PRODUCT SAFETY

Amendments

CPSC: provide greater protection for children's products and improve screening of noncompliant consumer products and effectiveness of consumer product recall programs (S. 2663), S1203 [26FE], S1483, S1484 [3MR], S1495, S1498, S1502, S1512, S1531, S1532, S1533, S1535, S1541, S1542, S1543, S1544 [4MR], S1557, S1561, S1568, S1570, S1571, S1575, S1576, S1577, S1585, S1600, S1601, S1602, S1603, S1604, S1605, S1606 [5MR], S1679, S1694, S1695, S1696, S1713, S1714, S1715 [6MR]

Government regulations: establish consumer product safety standards and other safety requirements for children's products and reauthorize and modernize the CPSC (H.R. 4040), S1781 [7MR]

Appointments

Conferees: H.R. 4040, Consumer Product Safety Modernization Act, H3856 [14MY]

———H.R. 4040, CPSC Reform Act, S3549 [29AP]

Bills and resolutions

Appliances: prohibit the sale of kitchen ranges or ovens which do not include designs or devices which comply with an applicable consensus product safety standard intended to prevent the product from tipping (see H.R. 5753), H2150 [9AP]

Business and industry: require manufacturers to demonstrate sufficient means to cover, for certain products distributed in commerce, costs of potential recalls (see H.R. 5069), H349 [17JA]

Chemicals: ban bisphenol A in children's products (see S. 2928), S3507 [29AP]

———ban use of bisphenol A in food and beverage containers (see H.R. 6228), H5214 [10JN]

Children and youth: provide for infant crib safety (see H.R. 5692), H2010 [3AP]

China, People's Republic of: condemn manufacture and export of unsafe products, disregard for environment, and exploitation of workers and encourage U.S. suspension of importation and purchase of goods (see H. Res. 925), H295 [16JA]

Consumers: establish a comprehensive process to inform consumers about food and product recalls (see H.R. 5636), H1701 [13MR]

Courts: provide for service of process over foreign nationals in cases involving defective products causing injury in the U.S. (see H.R. 5913), H2852 [29AP]

———restrict protective orders, sealing of cases, and disclosures of discovery information in civil actions if such actions prevent disclosures relevent to public health or safety (see H.R. 5884), H2657 [23AP]

CPSC: promulgate final consumer product safety rule banning novelty lighters (see S. 3375), S7904 [31JY] (see H.R. 6488), H6472 [14JY]

———provide greater protection for children's products and improve screening of noncompliant consumer products and effectiveness of consumer product recall programs (see S. 2663), S1121 [25FE]

———require residential carbon monoxide detectors to meet certain safety standards and encourage States to require installation of such detectors in homes (see S. 3660), S10323 [1OC]

Dept. of Agriculture: improve food safety through mandatory meat and poultry recall authority and improve communication about recalls with national school lunch and breakfast program participants (see S. 2952), S3698 [1MY]

Drugs: improve safety (see H.R. 5839), H2486 [17AP]

Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act: ensure safety and quality of medical products and enhance authorities of FDA (see S. 3409), S7905 [31JY]

———preserve ability to file State product liability lawsuits relative to defective medical devices (see S. 3398), S7904 [31JY] (see H.R. 6381), H6173 [26JN]

Foreign trade: recognize impact of U.S. trade policies on the number and safety of imports and improve inspection of imported food and products (see H. Res. 926), H295 [16JA]

Hazardous substances: reduce exposure of children, workers, and consumers to toxic chemical substances (see S. 3040), S4487 [20MY] (see H.R. 6100), H4321 [20MY]

———reduce health risk posed by asbestos-containing products (see H.R. 6903), H8127 [15SE]

Cloture motions

CPSC: provide greater protection for children's products and improve screening of noncompliant consumer products and effectiveness of consumer product recall programs (S. 2663), S1593 [5MR]

———provide greater protection for children's products and improve screening of noncompliant consumer products and effectiveness of consumer product recall programs (S. 2663), motion to proceed, S1434 [29FE], S1459 [3MR]

Conference reports

Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (H.R. 4040), H7194-H7214 [29JY]

Letters

Ban use of diacetyl in the production of microwave popcorn: several consumer organizations, S1683 [6MR]

CPSC Reform Act: John C. Dean, National Association of State Fire Marshals, S1514 [4MR]

