[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 192 (Thursday, October 5, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69172-69173]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-22110]


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CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION

[Docket No. CPSC-2023-0042]


Draft CPSC Scientific Integrity Policy

AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission.

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Consumer Product Safety Commission (Commission or CPSC) is 
announcing the availability of a proposed Scientific Integrity Policy. 
This policy is provided in response to the Presidential Memorandum on 
Restoring Trust in Government Through Scientific Integrity and 
Evidence-Based Policymaking, to ensure that Agency stakeholders are 
given an opportunity to comment on this policy. Scientific and 
technical work constitute the foundation upon which the CPSC executes 
the agency's mission to protect the public against unreasonable risks 
of injury associated with the use of consumer products. CPSC aims to 
carry out the agency's mission with integrity, because both policy 
makers and the public rely upon the work done at the CPSC to ensure the 
protection of consumers from potential hazards associated with consumer 
products.

DATES: Submit comments by December 4, 2023.

ADDRESSES: You can submit comments, identified by Docket No. CPSC-2023-
0042, by any of the following methods:
    Electronic Submissions: Submit electronic comments to the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal at: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments. CPSC does not accept comments 
submitted via email, except as described below. CPSC encourages you to 
submit electronic comments using the Federal eRulemaking Portal.
    Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier/Confidential Written Submissions: Submit 
comments by mail, hand delivery, or courier to: Office of the 
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission, 4330 East-West Highway, 
Bethesda, MD 20814; telephone: (301) 504-7479. If you wish to submit 
confidential business information, trade secret information, or other 
sensitive or protected information that you do not want available to 
the public, you may submit such comments by mail, hand delivery, 
courier, or you may email them to: [email protected].
    Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and 
docket number. CPSC may post all comments without change, including any 
personal identifiers, contact information, or other personal 
information provided to: https://www.regulations.gov. Do not submit to 
this website: confidential business information, trade secret 
information, or other sensitive or protected information that you do 
not want to be available to the public. If you wish to submit such 
information, please submit it according to the instructions for mail/
hand delivery/courier/confidential written submissions.
    Docket: For access to the docket to review supplemental 
information, including comments received, regarding the draft policy, 
go to https://www.regulations.gov, and insert the docket number, CPSC-
2023-0042, into the ``search'' box, and follow the prompts. The 
proposed supplemental guidance is available under ``Supporting and 
Related Material.'' It is also available at https://www.regulations.gov/document/CPSC-2023-0042-0001 and from the 
Commission's Office of the Secretary.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Kelleher, Scientific Integrity 
Official, Associate Executive Director for Health Sciences, U.S. 
Consumer Product Safety Commission, 5 Research Place, Rockville, MD 
20850; telephone: (240) 429-4894 email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Background

    The proposed draft CPSC Scientific Integrity Policy builds upon the 
current Statement of Principles: Integrity of the U.S. Consumer Product 
Safety Commission Staff's Scientific and Technical Work \1\ and follows 
the National Science and Technology

[[Page 69173]]

Council Framework for Federal Scientific Integrity Policy and 
Practice.\2\ In the draft policy, staff recommends facilitating the 
free flow of scientific information, protecting against retaliation, 
and provisions prohibiting both improper interference and inappropriate 
suppression or delay of scientific findings. The draft policy further 
establishes procedures for reporting and handling allegations of 
scientific integrity violations, including those involving alleged 
political interference.\3\
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    \1\ https://www.cpsc.gov/About-CPSC/Policies-Statements-and-Directives/Statement-of-Principles-----------Integrity-of-the-U-S-Consumer-Product-Safety-Commission-Staffs-Scientific-and-Technical-Work.
    \2\ https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/01-2023-Framework-for-Federal-Scientific-Integrity-Policy-and-Practice.pdf.
    \3\ On September 27, 2023, the Commission voted 4-0 to approve 
publication of this notice.
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B. Request for Comments

    The Commission invites comments on the proposed policy document, 
which can be found at https://www.regulations.gov/document/CPSC-2023-0042-0001.
    The CPSC will consider all timely comments before finalizing the 
policy. Comments should be submitted by December 4, 2023. Information 
on how to submit comments can be found in the ADDRESSES section of this 
notice.

Alberta E. Mills,
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[FR Doc. 2023-22110 Filed 10-4-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355-01-P