Political Quotes

“I wish to talk about the pending amendment to the Consumer Product Safety Commission Reform Act. I am very worried about it. It would tie the hands of State attorneys general who seek to protect their citizens from harmful products. I applaud his efforts for including in the legislation the power for State attorneys general to enforce consumer product safety violations. As a former prosecutor and as one who watches how carefully anything such as this is done in my home State of Vermont, I certainly do not want us to gut that important enforcement provision by immunizing corporate bad actors for the reasonable costs and fees it takes State attorneys general to bring these actions. States are not rolling in money, but they expect their attorneys general to protect them. If wrongdoers have to pay part of that cost, so be it. If we strike line 5, 6, and 7 of the pending bill, we immunize corporate bad actors. I don't think any of us should have to go home and tell our legislatures: Boy, we just gutted the ability of our State attorney general to do something, and if he does do something, we want to hit you with a higher bill than you would have paid otherwise.”