Determination of GlaxoSmithKline, PLC, action after receiving study on the potential health risks associated with diabetes drug Avandia: Senator Grassley, Committee on Finance (Senate), S486 [30JA]

Prohibit the manufacture, sale, and distribution of children's products that contain specified phthalates: Jeanne Rizzo, Breast Cancer Fund (organization), S1512 [4MR]

———several consumer organizations, S7875 [31JY]

Lists

Senate staff working on S. 2663, CPSC Reform Act, S1697 [6MR]

Supporters of amendment to S. 2663, CPSC Reform Act, to prohibit the manufacture, sale, and distribution of children's products that contain specified phthalates, S1512 [4MR]

Motions

CPSC: provide greater protection for children's products and improve screening of noncompliant consumer products and effectiveness of consumer product recall programs (S. 2663), S1517 [4MR], S1585 [5MR], S1671 [6MR]

Government regulations: establish consumer product safety standards and other safety requirements for children's products and reauthorize and modernize the CPSC (H.R. 4040), H3854 [14MY], H5844 [23JN], H5997 [24JN]

Press releases

Oppose the Cornyn Contingency Fees Admendment—Don't Let Opponents of Stronger Consumer Protections Change the Subject and Weaken Enforcement: American Association for Justice, S1577 [5MR]

Remarks in House

Children and youth: provide for infant crib safety (H.R. 5692), E505 [4AP]

China, People's Republic of: condemn manufacture and export of unsafe products, disregard for environment, and exploitation of workers and encourage U.S. suspension of importation and purchase of goods, H375 [22JA]

———condemn manufacture and export of unsafe products, disregard for environment, and exploitation of workers and encourage U.S. suspension of importation and purchase of goods (H. Res. 925), H7345 [30JY]

Courts: provide for service of process over foreign nationals in cases involving defective products causing injury in the U.S. (H.R. 5913), E755 [29AP]

CPSC: create and make available to the public a database containing information about unsafe products, H7585 [30JY]

———prohibit the manufacture, sale, and distribution of children's products that contain specified phthalates, H7582, H7584, H7586 [30JY]

———require certain manufacturers to provide consumer product registration forms to facilitate recalls of durable infant or toddler products, H7583 [30JY]

Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act: preserve ability to file State product liability lawsuits relative to defective medical devices (H.R. 6381), E1387 [26JN], E1402 [8JY], E1523 [22JY]

Federal-State relations: prohibit preemption of State warning laws relative to consumer products or substances, H7580 [30JY]

Government regulations: define a children's product as a consumer product designated or intended for children up to age 12, H5997, H5998 [24JN]

———establish consumer product safety standards and other safety requirements for children's products and reauthorize and modernize the CPSC (H.R. 4040), H3854 [14MY], E57 [22JA], E940 [15MY]

———establish consumer product safety standards and other safety requirements for children's products and reauthorize and modernize the CPSC (H.R. 4040), conference report, H7335, H7577-H7588 [30JY], H7636 [31JY], E1645, E1663, E1665, E1670, E1688 [1AU], E1709 [8SE]

———establish consumer product safety standards and other safety requirements for children's products and reauthorize and modernize the CPSC (H.R. 4040), motion to instruct conferees, H3854-H3856 [14MY], H5997, H5998 [24JN]

Hazardous substances: reduce health risk posed by asbestos-containing products (H.R. 6903), E1809 [16SE]

Remarks in Senate

California: protect State statutes that prohibit exposure to chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive harm without a clear and reasonable warning, S1686 [6MR]

China, People's Republic of: prohibit export of unsafe products and reform U.S. trade policy, S3067 [16AP]

Courts: restrict protective orders, sealing of cases, and disclosures of discovery information in civil actions if such actions prevent disclosures relevent to public health or safety, S1574, S1593 [5MR]

CPSC: address impact on small business of imposition of revised civil penalties, S1685 [6MR]

———allow for competition in garage door safety technologies, S1581-S1584 [5MR]

———allow the prevailing party in certain civil actions to recover court costs and attorney fees, S1568, S1578 [5MR], S1669-S1671, S1673 [6MR]

———authorize State attorneys general to bring civil action for violations of consumer protection orders and statutes, S1504-S1506 [4MR]

———conduct a study on the use of formaldehyde in textiles and apparel articles and establish safety standards for such articles, S1570 [5MR]

———create and make available to the public a database containing information about unsafe products, S1564-S1566 [5MR], S1685 [6MR]

