CPSC Adopts Mandatory Baby Bath Seat Safety Standards The Consumer Product Safety Commission issued mandatory safety standards for baby bath seats last week, a move consumer groups praised as “a step in the right direction for addressing some of the design shortcomings that have contributed to many infant drownings” over the years. According to data … Continued

Senate Begins Voting on Financial Reform Following a series of failed cloture votes, the Senate finally began formal consideration of the financial regulatory reform bill (S. 3217) April 29. Voting on amendments did not begin in earnest, however, until the first week in May. In an early test of whether crucial consumer protections would survive, … Continued

Financial Reform Moves into High Gear as Congress Returns As Congress returned from its spring recess last week, efforts to pass comprehensive financial regulatory reform legislation moved into high gear even as bipartisan negotiations ground to a halt. Abandoning efforts to work out a bipartisan agreement before bringing a bill to the floor, Senate Majority … Continued

Senate Banking Gives Financial Reform Quick, Partisan Approval In a move that appears to have taken everyone by surprise, Republican members of the Senate Banking Committee withdrew hundreds of amendments and allowed a quick vote last month on legislation to reform the financial system. As a result, the bill was approved on a party-line vote, … Continued

Dodd Releases Revised Regulatory Reform Bill Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd (D-CT) released revised legislation this week to reform the financial system, but without the bipartisan agreement he had hoped to achieve. CFA applauded the decision to move forward which sets the stage for a mark-up of the bill next week. In breaking off … Continued

House Votes To Strip Health Insurance Antitrust Exemption The House of Representatives gave overwhelming bipartisan approval last week to legislation (H.R. 4626) that would strip health insurance companies of their exemption from antitrust laws. CFA Director of InsuranceJ. Robert Hunter has estimated that, if accompanied by thorough investigations of concentration and rigorous enforcement, the measure … Continued