So I just left a meeting with a state rep. about CPSIA...

[#1]

and he just found out about the whole thing on Thursday - that's right, just 2 days ago!

And our local kids resale shops just found about this on Wednesday. Tonight it was explained that daycares are also affected by CPSIA because they charge for their services, which include use of toys, etc.

SHEESH!

Anyway, so the state rep.'s answer is this:

Contact both of your Senators and also your Representative. Send emails, send letters, and call them over and over again. Make as much noise as possible. Get your friends and family to make noise. Ask them to get their friends and family to make noise.

Then contact the CPSC. Make more noise with them. They are the ones determining the verbiage and exclusions in the law, so they need to hear us.

Make sure you tell them how this will impact you - lost job, lost business, XXXXX dollars of lost income, etc. Then tell them about the food pantries and relief organizations that will no longer be able to hand out children's items. Tell them about a scenario of a family who loses everything in a house fire, but we can't give their children clothes to wear or a teddy bear to comfort them becuase of the new law.

Shout it out!!! Come on Who's in Whoville - let's make our voices heard!

[Former_Member]

Marking for the list. Thank you!

[Former_Member]

marking

[fuzzyjewels]

That would be a great ided Ruth, but I wouldn't be able to afford it being in Hawaii. That sure would be fun to watch though, people carrying toys and clothes through the city. lol

Someone posted a thraed about having too many of these threads. I'm thinking the total oppisite. There all alway's a few that just heard of it. I think we should bump them all up. lol

[fuzzyjewels]

That was idea. lol

Can I ask a dumb question? Do we ony write to the rep in our district or can you write everyone of the reps in our state?

[LittleElephantCo]

Thank you so much JewelryDesignsbyMe for the additional info. I will be sure to pass along all of the links.

The libraries, too!!!! I never thought of that one, either!

[SignsByDiane]

I don't understand how he didn't know? Isn't it their job to know?

[HeatherJonesStudio]

You'd think they would have read it before they all (but one) voted for it! But, it doesn't think they did. :/

[bobbinalong]

I so strongly feel that somehow, someway, this law should be put ON HOLD for now. There is too much on the plates of Congress, CPSC, and President Obama. I am afraid that whatever they would decide prior to February 10 will be another rush, rush job through Congress with no time for thought, no time for investigating, no time for listening to what we are saying. We will end up with another law with flaws that we will have to live with. President Obama wants Congress the digital TV situation postponed for 4 or 5 months. He sees reason in this. He sees reality. I feel he is a sensible, intelligent man. And if our situation were put on hold, just continue business as usual, for a year, his hand would be on the results, and there would be some reason to it, something we can live with. It won't matter if it is postponed. We are not doing anything differently from what we did last week, or today. Just continue business as usual until all of the Congress is in office, are adjusted to their new world, and have time to make intelligent decisions.

[Former_Member]

Okay, I've read all the links provided and I think I'm pretty well-learned on it, but I seem to still feel like I don't fully understand it.

So...how are they going to track down each and every single seller outside of the mass-produced market that produces children's items? And...did I read this right that the seller will have to pay the testing costs; even the big huge companies that publish the books will have to pay those costs...and it's a per item cost and not a bulk cost?

This society is so fucking sensitive to everything these days. I mean, its understandable that they want to make sure everything is safe for our children, but this is such a generalized reaction that not only do the makers of this law not realize who they will effect negatively down the line, but they don't seem to give two shits either.

[Former_Member]

Yes, and what about some Sheriffs Depts? Don't they have toys, stuffed animals to comfort the kids? I know I've heard that somewhere...any Sheriffs, Police out there?

[banished]

I wrote my congress man, took 2 weeks to get a reply.. got a form letter back. saying that kids saftey is his #1 goal. so i doubt my letter was read by anyone. needless to say he lost my vote. Big brother is watching.

[LittleElephantCo]

This is the letter I received from Senator McCaskill, in response to the letter I sent (it was the form letter from the link on http://www.handmadetoyalliance.org).

From the Desk of Senator Claire McCaskill:

Dear Mrs. Marcink:

Thank you for contacting me regarding potentially dangerous substances used in consumer products. I appreciate hearing from you, and I welcome the chance to respond.

