Will Consumer Safety Survive Partisanship?
In 1972, during Richard Nixon’s Presidency, Congress overwhelmingly passed the consumer product safety bill with bipartisan support—87% of Senators voted “Yea” (Figure). As a result, an intentionally independent, bipartisan federal regulatory agency entity was formed, The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). To minimize political interference, no more than three of the five commissioners can be affiliated with a single political party. The CPSC has played a critical role in the protection of consumers, frequently children, from products that result in serious injury and death. Think of defective pool drains, small coin batteries, and lead-coated toys. The current bill intends to move the agency into the Department of Health and Human Services—compromising its independence.
Perhaps Gabe Knight, Consumer Reports senior safety policy analyst, said it best through a press release:
“Simply put, shortsighted plans to dismantle the nation’s long-standing product safety watchdog will make everyone less safe. Whether they’ve heard of the agency or not, Americans depend on the CPSC every day. If this agency is eliminated, we will be left to face a more dangerous marketplace, and suffer from increased exposure to hazardous products that can injure or kill. Consumer Reports calls on Congress to assert itself, reject this budget request, and defend the agency it created and has supported for more than fifty years.”
References: All accessed July 1, 2025
