TOXIC TRADE

Globalization and the Safety of the American Consumer
As American consumers buy a sharply increased share of their goods from overseas, the American government has been cutting back its ability to regulate and inspect imports. Americans consumers are thus exposed to increasing numbers of products that were neither produced in America nor subject to American safety standards. The results put people at risk.

Our report, "Toxic Trade: Globalization and the Safety of the American Consumer," documents these two trends. Government statistics show that imports have increased by 338 percent since 1974, the year the Consumer Product Safety Commission was created. Yet the budget for that agency today is less than half what is was in that year. In effect, we have been disarming our ability to protect ourselves, even as the need to do so has been soaring. Our report concludes that it is past time for a change.

Download this report (PDF)

TAKE ACTION: Ask your member of Congress to back a law that will help shut down the flow of dangerous consumer products into our stores...

Click here to tell your congressperson: co-sponsor The Safety Assurance for Every (SAFE) Consumer Product Act.

The SAFE Consumer Product Act has just been introduced in the House by Reps. Rosa DeLauro and Diana DeGette, requiring children’s products to undergo independent testing and strengthening the commission’s enforcement authority.

The bill has quickly attracted over 100 co-sponsors. But to triumph over the multinational corporations that put their profits ahead of our safety, and the obstructionist conservatives who do their bidding, we need as strong a congressional front as possible.

Congress needs to hear from you now.

Click here to tell your congressperson: co-sponsor The Safety Assurance for Every (SAFE) Consumer Product Act.

As “Toxic Trade” reminds us, “When it comes to imported products, Americans are basically on their own.” And that’s unacceptable.

Now that we’ve helped identify the problem, let’s help with the solution. Only with effective government inspection and sustainable trade practices will we be confident that imported products are safe for our kids to use.

Click here to tell your congressperson: co-sponsor The Safety Assurance for Every (SAFE) Consumer Product Act.

We should never have to worry about our children’s enjoyment of Halloween or the winter holidays. But that’s what the failure of conservatism has done to us.

It’s time to close the book on conservatism and clean up the mess they’ve left. Let’s get to work.

Sincerely,

Robert L. Borosage
Co-Director
Campaign for America’s Future

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