Washington, D.C.  -  As part of a National Day of Action, local Pennsylvania steelworkers will hold a rally highlighting the dangers of toxic imported products in the American market at U.S. Rep. Phil English’s (R-Pa.) Mercer County office in Hermitage, Pa.  In advance of today’s event, English issued the following statement:

“I commend our local steelworkers for doing their part in raising awareness on a critical issue:  the safety of consumer products.  Whether it is toys for children, food for the family pet, or simply a new part for the car, American consumers should not have to bear the burden of worrying if common, everyday products are safe to bring into their homes.

“These toxic imports present a clear danger to families across the country and Congress ought to implement policies that will safeguard Americans against harmful products.  While the House has already overwhelmingly passed bipartisan legislation to strengthen the role of the Consumer Product Safety Commission to further protect families and keep children safe, we will again renew our efforts and explore other avenues to keep these tainted products off the market.

“I salute the U.S. steelworkers for bringing this issue back to the front burner for Congress.  American consumers deserve the peace of mind of knowing that all products on the shelves of their local stores are safe and dependable.”

NOTE: English voted for H.R. 4040, the Consumer Product Safety Modernization Act on December 19, 2007.  The bipartisan bill, which overwhelmingly passed the House by a vote of 470 to 0, would increase funding and improve the testing capabilities of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the government agency tasked with ensuring products are safe for consumers.

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