NEWS from CPSC

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Statement Of Chair Designate Susan B. King

WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 29) -- I am honored by today's White House announcement that the President intends to name me to chair the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

My appointment comes at a critical juncture in the agency's history. Whether the agency should remain in existence was recently the subject of close scrutiny, both by the White House and by the Congress.

The Administration has since declared its support for the Commission by endorsing a three year reauthorization. In a meeting with President Carter yesterday, he reaffirmed his support for the reauthorization and the OMB budget recommendation.

The Congress, too, has indicated its willingness to give the Commission a chance to prove itself.

I am heartened by this and embrace the challenge. I want to respond to the White House, to the Congress and, most importantly, to the American people that the business of this agency is safety. I pledge my best efforts to ensure that we deliver.

If the agency is to be effective, it is essential that all the Commissioners work together toward that common end. I recognize that the Commission's performance is a shared responsibility and intend, therefore, to ensure that authority is shared as well.

Over the course of this summer the Commission will intensively review its programs and initiatives.

Success depends, I believe, on our ability to narrow our efforts to the most significant consumer hazards and to focus our resources on sound and defensible regulatory efforts.

In a related context, I share the President's concern that government regulation may be unnecessarily burdensome. We will endeavor to eliminate conflicting and duplicative regulation. At the same time, I believe that regulation in the area of product safety is essential. We will try to reduce unnecessary burdens, not necessary ones.

My appointment comes at a time when Mr. Carter has given his own consumer affairs advisor, Esther Peterson, additional authority to represent consumers. I look forward to uniting with Ms. Peterson in protecting the interests of consumers.

In the coming days, I will also meet with Congressional leaders to discuss the mission and future of the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

I will report on the current status of the budget for CPSC and on programs which I hope to shape during the coming fiscal year.