Response from Congressman on CPSIA

FINALLY got a response from my congressman...sounds okay!

Dear Amy:



Thank you for your correspondence regarding the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA).
It is an honor to represent the First Congressional District of Louisiana, and your thoughts and
concerns are very important to me.


As you know, CPSIA was approved by Congress and signed into law by President Bush on August 14,
2008. Along with establishing consumer product safety standards and requirements for children's
products, this legislation reauthorized the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).


I understand your concerns about the possible negative effects this law could have on small
businesses. While sellers of used children's products are exempt from the certification process,
manufacturers and merchants that make new products are required to have their goods independently
certified that their products meet the new safety standards, a process that many small businesses
will have trouble affording. You will be interested to know that I have signed on as a cosponsor of
H.R. 1815, the Consumer Product Safety Solutions Act. This legislation gives the CPSC the flexibility
to clarify certain definitions and grant some exceptions for small businesses. It also mandates the
CPSC to establish testing methodologies and permits component part testing. Please know that I will
continue working with my colleagues in Congress on policies that improve CPSIA.



Thank you again for contacting me. I invite you to visit my website at www.scalise.house.gov for
more information. You can also sign up for my e-newsletter, the "Scalise Capitol Report," by clicking here.
Please do not hesitate to contact my office in the future on matters of importance to you.





Sincerely,







Steve Scalise

Member of Congress

Amend the CPSIA

Just your friendly reminder to do your part and fight!! Watch Rick's video also on this site.

http://amendthecpsia.com/

CPSIA Rally!!!

http://reformcpsia.org/2009/03/cpsia-rally-in-dc-april-1st/

Rally against CPSIA!!! I wish I could go, I really do! I fully support everyone who can attend though!!

I feel tired, oh so tired, but accomplished! :)

I'm tired. Crawl into bed, snuggle up and pass out before Seinfeld tired (that's 10pm Central!). BUT, I feel accomplished! My first ever craft show appearance is next Sunday, and it's been a long road. Man, I hope the customers come! :) I sewed today from 10am-6pm. I am beat! But I made some awesome things for the show, including my own chalk cloth sign for my booth! (Being chalk cloth, I can write whatever I want on it!)

So, if I get a little extra time this week I'll finish up one set of flannel baby bib/wipe sets, and maybe one minky bear (amazingly a teddy bear doesn't take me too long.)
But more importantly to do:

• All the tags, labels, prices for completed inventory..including ingredient label on soaps and bath salts.
• Cut swatch samples for fabric available for custom pants, teddy bears and more! (basically a swatch of all my fabrics!) Organize and label accordingly.
• Print out the 'catalog of ducks' available for ducky soaps, as well as a catalog of ducks I can easily order.
• List of scents available for soaps/salts.
• Prices signs, info signs, etc. Biz cars, CPSIA info all ready to go.
  
• Blockhead Radio print out!
• Price listing sheet...because I won't be there on Saturday (church), my selling partner will be working on Saturday, so I need to leave her a complete list of my items with prices so she can mark off as she sells and I can accurately figure out taxes, etc.
  
• Buy various office supplies/table supplies for set up.
• Drink a large appletini and eat massive amounts of chocolate.
• Sell like I've never sold before.....

That about sums it up....countdown is ON.

Good CPSIA Read.........

Click and Learn!!

Update from Rick--CPSIA

I greatly depend on Rick for intelligent, important CPSIA info. Here is some of the latest. Be sure you follow Rick on Twitter also!

http://learningresourcesinc.blogspot.com/2009/02/cpsia-calling-all-mommies.html

www.twitter.com/rwoldenberg

Video Debut of How Awesome the CEM's are!

WOOOT Cafemom Etsy Moms! Sequels coming soon!

CEM Member Drive! Join the BEST of the BEST on Etsy!

Cafemom Etsy Moms Street Team is having a member drive!

We have a goal of reaching 500 members by 3/29/09.

On March 29th Our Group Leader is Co-hosting on Blockhead Radio, a station for independant artisans and musicans!

We would like as much group participation for the radio show b/c we can promote our group to the world!

