HOLT CALLS FOR GREATER CONSUMER TOY, PRODUCT SAFETY EFFORTS, URGES COMMISSION CHAIR TO RESIGN

(Washington, DC) – Rep. Rush Holt (NJ-12) today urged the Bush Administration to work with Congress to improve toy and product safety protections and support the Safe Consumer Product Safety Act (H.R. 3691), of which he is a cosponsor. Holt also called for the resignation of Consumer Product Safety Commission Acting Chairwoman Nancy Nord, who opposes the legislation and its strengthening of the Commission’s funding and authority.

“With the start of the holiday shopping season, we need to do all we can to provide greater protections for American families and children as they purchase millions of toys and other products. A key part of that effort is having a strong Consumer Product Safety Commission committed to working with Congress to enact and enforce toy and child product safety reforms. Unfortunately, Chairwoman Nord is exactly the wrong person for this job.

She should resign immediately and the President should appoint a Chairperson who will support our efforts to provide the Consumer Product Safety Commission with more funding and authority to keep our consumers safe. I am a cosponsor and strong supporter of the Safe Consumer Product Safety Act, which would ban lead from children’s toys, require testing of children’s products by independent, third-parties, and would provide the Commission with new resources. This bill addresses a number of safety protection shortcomings that resulted in 20 million imported toys being recalled this summer, including some which contained nearly 200 times the legal limit for lead.

In the coming weeks, I will continue to raise awareness of consumer product safety in my district and ensure that consumers in New Jersey have all the necessary information to make safe toys selections. All of us would be better off if we had a Chairperson who stands by us on this issue.”

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