Senator DeMint is introducing his amendment on Tuesday and needs our help

[#1]

Here is an excerpt from an email I received - we need to help Senator Demint get his amendment to the CPSIA passed through. He's called for our help.

This was posted on a boutique cafe blog post by Senator DeMint's staffer:


Tom Jones Comment from Heather Flottman's Blog
Heather's full post- http://www.boutiquecafe.com/home/2009/01/31/2188/

Heather- you hit the nail on the head here.
First an introduction. I'm Senator DeMint's staffer that handles the CPSC issues for him. A couple quick things.
If your readers could:

1) Call their Senator Monday and let them know that the problems with the CPSIA still exist. There are still liabilities issues out there, its not clear yet what retailers reaction to the order will be (its great to not have to test for a year but if no one will sell your goods that a bit of a hollow victory), PIRG is going to sue to overturn the order and the order doesn’t do anything to deal with State AGs. And of course all the problems come back full-bore in a year. Please try to impress these things on your Senator’s office.

2) When you are on the phone with the office make a very specific ask. Let them know you want the Senator to co-sponsor the DeMint bill. Have their staff contact me. (I work on the Commerce Committee and my email is in the “Global Email Directory.” (they’ll know what that is) I can also be called through the DeMint front office phone line which is 4-6121.) Also let the person on the phone that you’d like a written response on whether the Senator will co-sponsor issue. Finally say thanks for talking to you. The person who answers the phone has the lowest job on the Congressional totem pole and when the phones get hot it can be very stressful. Throwing a little sunlight their way helps.

The main line for Congress is 202-224-3121. Tell the operator which state you are from and ask to speak to one of your Senators. Once you’re done with that, hang up and do it again with the other Senator.

Thanks again for all your help with this. If it wasn’t for you guys being so engaged on this issue, it wouldn’t be moving like it is.

Tom

[JeweledAmbrosia]

marking

[Former_Member]

I called both of mine this morning-- and sent out an email to all my website customers too

[Former_Member]

Lines are busy.. but I will keep on trying! bumb it up

[Former_Member]

I called Senator Casey's office this morning. And I'll be calling Senator Specter's office this afternoon.

[Former_Member]

Specter's office line has been busy since 9am...

[Former_Member]

Unable to reach Boxer or Feinstein's Washington DC offices, lines busy or mailboxes full. I called Boxer's Los Angeles office and gave them my feelings about this law and off to find Feinstein's Los Angeles office number.

[MomNMiaDesigns]

Keep those phone lines going!!

[Former_Member]

Just called both of my Missouri senator's offices - Bond and McCaskill.

[OhFaro]

I called both CA sens and hope that helps.

The people at the phones sounded very *tired* to say the least, but I tried to be cheerful and said thanks!

[Former_Member]

Both Pa are busy...I

I am concerned the Demint bill does not address one of a kinds or very small runs. Also Dye lots at the suppler level are not addresses.

I looked over The new DeMint bill needs to state not only by supplier certification approval but from the suppliers stand point it should be style # type not dyelot. Because if it is still written as dyelot and the vendor/supplier has to certify by dyelot with 3rd party testing. Then every 4000 yards give or take the vendor has to get the item 3rd party tested, Which means that means delays in fabric delivery and high prices to us the end maker.

"Style #" being (type of item, specific weight, exact content, fiber/yarn supplier stated, print type, ink type, ect ) And put the ownus on the vendor/suppler that if they change something/someone in there manufacturing chain they get the style retested, and have alternative certificate done by 3rd parties.

I know we are all very concerned with how the bills affect us directly, but we have to think how it affects out suppliers which ultimately affect us. We must protect the supply chain as well as protecting our children.

So the bill also need to state the specific in which it is tested. The original bill was created without knowing how items are produced...I could see the law writers of CPSIA sitting there saying "dyelot" sounds like a good word ...but it was overkill. Lets not make mistakes in the corrections to it.

[Former_Member]

babypop, have you contacted Dimint's office about this?

[Former_Member]

yes

[Former_Member]

I called both of my senators today (CA).

[Former_Member]

I called both mine too:) Alabama in da houwwwse:)

[acorngirl]

I called. Hope it helps.

[Former_Member]

bumping up for the morning crowd, we need all the calls we can get!!!!

[germandolls]

I wonder if people are still following these threads...Many went back to work feeling safe...

[Former_Member]

Bumping up for the lunch-time crowd.
I faxed both my Senators....

[Former_Member]

The CPSIA should be repealed. I just finished listening to the "podcast" link posted by FluffyFlowers, it's from an interview by craftsanity.com of Walter Olson who wrote the commentary "Scrap the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act" for Forbes. It's an interesting discussion about the cpsia, you might want to hear it.

[Former_Member]

I vote for repeal....oh wait, does my vote count?

[Former_Member]

I vote that VintageEmbellishment's vote be counted.

[Former_Member]

DeMint's reform bill may not be perfect- but the first step is getting a foot in the door, and we do that by encouraging our Senators to support his reform efforts. Nothing can be changed until Congress agrees that there is some need for change- and Senator DeMint's bill is a way to get to that necessary step.

[Former_Member]

Thanks kaboogie :)

[Former_Member]

Marking.

[Former_Member]

I looked over The new DeMint bill needs to state not only by supplier certification approval but from the suppliers stand point it should be style # type not dyelot. Because if it is still written as dyelot and the vendor/supplier has to certify by dyelot with 3rd party testing. Then every 4000 yards give or take the vendor has to get the item 3rd party tested, Which means that means delays in fabric delivery and high prices to us the end maker.
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Babypop I posted a comment pointing this out on his blog post about the amendment, I hope I explained it right!