When I think I’ve heard it all and could not possibly be surprised by another absurd piece of legislation, I have been proven wrong yet again. Apparently our legislators think we need to be protected from the evils of buttons and string! Last year, Congress passed HR 4040, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008. This passed both houses of Congress with virtually no opposition in August of 2008. The lack of opposition must mean it is a good bill right?
So what is HR 4040? It is a vague piece of legislation requiring all businesses that produce any products meant for children under 12 years old be tested for lead by a third-party laboratory; toys, diapers, clothing, etc., and even the individual inputs for these items (buttons, string, fabric, and so on). Tested for lead? Buttons? String?
Sound unbelievable? Wait until you hear the costs of such regulation. A close relative of mine has her own children?s clothing line and recently checked into what it would cost to test ONE button for lead. The answer she received? $25.00 each! Yes, you read correctly, $25.00 to test ONE button for lead. A cost like this for buttons alone is enough to drive any company out of business, small or large. The total cost to test just one finished product (buttons, string, zippers, and fabric) could be up to $180.00!
Worse, punishment for non-compliance with this new law is up to 5 years in prison and up to $15,000 per offense! What a shame. If being bad policy weren’t enough, implementing it during a time of recession, when our country cannot afford to put additional people out of work, would be even more detrimental. Not only will it significantly increase unemployment, but it will also bankrupt the small businesses that many have worked so hard for over their lifetimes to build. Is this American? No way!
This ridiculous and unfair piece of legislation targets a huge number of small businesses in the United States. Most Americans still have no idea it even exists. Those who are aware of this bill are doing everything they can to prevent it from being implemented in February 2009.
