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President Bush: Merry Christmas, kids

fff

Well-known member
Hopefully, none of you will die this Christmas from the toys you receive because one more time the Bush Administration is making an end run around Congress to benefit big business at your peril. :mad:

Congressional supporters of a new law meant to protect children from dangerous chemicals are trying to make sure that the government enforces the legislation as they intended.

Congress in August passed a landmark consumer safety law that raises standards for toys and virtually bans several hormone-like chemicals called phthalates in products for children under 12.

Lawmakers wanted toys with the controversial chemicals to be off the market when the law takes effect Feb. 10, according to a statement from Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., co-author of the ban.

Last week, however, a staff attorney at the agency responsible for carrying out the new regulations — the Consumer Product Safety Commission — released a legal opinion stating that stores may continue to sell toys with phthalates, as long as those items were made before Feb. 10. That could allow toys with phthalates to remain on the shelves for years, with no way for parents to know which toys contain the chemicals, Feinstein says.

Feinstein and others are concerned about phthalates — which are found in countless consumer products, from shower curtains to raincoats — because studies show they affect the hormone system. An October study, for example, found that baby boys born to mothers with high phthalate levels were more likely than others to have undescended testicles and small penises. Scientists say people can be exposed to phthalates through dust, and that babies can be exposed by chewing on toys such as rubber bathtub ducks.

The safety commission's general counsel, Cheryl Falvey, has said that lawmaker's intentions weren't clear.

In a letter sent to the safety commission on Monday, Feinstein and three members of the House of Representatives called on Falvey to reverse her decision. Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., has written a similar letter.

Falvey's interpretation of the safety bill "is harmful to our children and a blatant disregard for the law," Boxer said in a statement. "Ms. Falvey's claim that our intent was not clear is a pathetic and transparent attempt to avoid enforcing this law. It is beyond me that as they exit the scene, this administration is still carrying out its malicious actions to weaken environmental protection for our families."

Julie Vallese, a spokeswoman for the safety commission, says her agency is committed to protecting children from dangerous chemicals. But she says the agency has to carry out the law as it's written. New safety standards, she says, have never applied to items produced before those standards go into effect.

"The authors of the legislation should have done their homework," Vallese said in an e-mail. And although Falvey had no comment, Vallese notes that Falvey is a "career" government employee, not a political appointee. "Senator Boxer should know better than to attack the hard work and dedication of career employees."

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-11-25-congress-phthalate-ban_N.htm

Added: "Career" goverment employee. What a liar. She's a Bush appointee who has been "burrowed" into Civil Service status.

US Consumer Product Safety Commission Appoints Cheryl Falvey as General Counsel Effective March 3, 2008
03/3/2008
US Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the hiring of Cheryl Falvey as the agency's new career General Counsel effective March 3, 2008. Falvey will assume her new position as a career member of the Federal Senior Executive Service (SES). The position of CPSC General Counsel had previously been a political (Schedule C) position, but was upgraded and changed at the initiative of the Commission.


http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=24602831
 

Texan

Well-known member
Wow, maybe we need a law against liberalism, too? Same effects:

An October study, for example, found that baby boys born to mothers with high phthalate levels were more likely than others to have undescended testicles and small penises.
 
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