Published: 08-01-08
Legislation Passed House Thursday and Senate Today Ready for President’s Signature
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) a member of the House-Senate conference committee today voted in favor of the conference report to H.R. 4040 the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 which passed the Senate 89-3. On Wednesday the bill passed the House by a vote of 424-1 and appears likely to be signed into law by the President.
“Congress has now passed legislation that will help further protect American consumers – especially children - from dangerous products by increasing enforcement emphasizing research and development and imposing stiffer penalties on offenders” said Sen. Hutchison.
“Every person and company along the supply chain has a responsibility to ensure the safety of consumer products. Parents however diligent do not have the facilities to test and analyze the content of the many products which are aimed specifically at children. That duty falls to the Consumer Products Safety Commission” Sen. Hutchison said.
The CPSC’s regulatory jurisdiction was highlighted last fall when numerous consumer products particularly children’s toys were deemed unsafe and had to be recalled. In September 2007 alone approximately 1.3 million toys were recalled for violating lead paint standards.
The bill overhauls the CPSC and improves its ability to protect consumers from dangerous products by modernizing the agency’s authority to match the 21st century marketplace and by increasing the financial resources of the CPSC over the next 5 years.
The legislation provides for additional staff for the CPSC and requires a comprehensive report from the Commission to Congress within six months on resource needs including detailed hiring and training plans. Additionally the bill provides employees of private sector firms with certain whistleblower protections and allows for increased civil fines against entities that violate consumer protection laws. The final report also requires third-party testing of children’s products provides limited authority for state attorneys general to initiate actions seeking injunctive relief for violations of certain provisions of the CPSA reduces the level of permissible lead in children’s products and requires the CPSC to establish a database of consumer product related incidents.
“I believe this measure will go a long way toward strengthening the Consumer Product Safety Commission in its mission to prevent dangerous products especially those targeted to children from being offered for sale in the United States” said Sen. Hutchison.
Additional provisions in the bill:
• Tracking labels on certain merchandise
• A ban on the sale of recalled merchandise and penalties against retailers who continue to willfully stock these products
• An online product safety database giving consumers real-time access to product safety information
Senate Passes Higher Education Reauthorization Bill
Sen. Hutchison Helps Secure $69 Million in Mandatory Funding for HSIs
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) Texas’ senior senator today announced Senate passage of the conference report to accompany H.R. 4137 the Higher Education Reauthorization and College Opportunity Act of 2008 which includes $69 million in mandatory funding that Sen. Hutchison secured for grants to Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) graduate schools.
“Since I arrived in the Senate I have worked to increase funding for HSIs” said Sen. Hutchison. “These institutions are vital to ensuring that all Texans have the opportunity to advance their education. These grants will provide improved resources for Hispanic students in graduate and professional degree programs.”
The legislation establishes a program to provide competitive grants for HSI graduate schools. The grants could be used for scholarships fellowships and financial assistance to students renovations in classrooms laboratories and instructional facilities faculty training and development and the purchase of new educational materials.
“I applaud HSIs for their vast contributions in providing quality educational opportunities to all Hispanic and non-Hispanic students who attend their institutions” said Sen. Hutchison. “And I remain committed to opening the doors of higher education to all Americans and keeping our country competitive in the global marketplace.”
The bill also incorporates new requirements for greater transparency in college costs increases the authorizations of the maximum Pell grant expands loan forgiveness programs includes measures to simplify the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) provides in-state tuition for the dependents of members of the Armed Forces who have lived in a state for more than 30 days and includes numerous new programs that provide teacher quality enhancements.
