Photo by Joe Newman
Right now, leaders in the House and Senate are preparing to make decisions behind the scenes that will have a tremendous impact on consumer protection in this country. If they can put aside partisan differences and ignore the lobbyists from the manufacturing industry, they have a chance to craft a bill that should help to stem the flood of life-threatening, hazardous products that led to a record number of recalls last year. On Thursday, parents and consumer activists rallied near the Capitol to urge Congress to pass the strongest protections possible. It’s especially an important issue for parents. Last year some 25 million hazardous toys and children’s products, many laden with high concentrations of lead, were recalled.
The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives have each passed a version of the Consumer Product Safety Reform Act (S. 2663/H.R. 4040) and senior members from both houses of Congress are meeting in conference to negotiate a compromise bill.
The Senate and House bills take important steps toward better protecting American consumers by giving the CPSC more resources, improving product testing standards and increasing the penalties manufacturers face for violating the law, among other improvements.
You can take action by writing your member of Congress and urging them to pass the strongest bill possible.
here are some thoughts I have about consumer protection.
why not hold the seller of advertising space partially responsible for the claims made by the purchaser of that space? for example, if NBC sells a 30 second ad they should be responsible (in part) for the content of that ad. NBC, by using the public airwaves, are holders of the public trust. Why is it that newspapers can sell an ad on the back page of their paper and not be responsible for the content of that ad?
how is it possible that credit cards can have rates so high? Congress needs to establish a cap of 20%.
Congress should stop the practice of arbitration for consumer disputes. Why is it that every credit issuer has a arbitration clause? Why am I forced to waive my right to a trial by jury?
etc..