Americans deserve to know the products they buy for their children are safe. In response to the public outcry over dangerous imports from China, Congress passed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) to strengthen safety standards for children’s products.
 
The last thing Congress intended was to drive retailers and consignment stores out of business, but many of the proposed changes have created confusion and uncertainty for manufacturers and retailers of these products. This comes at a particularly difficult time for small businesses and consumers who buy and sell used children’s items to save money during these tough economic times.
 
On January 22, I sent a letter to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) requesting reasonable changes be made to the regulations, particularly the retroactive ban and testing requirements for clothing that poses little to no risk of containing lead. The CPSC recently announced a one year delay of certain testing and certification requirements. It also clarified that owners of consignment and thrift stores will not be required to test inventory, as many feared.
 
With careful oversight and common sense solutions a reasonable balance can be reached that promotes product safety without threatening businesses in our community.