the hearings commenced

In September 2007, as the hearings commenced, many of the key players in the toy safety crisis gathered to offer their perspectives to members of the Senate. Those testifying included representatives of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the consumer advocacy organization Consumers Union, the American National Standards Institute, the Toy Industry Association, the retailer Toys “R” Us, and Mattel.

Consumer Product Safety Commission

Acting Commissioner Nancy A. Nord offered the following comments at the hearing:

I would like to report to you in more detail today on the initiatives that the CPSC has undertaken in recent years to address the growth in imports and to relate to you what actions we are planning for the future. . . .

The issue of Chinese imports cannot be adequately addressed by any one remedy but rather requires a multi-pronged approach to the problem. The CPSC’s plan of action includes dialogue and initiatives with the Chinese government; working with the private sector including Chinese manufacturers directly; increased surveillance and enforcement activities at the borders and within the marketplace; and modernization of our governing statutes.

[We are working with Chinese regulators on] specific cooperative actions . . . to improve the safety of consumer products: training; technical assistance; a mechanism to provide for “urgent consultation” when necessary; information exchanges; and the creation of Working Groups to address issues in four priority areas [including toys].

The second prong of our plan to address Chinese imports is to work with the private sector including Chinese manufacturers. One of the commission’s first initiatives in responding to the growth in imports was to establish the Office of International Programs and Intergovernmental Affairs to support a comprehensive effort to ensure that imported consumer products complied with recognized American safety standards. . . .