The recent spate of consumer product recalls has raised serious questions about consumer safety. Many consumers are concerned that the effectiveness of government agencies charged with enforcing consumer safety standards. Additionally, some are worried that potential health hazards, including many chemicals such as "phthalates" that are commonly used in consumer products, are not being addressed.

Americans deserve strong and effective regulatory oversight that will help prevent unsafe products from reaching store shelves and remove them quickly when they do make it to market. I am proud that the Congress passed a bill H.R. 4040 The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, in July 2008. Among its provisions, the new law provides more staff and resources to the chronically underfunded Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), which is supposed to act as a watchdog against dangerous products. Additionally, it requires all manufacturers of children’s products to have those products tested and certified by an independent, third-party inspector, and it increases penalties for violations of consumer standards, among other provisions. The law also bans the use of certain phthalates, which are believed to disrupt hormones in children, in children's toys or other child care articles, and directs the CPSC to determine whether additional restrictions are needed. To help strengthen the enforcement of the law, I was proud to lead the effort to include protections for industry employees who blow the whistle on violations of consumer product safety law, as well as strengthen the role of the CPSC Inspector General.

However, I realize that ensuring the safety of consumer products going forward will require ongoing vigilance and oversight. I will keep your views in mind when considering any legislation affecting regulation of dangerous chemicals.

Thank you again for contacting me. I hope you will continue to reach out with your thoughts and advice in the future.


All best,
Senator Claire McCaskill

[Former_Member]

That is a pretty lame letter. Whey did they explain something that you abviously already knew...it sounded like they thought you were ignorant to the issue of child safety. I emailed my congresswoman and state senator last night. I hope I dont get that kind of response or I will be mad.

[LittleElephantCo]

Yes, I am quite upset about the response. I replied to her letter, and I have yet to hear response (it's been nearly 2 weeks, I think).

[Former_Member]

I think sometimes that it's just politics and wanting to look good to the public. "Look how we protect our children" but at what cost? There has to be a reasonable compromise. It sounds like they are going to buckle to the pressure to take drastic measures to correct a problem that can be solved without putting us all out of business.

[Former_Member]

And.....in this economy, I wonder if it's wise to be straining an already strained small business community. Everyone is just trying to be responsible and make a good handmade product to make some extra money.

[Former_Member]

I agree, we need to make as much noise as we can!

I sent an email to Martha Stewart in hopes she would make some noise. Since she is a lover of all things handmade and Etsy...think she'll jump in for the cause?

[Former_Member]

Here is information about the bill,

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-4040

it was introduced in November 2007, sponsor was Rush (D) Illinois, tells who the co-sponsors were, who voted on it and who didn't (interesting to note that those who were in the running for President did not vote at all!). It is not a bill that has just recently happened, the new Congress will be most of the same people from the old Congress who passed this bill, it is not a knee jerk reaction, it was written by lawyers and passed by a group that consists of mostly lawyers, so the confusion created is not a mistake. The lack of response from this same group of lawmakers should tell you they know what they did and they did it on purpose, now we need to figure out why?

[Former_Member]

I also notified one of the local news stations, but Ive had not response from them. The Martha Stewart thing is a great idea.

[Former_Member]

So your State Representative only advice is to make noise... I thought that is what we already doing......

I just hope that we are making enough noise to the knuckleheads up in Congress can hear us.....

[LittleElephantCo]

Yeah, I know, I was a little disappointed in that was all he could offer. I knew more than he did about the whole situation.

[Former_Member]

Bumping. Please read all the research on the second page of this posting that jewelrydesignsbyme posted.

[Former_Member]

AmazonCreations
AmazonCreations says:
I dont know about the DC thing Ruth the only thread Im aware of is the mailing one.
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It would be a great idea though, then if we get enough people together Congress could actually see the magnitude of what they're doing.

[Former_Member]

Ditto to sugarplumbtree, please check out the post by jewelrydesignsbyME posted on page 2 of this thread!

[Former_Member]

fuzzyjewels
fuzzyjewels says:
Someone posted a thraed about having too many of these threads. I'm thinking the total oppisite. There all alway's a few that just heard of it. I think we should bump them all up. lol
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ITA! I told my mom about this a couple days ago, she hadn't heard of it. She's a retired librarian and is totally disgusted about the book-banning angle of it.