CPSIA--got my form letter from Congressman Hodes...

[#1]

And he basically addressed none of the points I raised... in fact, he was a co-sponsor of the bill. Here is the form letter I received. They really don't have a clue.

December 11, 2008







Dear Ms. McKeagney,



Thank you for contacting me about consumer product safety. I truly appreciate hearing from you, and I am working hard to stand up for New Hampshire 's interests in Congress.



I share your concerns about the recent safety issues and recalls. I want to make sure that everything possible is being done to protect children in the Granite State and across the country from unsafe toys. Twenty million imported toys manufactured in China and elsewhere were recalled this summer. According to Mattel CEO Bob Eckert, some of these toys contained nearly 200 times the legal limit for lead. Currently, at the Consumer Protection Safety Commission (CPSC), there is only one inspector charged with testing toys to make sure they are safe for our children. Toys are now being sold in our stores that are untested and are unsafe. Even more troubling, the chairwoman of the CPSC, Nancy Nord, said recently that she was opposed to increasing the agency's funding or authority. This is unacceptable, especially when it involves protecting our children.



The CPSC is critical to protecting the safety of all Americans by reducing the unreasonable risk of injury associated with consumer products. The CPSC is responsible for developing uniform safety standards for consumer products, minimizing conflicting state and local regulations, and promoting research into prevention of product-related deaths, illnesses, and injuries. We must adequately fund the CPSC to ensure that only the safest products end up in our stores and in our homes.



I am a proud cosponsor of H.R. 4040, the Consumer Product Safety Modernization Act. This legislation would establish consumer product safety standards and other safety requirements for children's products. H.R. 4040 would also reauthorize and modernize the Consumer Product Safety Commission.



On December 19, 2007, I voted for H.R. 4040, which passed the House by a vote of 407 to 0. On August 14, 2008, H.R. 4040 was signed into law.



Thank you again for sharing your thoughts with me. If you would like more information on this or any other issue, please visit my website at http://hodes.house.gov. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future to express your views or if I can be of help on any matter.





Sincerely,

Paul Hodes

Member of Congress
**********************************

I am so frustrated.

[littlegirlPearl]

It's totally disgusting. I know they have a lot to do, but they are supposed to be representing US!

[riskybeads]

that is freaking pathetic

[Former_Member]

The letter from my Senator didn't even relate to what I wrote to him about. It was just a generic canned response.

So frustrating.

If you represent me, I go through the effort to contact you, don't send me some canned nonsense that has nothing to do with what I wrote, you have tons of little interns that at least could read what I wrote and write some politically smoozy letter to me.

I'm thinking direct calls to their offices might be more productive. They can't brush you off as easily.

[littlegirlPearl]

True ivyandmae, and right now I'm thinking local media outlets as well. If they want more info, a good place to send them is to Kathleen Fasanella at www.fashion-incubator.com.

[annemusingdesigns]

I do't think anyone read your letter.

I got an email from Senator Lieberman's office yesterday. A staff member has been asking all kinds of questions, but needed more information from me. I told them, I think I got it right, that I am a one person shop making baby items from fabric and yarn. Could not afford testing. How does this affect me?

Was that the jist of what I needed to say?

[StebbyLeeStudio]

I wonder just exactly when they -(our elected reps in DC) were planning on examining this bill???
Feb 11th???

[OhFaro]

marking for reference

[Former_Member]

WOW! How did you even get letters back? I've written my Senators and Representative twice each and nothing. Granted, I'm in Michigan, so they're embroiled with the car makers, but still... Not even a form response. Noted for future elections...

[Former_Member]

Ugh! That os so maddening.

[chatnoirstudios]

Maybe I ought to tie my next letters to rocks and drive to the capital and lob the fuckers through windows? I wouldn't really but I can fantasize to relieve stress.:)

[annemusingdesigns]

And you would be in jail on some sort of felony charge.. Fun idea to think about though.

[Former_Member]

why don't they just require mass manufactured stuff to be tested? or basic materials? politicians are stupid.