[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 92 (Wednesday, June 7, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1170]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


    25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MAJOR APPLIANCE CONSUMER ACTION PROGRAM

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                             HON. DAVE CAMP

                              of michigan

                            HON. BART GORDON

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 7, 1995
  Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, this year marks the 25th anniversary of the 
creation of the Major Appliance Consumer Action Program [MACAP]. I rise 
today, with my colleague, Representative Bart Gordon, to offer 
appreciation to those who have voluntarily served on the panel to 
promote communication between consumers and industry for the past 25 
years.
  On January 8, 1969, President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed a task 
force to investigate guarantees and servicing problems for major home 
appliances. He recognized the need for a greater, coordinated effort to 
serve the interest of consumers. President Nixon reactivated the task 
force on October 30, 1969, and called for a report of progress made by 
the appliance industry in implementing report recommendations. It was 
in early February 1970 that this industry launched a bold, new 
initiative called MACAP.
  MACAP serves three primary purposes: First, to provide consumers with 
unbiased mediation of their unresolved major appliance complaints, 
second, to counsel the industry on ways to improve its customer 
relations practices, and third, to prevent consumer appliance problems 
through public education of proper appliance purchase.
  The MACAP panel consists of professionals, independent of the 
appliance industry, representing various disciplines including family 
law and economics, technical knowledge of appliance operation and 
design, and the relationship of water/temperature/materials in laundry 
and dishwashing and consumer advocacy. Remarkably, the average time 
needed to bring a complaint to closure is about 60 days. The panel 
meets 10 to 12 times a year through face-to-face meetings and 
conference calls and reviews about 25 individual consumer complaints at 
each meeting. The panel's review of consumer complaints identifies 
trends and patterns that call for specific educational messages to the 
public.
  Since MACAP's inception 25 years ago, the program has processed over 
45,000 complaints with 80 percent reaching a resolution that was 
accepted by the consumer and the manufacturer.
  We commend this very competitive industry for first recognizing a 
common problem that required the cooperation and dedicated interest of 
all the appliance companies. We are pleased to offer our expressions of 
deep gratitude and appreciation to the panel for their voluntary 
untiring efforts and devoted service and to the manufacturers for their 
visions, discernment and cooperation.


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