President Obama has nominated Inez Tenenbaum to lead the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (USCPSC). He also is expanding the panel and seeking additional funding for its budget. The president had promised in his campaign to make it a top priority of his administration to ensure that products Americans buy are safe.
During the Bush administration, the agency and especially its head Nancy Ford, had come under increasing criticism from Congress and consumer advocates, for the too-cozy relationship with the industry it supposedly regulated and lax regulation enforcement. Ford, a former lobbyist before being appointed by George Bush, admitted taking three overseas all expense-paid trips arranged by the toy industry. During Ford’s tenure millions of unsafe toys, cribs and other children’s products were sold in the U.S.
The USCPSC tests a wide range of over 15,000 products, including children’s toys, cribs, strollers, appliances and all-terrain vehicles. It has only 430 employees to do its work. President Obama’s new budget proposal will increase the agency’s funding by nearly 70%. A new chief with the qualifications of Ms. Tenenbaum and an increase in funding will go a long way to ensure that products Americans buy every day will be safe to use.
Richard J. Arsenault, 2011
