CPSC letters, politics, and news affecting the agency

[Kathleen F.]

Let's try to aggregate discussion of CPSC's problems here. This is not a thread to post *your* letters to the CPSC. No offense intended but I'm thinking of correspondence between entities on the same playing field. You know, and we're just in the stands watching. Also, totally inappropriate to go OT and rant on CPSC. If you feel that way, you've got some catching up to do.

I'm expecting we'll need this this thread because after Friday's announcement, I think the special interest groups are going to become more active and here's one place to do it.

Anyway, remember [url=//fashion-incubator.com/archive/cpsia-rant-blame-special-interest-groups/]the Waxman letter sent to Nord[/url]? Well [url=//fashion-incubator.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Nord_to_Waxman.pdf]she wrote one back[/url], dated the 30th. My, they were busy on Friday. It basically says, "you can't blame us for this when this is congress' fault" etc. It's not defensive but does put the ball back in Waxman's court after his attempt in trying to avoid the blame for this problem and blaming it all on the CPSC.

[Pamela]

What a fantastic letter Nancy Nord wrote, she really does understand what is going on. Are these letters like this actually public record? Must be but it sure makes the government more responsible for their actions when everyone can see the paper trail.

Pam

[Lisa DOWNTOWN JOEY]

I really liked Nancy Nord's letter. I feel bad for her having to deal with all this crap. I wouldn't wish her job on my worst enemy.

Her letter eloquently defends her position and helps spell things out for me.

[Sarah R]

I hate to post a link to a blog and not the actual letter, but I'm sure you're aware of the letter from Waxman, Rush, and a few others asking Obama to can Nord.

http://ceska.typepad.com/little_ida/2009/02/rush-waxman-rockefeller-pryor-ask-obama-to-remove-nord-from-cpsc.html

I really don't know how to find the original .gov posting of this letter.

(also, and delete if this is too off topic, I chuckle when I read the USPIRG et al letter, and see they define "small" as fewer than 50,000 units, because I see that as SO MUCH bigger than most "small" manufacturers I know.)

[Kathleen F.]

[url=//fashion-incubator.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/waxman_to_nord_moore_020409.pdf]Yet another letter[/url]. This one is from Waxman et al in response to Moore (2/3/09) and Nord's response ([url=//fashion-incubator.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Nord_to_Waxman.pdf]1/30/09[/url]) to the letter et al [url=//fashion-incubator.com/archive/cpsia-rant-blame-special-interest-groups/]had sent[/url] mid January. The legislators are requesting "immediate action" and describe the stay as "unfortunate".

If you haven't seen Moore's letter, it is quite critical of Nord's leadership. Previously, these legislators sent a letter to Obama requesting Nord's removal. That's in [url=//fashion-incubator.com/archive/six-days-until-national-bankruptcy-day/]yesterday's blog post[/url].

[Pamela]

I find this all very interesting yet I myself really can't quite determine who is right in this situation. If Nancy Nord is right her hands are tied due to the way the law is written. Yet if you read all of the Waxman/Rush letters you get the idea she has much more power and authority over this law than she thinks.

Is anyone here knowledgeable in this area to give an idea of who is really in the wrong or right?

Pam

[DeputyHeadmistress]

I don't think anybody can know for certain if Nord's hat is entirely white and Moore's black, but I do find it interesting that Moore is a Clinton appointee, and so more likely to keep his job. His letter struck me as working toward that end.

I also found this part, on page 3, as carefully as he tried not to say so, actually did support exactly what Nord has said and Congress pretends not to know:
"We have not gotten the kind of information we need about all the components of children’s books to be able to issue them a blanket exemption. The industry has made assertions and done very limited testing, but the Act requires more, as it should, before we can exempt a children’s product from the lead content requirements of the law. We cannot act on the “everyone knows children’s books don’t contain lead” and “historically there has never been a problem with lead in children’s books” assertions, particularly when we now know that children’s books have indeed contained lead in the past. Our staff has asked the book industry to provide us with additional information. They need to provide all of the information that our staff believes is necessary in order for the Commission to act based on sound science and comprehensive market coverage."

I disagree with the 'as it should' part. The sound science should have been the basis for including a product in the first place.

[Bente]

In a way it's good that there are only a few days left of this war.
At least we will know if it will be given one year or not, before Feb. 10.
I already got a e-mail from one of my supplier telling me that the SPCIA has been pospned one year. Looks like they know it all..
Guess they got the news from LATimes: http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-fi-consumer-lead31-2009jan31,0,7179159.story

What is the press doing here? It seams like nobody around me know about it unless I told them!!!

[Kathleen F.]

More bad news. Recall the [url=//fashion-incubator.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=24483#24483]NAM petition requesting an emergency stay[/url] of six months? It was voted down today. Two to zero.

[Sarah R]

[Kathleen F.]

[Bente]

Anybody read the news from CPSC today?
This looks quite good to me. Any comments?
I posted the news as a comment on wednesdays "Six days until National Bankruptcy Day" if you don't want to go tired on the CPSC web site.

[Kathleen F.]

Cross posted from [url=//fashion-incubator.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=25294#25294]here[/url]:

[Kathleen F.]

Starting another entry to trigger notification emails: My entry on what this means is up now. Please discuss it [url=//fashion-incubator.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=25299#25299]here[/url] (not in this thread please) or in comments on the blog. Here's a round up of suggested activities.