Product Safety Boss Balks at Beefing Up Penalties

The chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission doesn't like a Senate bill that would give her agency more clout, the Times reports. Nancy Nord opposes a measure that would amp up penalties for violators, smooth the public reporting of tainted products, protect whistleblowers, and ease prosecution. It would also double her agency's budget and increase its beleaguered staff.

"They say they want more resources, but are very reluctant to accept those resources,” said Sen. Mark Pryor, whose subcommittee is considering the measure. Bush appointee Nord's opposition to increased regulation is not surprising, the Times notes, but the underfunded agency's dwindling staff has been taxed to the limit by a recent rash of tainted products. (More Consumer Product Safety Commission stories.)