[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 81 (Thursday, May 12, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S2470]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                      Nomination of Mary T. Boyle

  Mr. WICKER. Madam President, in a few moments, the Senate will vote 
on the confirmation of Mary Boyle to be a Commissioner of the Consumer 
Product Safety Commission, CPSC. It appears that the Democratic leader, 
Senator Schumer, finally has the votes lined up for confirmation of Ms. 
Boyle and that she will be elevated to this position. I think this is a 
decision that Members of the Democratic Party and the administration 
will come to regret and Americans, in general, will come to regret.
  Recently, the Commerce Committee failed to report Ms. Boyle's 
nomination favorably. All Democrats voted aye; all Republicans voted 
no.
  I think Members should understand this. CPSC plays a vital role in 
ensuring the safety of American consumers. For this reason, I have 
significant concerns about major administrative failures at the agency 
during Ms. Boyle's tenure as Executive Director there, including the 
improper disclosure of unredacted manufacturer and consumer data.
  An investigation I led as chairman of the Commerce Committee last 
Congress determined that the unauthorized release of this data, which 
violated section 6(b) of the Consumer Product Safety Act, was the 
result of insufficient training, ineffective management, and poor 
information technology implementation.
  All of these failings at the CPSC were under Mary Boyle's watch as 
the primary career official charged with the day-to-day administration 
of the Agency's business, and yet today we are being asked to elevate 
her to an even more important and responsible position at CPSC.
  I am also deeply troubled by the CPSC's curtailing of port 
inspections for several months beginning with the pandemic and Ms. 
Boyle's involvement in this decision. In addition, she presided over 
the deficient and prolonged process of fully returning CPSC staff to 
work at these ports. So the inspections were not getting done. There 
are now hundreds, if not thousands, of unsafe products that entered the 
country under Ms. Boyle's watch, and we still lack a clear plan from 
the CPSC on how those dangerous products will be removed from the 
market.
  This nominee has failed to demonstrate strong and effective 
leadership in her current position as executive director of the CPSC. 
Yet the administration and, apparently, the majority leader of the 
Senate are inexplicably trying to promote her to a higher position of 
trust and authority.
  In light of these many problems at the Agency associated with Ms. 
Boyle's leadership, I think her confirmation will be a mistake, and I 
think my Democratic colleagues and the administration will come to 
regret this decision.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Cortez Masto). The clerk will call the 
roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. BOOKER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.