Bush Signs Consumer Product Safety Bill

Today, as promised, President Bush signed [1] into law the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (H.R. 4040). You can read a summary of the bill's major provisions here [2].

Kudos to the president and to Congress for creating far-reaching reforms that are protective of consumers and will empower the Consumer Product Safety Commission to adequately police the marketplace.

While news surrounding the act is finished (thank goodness, after an excruciatingly long debate and congressional gestation), government officials must take many more steps before the intended changes are realized. Congress must follow through on its pledge to increase agency resources by passing appropriations bills, and the Executive Branch must write and enforce the new rules the act requires.