SENATE PASSES MAJOR CONSUMER SAFETY BILL, INCLUDING MENENDEZ-DRIVEN PROVISION TO BAN UNETHICAL CONSUMER WATCHDOG TRAVEL

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate last night approved major consumer safety legislation, bolstering the agency in charge of overseeing consumer products and implementing stricter product regulations.

The bill includes a provision closely mirroring an amendment by Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), along with Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), that would prohibit employees of the Consumer Product Safety Commission from accepting travel paid for by industries regulated by the Commission. The travel ban was proposed in 2007 after it came to light that Commission staff had accepted thousands of dollars of travel at industry expense.

“The alarming product recalls and revelations that the federal watchdog agency was asleep on the job begged for this type of substantive, bipartisan action,” said Senator Menendez. “I am pleased that this bill will prevent officials at the Consumer Product Safety Commission from traveling on the dime of the industry they regulate, which is a change I have championed. These product gatekeepers should look out for one interest and one interest only: the well-being of the American people. This is toxic travel, and we are putting an end to it.”
 
Senator Menendez introduced the Restoring Truth in Regulator Travel Act last November in the wake of the revelations of industry-sponsored trips taken by CPSC Chairwoman Nord and her predecessor.  The legislation would prohibit such travel for all federal regulators. Senator Menendez has also called for the resignation of Chairwoman Nancy Nord.

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