Children’s Product Manufacturers Fight for CPSC Changes

Children’s product manufacturers are making a last-minute effort to convince Congress to revise new safety regulations scheduled to go into effect this year, according to The New York Times. One of the primary targets is a new public database operated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), which would allow the public to search for injury reports on children’s products, such as cribs and strollers. The database is scheduled to go online in two weeks. Rep. Mike Pompeo of Kansas passed an amendment to an appropriations bill to strip financing for the consumer products database, arguing that the idea needed to be tweaked to protect manufacturers from bogus complaints and lawsuits, according to the Times article.

Manufacturers are also trying to scale back regulations drafted by the CPSC that would require third-party testing to determine the safety and lead content of children’s products, citing concerns about the bill’s confusing language and the prohibitive costs of third-party testing. The Toy Industry Association and the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association are also fighting to revise the legislation. It is unlikely, however, that any changes made in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives will be approved by the Democratic-controlled Senate, the article notes.