So come on over to the Cafemom Etsy Moms Street Team and join up if you sell on etsy!

And btw, the group member who refers the most new members will recieve a handmade tee shirt, and earring pendant combo from the group owner Rockerchic.

There will also be a funny video for the group made to laugh at, as a thank you for helping reach our goal! What it is of yet? We do not know! But we are sure we need to share this with the world!

Dr Seuss CPSIA Version

The following story was written by me, Heather Idoni, of The Homeschooler's Notebook and BelovedBooks.com, with help from my wonderful friend, Jodi Whisler, of HomeGrownHearts.com. It was really fun to write, and I hope you enjoy it! (P.S. If you have feedback or a suggestion for a title, please write to me at feedback@easyfunschool.com.

[slightly revised 2/21/2009] Working title: "The Trouble with String"]

--------

In the town of Beddubble, far out on the Moor,
there lived a small tot, who was not more than four.

Little Annabelle Ruth (her close friends would recall)
had swallowed the string from a dilly-dunk ball.

And then in the Spring of two thousand ought one,
she died of the thing that the string must have done.

They were sure of this fact, though the details were thin --

"Something HAS to be done, we have GOT to begin!"

Those dilly-dunk balls that tots spin on a string
are quite dangerous toys -- What a horrible thing!

We'll form a committee to draft legislation --
The Dilly-Dunk String Tot Protection Foundation.

There is no time to waste, get the paper and ink --
This string must be stopped, there is no time to THINK!

Every dilly-dunk ball in the town of Beddubble
(no matter the cost and no matter the trouble) --

must be taken by dumpers to tops of high hills
and dumped there -- forever to rot in the 'fills.

The law with the rules that they hurriedly drafted,
so brilliantly worded and carefully crafted,

Would certainly solve this great problem they had --
Who would complain? How could it be bad?

"Out with the bathwater, baby and all"
was the rallying cry from the town's city hall

"Every dilly-dunk ball shall be gathered and trashed --
and before that is done, they'll be burned up and mashed."

No matter the cost and no matter the trouble,
they must be got rid of -- right now on the double!

The Mayor and the Dilly-Dunk String Tot Protectors
made ready to send out their troops of inspectors

to check all the stores in the Bedubble Mall
to make sure not one ball was for sale in them all.

What they saw on the shelves brought great cause for alarm --
more toys with more strings that could bring greater harm!

They called for the head Dilly-Dunk Tot Protector,
who brought out his big STRING INSPECTION DETECTOR --

and he looked in their books and the shelves full of clothes --
Why this string was in EVERYTHING under his nose!

We must ban these toys, all the clothes, every book --
We can't keep all this dangerous gobbledygook!

For in memory of little tot Annabelle Ruth,
we must keep our promise, we must tell the truth.

So because of a tot (who supposedly died)
from a string on a thing that got tangled inside,

the girls and the boys of a town called Beddubble
were in big piles of mess and a big heap of trouble.

For how would they learn now? And what would they wear?
Without books to read and with no clothes to spare?

They had no intentions of swallowing strings --
and tangling them up -- and dying of things!

Books were to read; clothes to wear, toys to play.
This law must be STOPPED -- it's plain silly, okay?

But the law was the law -- and what more could be done?

Well --

They put in a call to the mayor's only son.

Little Jimmy was all alone in his room playing --
when a boy rang him up and -- now, WHAT was he saying?

"What a strange silly law!" Jimmy thought to himself,
and he took down his favorite book off the shelf --

And he read and he thunk and he thunk and he read
'til his thinker was sore and his brain hurt his head.

What could HE do -- he was just the mayor's son --
Just one voice, just one person -- what more could be done?

Then he got an idea... a strange, happy idea --
That boy got a crazy, amazing idea!

He packed up a sack with some snacks and a peach
and headed out south toward this shack on the beach

Where he'd heard a girl lived by herself all alone,
since she'd left years ago from her childhood home

After causing a stir with some string from a ball --
Why that girl wasn't dead as they said -- not at all!

He wrote down her story and headed back north
and gathered the Council in town and so forth --

With his notes in his hand and a smile on his face,
he told the town council, "I'll now state my case."

