[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 130 (Friday, August 1, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1670]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 4040, CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY IMPROVEMENT ACT 
                                OF 2008

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. JOHN CONYERS, JR.

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 30, 2008

  Mr. CONYERS. Madam Speaker, today I rise in strong support of the 
conference report agreed to by House and Senate negotiators on H.R. 
4040, ``The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008.'' The 
final version of this Act will institute long-needed reforms to the 
Consumer Product Safety Commission, require toys and infant products to 
be tested before they are sold, ban lead and 6 toxins categorized as 
``phthalates'' in children's toys, and provide other critical safety 
improvements.
  This bipartisan and bicameral compromise dramatically improves the 
House version of the bill and adopts the vast majority of the 
provisions found in the much stronger Senate bill. Such robust 
provisions are a prudent response to the regulatory embarrassment our 
nation suffered in 2007, when almost 30 million toys and 15 million 
child products were recalled because of safety concerns. By acting 
today, we will ensure that our nation's mothers and fathers will never 
have to suffer through another year filled with such terror and 
uncertainty.
  I have long been a supporter of strengthening the Consumer Product 
Safety Commission, so that it can finally serve as the first line of 
citizen product safety defense. Over the past three months, I have 
joined with a coalition of my fellow Members on two separate occasions 
to advocate for the strong consumer protection provisions included in 
this legislation.
  After today, the Consumer Product Safety Commission will cease to 
exist as a ghost regulator; starved of the resources, authority, and 
transparency that an effective regulator needs. With this bill, this 
long-running frustration of Congressional intent will finally end.
  A vote for this conference report is a vote for industry 
accountability, regulatory integrity, and most importantly, child 
safety. I encourage my colleagues to support this conference report.

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