1 *Consumers Union * Consumer Federation of America * * Kids in Danger * Union of Concerned Scientists * * U.S. Public Interest Research Group * Public Citizen * * National Research Center for Women & Families * FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, August 14, 2008 Consumer Groups Applaud President for Signing Strong Product Safety Bill into Law Washington, D.C.—Today, consumer, public interest and scientific groups applaud President Bush for signing product safety reform legislation into law that will overhaul the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The bi-partisan Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008, passed overwhelmingly by the House on July 30, 2008 by a vote of 424-1 and by the Senate on July 31, 2008 by a vote of 89-3. This critical new law will make consumer products safer by requiring that toys and infant products be tested before they are sold, and by banning lead and phthalates in toys. The bill also will create the first comprehensive publicly accessible consumer complaint database, give the CPSC the resources it needs to protect the public, increase civil penalties that CPSC can assess against violators of CPSC laws, and protect whistleblowers who report product safety defects. In approving this sweeping reform measure, Congress and the Senate put children’s and consumers’ safety first by enacting the most significant improvements of the Consumer Product Safety Commission since the agency was established in the 1970’s. “This Act is the legacy of the countless children, including Danny Keysar - whose parents founded Kids In Danger - who have been killed or injured by unsafe children's products and toys,” stated Nancy Cowles, Executive Director of Kids In Danger. “It is to honor their memories that we must now undertake the implementation of this landmark measure.” A key portion of the legislation, dealing with the safety of juvenile products such as cribs, high chairs and strollers, is named in Danny Keysar’s honor. “This new product safety law is responsive to the mounting evidence and dire consequences of our broken product safety net. This bill patches up our current system by giving the CPSC the resources, regulatory authority and enforcement tools it needs to protect consumer from hazards posed by unsafe products,” stated Rachel Weintraub, Director of Product Safety and Senior Counsel with Consumer Federation of America. “We applaud Congress and the President for supporting this critical reform and urge the CPSC to implement this law effectively.” “This long-overdue law gives the CPSC the shot in the arm that it desperately needs,” said Ami Gadhia, Policy Counsel with Consumers Union. “It is now up to the CPSC to use the tools given to them by this law, and restore the confidence of consumers in the products on store shelves,” added Gadhia.