Abstract

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the newest independent federal regulatory commission in the country, represents the most current congressional thinking about how to set up and operate a regulatory agency. Faced with these awesome statistics and strong consumer lobbying, Congress passed the Consumer Product Safety Act of 1972. This act formally established this Commission as an independent regulatory agency with the task of reducing injuries associated with the thousands of consumer products sold in the United States. The ability to set safety standards is not unique to this Commission. What is Unique is that the development of safety standards by CPSC is a process in which the public, including consumers and consumer organizations, can play a direct, basic, primary role. Another unique feature of the Consumer Product Safety Commission is the extent which Congress has ensured its independence from control by the executive branch of government. Unlike most other regulatory agencies, commissioners of the CPSC may not be removed by the President on the nebulous ground of "inefficiency."