———develop training standards for product safety inspectors, S1575 [5MR]

———establish a swimming pool safety grant program to encourage States to improve their pool and spa safety laws and to educate the public about pool and spa safety (S. 1771), S4788 [22MY]

———prohibit certification of a proprietary laboratory for third-party verification of products' compliance applicable safety standards, S1573 [5MR]

———prohibit State attorneys general from entering into contingency fee agreements for legal or expert witness services relative to certain civil actions, S1498, S1501, S1506 [4MR], S1569, S1570, S1576-S1580, S1585 [5MR], S1673 [6MR]

———prohibit the Commissioner or any employee from accepting payment or reimbursement for travel expenses from any entity with interests in CPSC regulations, S1561, S1562, S1575, S1576 [5MR]

———prohibit the importation of toys by companies that have a persistant pattern of violating product safety regulations, S1572 [5MR]

———prohibit the manufacture, sale, and distribution of children's products that contain specified phthalates, S1510-S1513 [4MR]

———promulgate final consumer product safety rule banning novelty lighters (S. 3375), S7914, S7915 [31JY]

———provide greater protection for children's products and improve screening of noncompliant consumer products and effectiveness of consumer product recall programs, S7869 [31JY]

———provide greater protection for children's products and improve screening of noncompliant consumer products and effectiveness of consumer product recall programs (S. 2663), S1145 [25FE], S1149 [26FE], S1434 [29FE], S1495-S1519 [4MR], S1549, S1556-S1558, S1560-S1586, S1593 [5MR], S1669-S1671, S1673-S1676, S1678, S1682-S1690, S1693-S1697 [6MR], S1738 [7MR]

———provide greater protection for children's products and improve screening of noncompliant consumer products and effectiveness of consumer product recall programs (S. 2663), motion to proceed, S1438, S1440, S1451-S1457, S1459 [3MR]

———provide greater protection for children's products and improve screening of noncompliant consumer products and effectiveness of consumer product recall programs (S. 2663), unanimous-consent agreement, S1656 [5MR]

———strengthen consumer product safety standards for durable infant or toddler products, S1682, S1688 [6MR]

Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act: ensure safety and quality of medical products and enhance authorities of FDA (S. 3409), S7968 [31JY]

———preserve ability to file State product liability lawsuits relative to defective medical devices (S. 3398), S7953 [31JY], S8022 [1AU]

Federal-State relations: prohibit preemption of State warning laws relative to consumer products or substances, S7876 [31JY]

Government regulations: establish consumer product safety standards and other safety requirements for children's products and reauthorize and modernize the CPSC (H.R. 4040), S157, S158 [23JA], S1697 [6MR], S1737, S1739 [7MR]

———establish consumer product safety standards and other safety requirements for children's products and reauthorize and modernize the CPSC (H.R. 4040), conference report, S7620 [29JY], S7843, S7867-S7878, S7897 [31JY]

———establish consumer product safety standards and other safety requirements for children's products and reauthorize and modernize the CPSC (H.R. 4040), conference report—unanimous-consent agreement, S7867 [31JY]

———establish consumer product safety standards and other safety requirements for children's products and reauthorize and modernize the CPSC (H.R. 4040), insert S. 2663 language in lieu, S1693 [6MR]

———require third-party verification of compliance of children's products with consumer product safety standards promulgated by the CPSC, S1518 [4MR], S7871 [31JY]

Pharmaceuticals: potential health risks associated with anxiety drug Paxil, S5519 [11JN]

———potential health risks associated with diabetes drug Avandia, S486 [30JA]

Senate: tribute to Senators and staff working on H.R. 4040, CPSC Reform Act, S1697, S1699 [6MR]

Reports filed

Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act: Committee of Conference (H.R. 4040) (H. Rept. 110-787), H7305 [29JY]

CPSC Reform Act: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation (Senate) (S. 2045) (S. Rept. 110-265), S1121 [25FE]

Sunshine in Litigation Act: Committee on the Judiciary (Senate) (S. 2449) (S. Rept. 110-439), S8034 [1AU]

Summaries

Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (H.R. 4040), E1689-E1691 [1AU]

Texts of

H.R. 4040, CPSC Reform Act, S1768-S1781 [7MR]

S. 2663, CPSC Reform Act, S1127-S1138 [25FE]

S. 3375, Protect Children From Dangerous Lighters Act, S7915 [31JY]