Speech #1100194370

My staff investigation made it clear that our border inspections regime must target and intercept foreign products that fail to meet U.S. safety standards. As our committee found. Customs and Border Protection currently lacks the authority to seize and destroy dangerous imported products even if the agency suspects that an unscrupulous importer turned away at one port might attempt to bring these products in through another U.S. port. The committees investigation also revealed that coordination and information sharing between CBP and CPSC were often adhocproviding CBP with little useful information that would allow its agents to target shipments that are more likely to contain dangerous goods. The provisions that I authored. and worked with Senators INOUYE. STEVENS. and PRYOR to include in the bipartisan reform bill that the Senate passed. specifically target problems with unsafe imports by ensuring that CPSC and U.S. Customs and Border Protection work effectively together to keep unsafe consumer products out of our country. These provisions: authorize CBP to seize and destroy dangerous consumer products entering our ports. long before they reach store shelves or American homes. enhance information sharing between CPSC and CBP so that inspectors at our Nations ports can focus their resource on the most risky shipments. targeting products. manufacturers. and importers with poor consumersafety records. task CPSC with developing a comprehensive risk assessment tool to help CBP quickly evaluate imported products that might violate our Nations safety standards. and direct the CPSC to develop a plan to ensure that Commission employees are assigned to the National Targeting Center at CBP to increase interagency collaboration in evaluating the potential risks of inbound shipments for potential safety issues. I am pleased that the conferees retained these provisions in their report. They will help the CPSC and Customs and Border Protection identify dangerous products that enter our ports and prevent them from reaching American homes. Other measures in this conference reportincreased staffing and funding for the CPSC. tougher civil and criminal penalties for violations of safety laws. a ban on reselling recalled products. enhanced whistleblower protections. safety certifications. and product tracking labelswill also strengthen the Consumer Product Safety Commissions ability to protect American consumers. With the new authorities in this bill. the CPSC will be able to work more effectively with importers. retailers. consumers. and industry associations to develop and enforce productsafety standards.