Reply from My Congressman

Dear Mr. Nelson:

Thank you for contacting me regarding the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) imposing strict standards for excluding products from the new lead content limits of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). I understand and share your concern.

In response to fears about toy safety last year, Congress adopted new lead standards that were finalized by CSPC regulators on February 10, 2009. The unintended consequences of this ruling have been numerous and have damaged sales of legitimate, safe products in the process. Youth ATVs, dirt bikes, even certain library books have been caught up in the ruling. Small businesses all over America are pulling their youth ATVs and motorbikes off their showroom floors to allay fears of breaking the new law. Some small businesses who sell motorbikes estimate that sales could fall off as much as 40 percent. This is truly unfortunate, and displays how much Congress overreached, ensnaring all of these products as a result.

Congressman Rehberg (R-MT) has introduced H.R. 1510, a bill that will amend the lead prohibition provisions of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 to provide an exemption for certain all-terrain vehicles, and for other purposes. This bill is currently in the House Energy and Commerce Committee awaiting action. I have not had a chance to vote on this legislation, but I strongly support efforts to revise the law to exclude motorbikes.

For more information on my work in Congress, please sign up for my e-Newsletter for the latest updates at www.mckeon.house.gov. Thank you again for contacting me; please feel free to continue to inform me of your views on issues important to you.


Sincerely,
Buck McKeon
Member of Congress

Daytona Reed takes another win!

Two in a row for Reedy, and for it to happen at Daytona. I bet Reed was the underdog to for a lot of Fantasy League racers out there. Stewart needed to comeback from Indy and his heat race looked ridiculously fast, while Reed seemed to struggle to get to the front in his heat. I wish I could fill you in on the juicy details due to the sweet live broadcast, but nope! My cable or Speed channel went on the fritz, I missed both main events major bummer!! Anyway congrats Reed you are showing why you are running the #1, you have been on the podium all season so far and now won 2, can anyone say points lead. If Stewart loses the title he will have two races now to look back on and say coulda, woulda, shoulda.