[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 70 (Tuesday, April 12, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-8613]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: April 12, 1994]


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CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION

 

Commission Agendas and Priorities; Public Hearing

AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission.

ACTION: Notice of public hearing.

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SUMMARY: The Commission will conduct a public hearing to receive views 
from all interested parties about its agenda and priorities for 
Commission attention during fiscal year 1996, which begins October 1, 
1995. Participation by members of the public is invited. Written 
comments and oral presentations concerning the Commission's agenda and 
priorities for fiscal year 1996 will become part of the public record.

DATES: The hearing will begin at 10 a.m. on May 12, 1994. Written 
comments will be accepted until May 5, 1994. Requests from members of 
the public desiring to make oral presentations must be received by the 
Office of the Secretary not later than April 28, 1994. Persons desiring 
to make oral presentations at this hearing must submit a written text 
of their presentations not later than May 5, 1994.

ADDRESSES: The hearing will be in room 420 of the East-West Towers 
Building, 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland. Written comments, 
requests to make oral presentations, and texts of oral presentations 
should be captioned ``Agenda and Priorities'' and mailed to the Office 
of the Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC 
20207, or delivered to that office, room 502, 4330 East West Highway, 
Bethesda, Maryland.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
For information about the hearing or to request an opportunity to make 
an oral presentation, call or write Sheldon Butts, Deputy Secretary, 
Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC 20207; telephone 
(301) 504-0800; telefax (301) 504-0127.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 4(j) of the Consumer Product Safety 
Act (CPSA) (15 U.S.C. 2053(j)) requires the Commission to establish an 
agenda for action under the laws it administers, and priorities for 
action at least 30 days before the beginning of each fiscal year. 
Section 4(j) of the CPSA provides further that before establishing its 
agenda and priorities for action, the Commission shall conduct a public 
hearing and provide an opportunity for the submission of comments.
    Selection of priorities from the Commission's agenda of projects 
and programs is a crucial step in the development of the Commission's 
budget for each fiscal year. The Office of Management and Budget 
requires all Federal agencies to submit their budget requests 13 months 
before the beginning of each fiscal year. The Commission is beginning 
the process of formulating its budget request for fiscal year 1996, 
which begins on October 1, 1995.
    For this reason, the Commission will conduct a public hearing on 
May 12, 1994, to receive comments from the public concerning its agenda 
and priorities for fiscal year 1996. The Commissioners desire to obtain 
the views of a wide range of interested persons including consumers; 
manufacturers, importers, distributors, and retailers of consumer 
products; members of the academic community; consumer advocates; and 
health and safety officers of state and local governments.
    The Commission is charged by Congress with protection of the public 
from unreasonable risks of injury associated with consumer products. 
The Commission enforces and administers the Consumer Product Safety Act 
(15 U.S.C. 2051 et seq.); the Federal Hazardous Substances Act (15 
U.S.C. 1261 et seq.); the Flammable Fabrics Act (15 U.S.C. 1191 et 
seq.); the Poison Prevention Packaging Act (15 U.S.C. 1471 et seq.); 
and the Refrigerator Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 1211 et seq.). Standards and 
regulations issued under provisions of those statutes are codified in 
the Code of Federal Regulations, title 16, chapter II.
    While the Commission has broad jurisdiction over products used by 
consumers in or around their homes, in schools, in recreation, and 
other settings, its staff and budget are limited. Section 4(j) of the 
CPSA expresses Congressional direction to the Commission to establish 
an agenda for action each fiscal year and to select from that agenda a 
limited number of projects for priority attention.
    Commission priorities are selected in accordance with the 
Commission statement of policy governing establishment of priorities 
codified at 16 CFR 1009.8. That policy statement includes the following 
factors to be considered by the Commission when selecting its 
priorities:
     Frequency and severity of injuries.
     Causality of injuries.
     Chronic illness and future injuries.
     Costs and benefits of Commission action.
     Unforeseen nature of a risk of injury.
     Vulnerability of the population at risk.
     Probability of exposure to hazard.
    The order of listing of these criteria does not indicate their 
relative importance. The Commission will consider these criteria to the 
extent feasible and as interactively as possible when evaluating each 
candidate project in the selection of its priorities for fiscal year 
1996.
    Persons who desire to make oral presentations at the hearing on May 
12, 1994, should call or write Sheldon Butts, Deputy Secretary, 
Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC 20207, telephone 
(301) 504-0800, telefax (301) 504-0127, not later than April 28, 1994.
    Presentations should be limited to approximately ten minutes. 
Persons desiring to make presentations must submit the written text of 
their presentations to the Office of the Secretary not later than May 
5, 1994. The Commission reserves the right to impose further time 
limitations on all presentations and further restrictions to avoid 
duplication of presentations. The hearing will begin at 10 a.m. on May 
12, 1994, and will conclude the same day.
    Written comments on the Commission's agenda and priorities for 
fiscal year 1996, should be received in the Office of the Secretary not 
later than May 5, 1994.

    Dated: April 5, 1994.
Sadye E. Dunn,
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[FR Doc. 94-8613 Filed 4-11-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355-01-M