Below is a response to the recent comments I received from you:

Dear Mr. McRae:

Thank you for contacting me regarding the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). I appreciate hearing from you and would like to respond to your concerns.

On November 1, 2007, Representative Bobby Rush (D-IL) introduced the CPSC Reform Act (H.R. 4040). Besides increasing funding for the CPSC, this bill strengthens civil penalties for violations of the Consumer Product Safety Act, outlaws children’s products containing lead, and makes it illegal for retailers to sell recalled products. Additionally, H.R. 4040 requires the commission to enforce whistleblower protections for employees of manufacturers, importers and CPSC workers. This measure was passed by the House of Representatives on December 19, 2007, without opposition. On July 31, 2008, the Senate passed H.R. 4040 with my full support by a vote 89 to 3. On August 14, 2008, the President signed this bill into law.

I am committed to providing the Consumer Produced Safety Commission with the tools and resources it needs to carry out its vital mission. As we proceed in the 111th Congress, I will be sure to keep your thoughts in mind regarding any additional legislation involving the CPSC.

Again, thank you for sharing your views with me. If you have any additional questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me. In addition, for more information about issues and activities important to Florida, please sign up for my weekly newsletter at http://martinez.senate.gov.

Sincerely,

Mel Martinez
United States Senator

This is the response we recieved from our Senator

**Note: PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS E-MAIL. If you would like to reply to this message, please contact me through my website at http://martinez.senate.gov.

RE: Eric and the post pointing back at your site, CommentLuv chases the URL that you provide when you make a comment, so that’s why it shows what it shows.

The iron comment is just making my point. Heat might change some materials but it wont change them into other materials and rust isnt summoned by some magical power from cotton or stainless steel.

Re: Ironing a shirt and finding a stain that “wasn’t there”. Okay, the iron might spit out some rust or whatever onto the fabric but it’s not heat that is the problem but the appliance. Second, it’s not necessarily true that the stain “wasn’t there”. Maybe you didn’t (couldn’t) see it. If you have grease on fabric, it may not be visible if it hasn’t been “set” yet but if you heat it and imbue it into the fiber, it’ll show up as darker or shinier spot.

A really simplistic example, which was the point I was trying to make: Heat might introduce something, but short of using the new Ronco Alchemy Iron, it isn’t going to do anything substantive.

Not sure what you’re saying here. Heat is used frequently in the garment manufacturing business. To my knowledge, I don’t think it is possible to change the materials into the regulated substances except by fission or fusion, and that much heat is not being used.

Eric Hs last blog post..Alert the media! The CPSC has a sense of humor

Now I’m sitting on $150,000 of uncertified inventory, most of which is cotton and linen christening apparel. By the way, I’m 5 miles away from CPSC headquarters. Guess who is going to be the first one visited on February 10? Anyone know where I can get some yellow Police Hazard tape to mark off all the “Hazardous Waste” that I can’t sell in my store?

Biggest question….who will enforce this new law when no one really knows about it???

There are some conditions (heat, for example) that might introduce or alter materials, but they are rare – particularly for clothing.

Today’s press release was a good start. Let’s hope there is another one coming for the handmade market. Let’s also hope common sense is applied and we are give guidance for a truly reasonable testing method. Exemptions of more materials that do not contain lead as well as acceptance of component testing.

I make childrens clothing, birthday outfits to be exact. If the cotton fabrics and threads I use for an applique on a cotton shirt (and all components come with certificates from my vendors stating they are lead free) how does cutting, sewing and ironing introduce lead into the equation? THAT is my big question. Common sense people. Please!

At least the resale and thrift shops will be out of the woods if that is true. Simply eliminating the pre-Feb 10 stuff would solve both issues, you’d think.

Progress is good. Thanks for reporting in – and for calling your senators, etc.