[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 101 (Thursday, May 23, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 25848]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-12881]



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CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION


Commission Agenda 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 1998, which begins October 1, 
1997. Participation by members of the public is invited. Written 
comments and oral presentations concerning the Commission's agenda and 
priorities for fiscal year 1998 will become part of the public record.

DATES: The hearing will begin at 10 a.m. on June 25, 1996. Written 
comments and requests from members of the public desiring to make oral 
presentations must be received by the Office of the Secretary not later 
than June 18, 1996. Persons desiring to make oral presentations at this 
hearing must submit a written text of their presentations not later 
than June 18, 1996.

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, D.C. 
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 
Rockelle Hammond, Office of the 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, to the extent 
feasible, to select 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, the 
Commission shall conduct a public hearing and provide an opportunity 
for the submission of comments.
    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 formulating its budget request for 
fiscal year 1998, which begins on October 1, 1997.
    Accordingly, the Commission will conduct a public hearing on June 
25, 1996, to receive comments from the public concerning its agenda and 
priorities for fiscal year 1998. 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 protecting 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, if feasible, to select from 
that agenda some of those projects for priority attention.
    When the Commission selects priorities, it does so in accordance 
with its policy statement 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.
    Persons who desire to make oral presentations at the hearing on 
June 25, 1996, should call or write Rockelle Hammond, Office of the 
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, D.C. 20207, 
telephone (301) 504-0800, telefax (301) 504-0127, not later than June 
18, 1996.
    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 June 
18, 1996. 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 June 
25, 1996, and will conclude the same day.
    Written comments on the Commission's agenda and priorities for 
fiscal year 1998, should be received in the Office of the Secretary not 
later than June 18, 1996.

    Dated: May 17, 1996.
Sadye E. Dunn,
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[FR Doc. 96-12881 Filed 5-22-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355-01-P