The CPSIA was passed in August 2008 by an overwhelming majority in both the House (424-1) and the Senate (89-3). Supporters and zealots behind the law, after clucking over the perfect legislative process used to create the CPSIA, assert that the vote totals express the Will of the Nation behind this "wonderful" law. That kind of reasoning seems full of holes (such as, for example, the timing of the 2008 election cycle), but for awhile, many people fell for it.
I have attached an update on where Members of Congress stand on the CPSIA today. It's not quite so lopsided anymore. There are now 43 Senators and 96 Representatives who have either sponsored or voted for CPSIA amendment legislation. Perhaps someone is listening! This group of concerned legislators includes Democrats as well as Republicans. Let's recap - there were FOUR Members of Congress who voted against the CPSIA, and NOW there are 139 Members of Congress who have taken positive and public action to amend it. Hmmm, what was that about the Will of the Nation?
Amending the CPSIA has yet to leave the starting gate, courtesy of Senate and House Democratic leadership who for their own mysterious reasons refuse to acknowledge that this law has ANY flaws whatsoever. It's very sad that certain people have hijacked children's product safety and turned it into some sort of political plaything. We will continue to work to make it clear to the American public where the legislative breakdown is. For the moment, however, I wanted you to know that there is considerable support for changing this law. It's not just us wacky "bloggers" who want this law changed. Members of Congress do, too.
Now let's just do it!
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5 comments:
That is encouraging.
This does make one question the motivation behind delaying amending the law. The professionals at the CPSC who are responsible for enforcing the law as written must also feel that it needs amending. Why else would they keep trying to issue stays and enforcement bans, etc... if they felt the law was perfect as written? So, now we have business, many members of Congress (who voted for the law) and the agency professional staff lining up saying the law must change . . .
And, on the other side are the leadership of both Houses and the environmental lobbies hoping we lose interest and go away. Only . . . our businesses and our livelihoods are at stake so we're not going to lose interest - we have no choice. So, the delay tactic isn't going to work in this case. Perhaps the politicians on the Hill are waiting until such a firestorm is raised that it looks like they have no choice but to amend the law. That way, they have political cover with the environmentalists.
The only thing is . . . every day, week, month of delay . . . more damage is done by this law to small (and large) businesses.
And, none of this is making anyone any safer. That's the shame of all this. The outcomes of the law are absurd, wasteful and don't achieve the original aim of the law.
I know I'm going to sound like a conspiracy theorist,but look at the bigger picture of what is happening in Washington right now. If you connect the dots, you will see there IS an agenda to move us to a mostly socialist state, and with all of these laws (healthcare, cap & trade, etc), they ALL will have the same impact or worse on small business that CPSIA is having on the children's industry. If you have a socialist country, you don't want a bunch of small businesses, making their own way...because they then don't rely on the government as much. Can't have that...trust me, I fear this is only the beginning. I'm still watching to see if they fix it, but frankly I'm not counting on it.
Excellent information! A big improvement from the original 4 -- now we just have to get the Congressional leadership off their lead-laden rears!
i agree with melanie i;ve long said this was part of a bigger plan but we can still try to change it
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