of recalls of toys and children’s products is up 22% over the first half of last year, despite industry promises last year to solve the problems that made 2007 the “year of the recall,” according to an analysis of Consumer Product Safety Commission data by the nation’s leading consumer groups. The groups urged Congress to complete a “strong CPSC Reform Act” before the August recess.

Today AB 2694, the nation’s toughest ban on lead in children’s products, passed out of the Assembly Health Committee and heads to the Assembly Floor.

MASSPIRG, a statewide public interest group that has published annual toy safety surveys for over twenty years today applauded U.S. Senate passage on Thursday evening of comprehensive legislation to give the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) the money and authority it needs to protect the public from dangerous products.

Consumer, public interest, safety, and scientific groups today condemned false charges from the office of Sen. Jim DeMint, released through the Republican Steering Committee, against a Senate bill that would overhaul the ailing Consumer Product Safety Commission, and urged Senators to approve the measure – without weakening amendments - when it is slated to come up for a vote next week.

Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein and Senator Loretta Weinberg have teamed up to introduce legislation (A2332) that would stop dangerous toxins from being added to toys and child care products.

CoPIRG today commended leading Senators for coming to an agreement that should bring legislation strengthening product safety laws to the Senate floor soon. The full House has already acted.