(And his dad, the Lord Mayor sat patiently listening
til the sweat on his face was all silvery and glistening)

"Now you know, since these men did not research their facts
before they enacted their laws and their acts,

a strange, silly ruling has come into play
and our fine and fair citizens now rue the day

that they ever elected this great legislature
who think up strange laws that have gone against nature.

For Miss Annabelle Ruth (she never did marry)
Had a time with that string (oh, yes, it was scary)

But swallow it she never did, not at all --
that string from the 'dangerous' dilly-dunk ball.

In fact, that small youth, little Annabelle Ruth
had only just tangled it up 'round her tooth!

And that testimony, my friends, is the proof
That the law that you made is not based on the truth."

The men all just stared, their lips trembling with shame --
they glanced 'round the room seeking someone to blame

But the shame came in waves on the men in their places,
whose hats from their heads were now hiding red faces.

Then the mayor spoke up proudly, "My son you've done well...
You've made our stupidity clear as a bell.

This law must be changed, be un-done, un-enacted --
It's clear that the lawmakers overreacted!

I hereby decree throughout all of Beddubble
this string ban is ceased -- there will be no more trouble.

Call all of your friends to a huge celebration --
we'll build a great fire for this bad legislation!

So each girl and each boy brought a dilly-dunk ball
and they had a great feast at the city's town hall.

And Miss Annabelle Ruth carved a roast Beezle duck --
and she kissed all their cheeks and she wished them good luck.

-----

Copyright 2009 Heather Idoni and Jodi Whisler - All Rights Reserved - EasyFunSchool.com
Link to this page: The CPSIA Meets Dr. Seuss

Nancy Nord Address at NY Toy Fair

http://cpsia-central.ning.com/video/nancy-nord-address-at-toy-fair

Check it out. More on Youtube.com

Don't Miss the Party!!

Don't Forget about our CPSIA thank you party for all your hard work!!!

http://blockheadradio.blogspot.com/2009/02/are-you-ready-for-party.html

TONIGHT Feb 22, 8 pm EASTERN!

www.blockheadradiolive.com

Online Party and Giveaway!

Don't forget guys!!

Our online CPSIA party (a thank you for all our hard work and a way to kick back!) will be going on Sunday, Feb 22 at 8 pm on www.blockheadradiolive.com

You can read more about it HERE.

AND,

Do NOT forget the current giveaway...going on HERE!

Enter to win now!!

Easy to Understand CPSIA

Thank you Matt, from Etsy for this great article on how to better know what to do for your business.

http://www.etsy.com/storque/craftivism/cpsia-its-february-10th-so-now-what-3413/

Light at the end of the tunnel...Again?

Could it be...is it possible?

Clothing exempt?

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09120.html

Don't Give Up the Fight!

While this news about the stay on the enacting of the CPSIA is wonderful news, it does not mean our battle is over!

We still have the 30 day comment period, so inactuality after Feb 10 the law remains the same, until the 30 day comment period is over (around March).

My point is this: While this is slaptastically happy dance news, our fight is not over! We need to keep putting pressure on lawmakers and keep getting our voices out there! This year will pass very quickly and we could find ourselves in this exact position in a year.

DO NOT GIVE UP THE FIGHT! Continue to write letters, just changing them to incorporate your thanks for the stay, and continued proof that handmade is and has been safe.

Keep on going guys!
Mama

Breaking CPSIA News, Via www.etsy.com

We are so excited to announce that the Commission has voted for a "Stay of Enforcement of Certain Testing and Certification Requirements of CPSIA" — which means that the burden of lead testing and certification has been suspended for a year while they take more time to review the rules and plan enforcement! All of your hard work has paid off (for the time being at least!). You don't have to pay to do the certification and testing, though you are still liable if your products are found to have lead. We are so pleased that artisans and vintage sellers got their voices heard. Your hard work is not over; we must continue to play a role in advocating for small business people throughout the coming year.

"The action taken today provides breathing space to get in place some of the rules needed for implementation, but it should not be viewed as a full solution to the many problems that have been raised." —U.S. Consumer product Safety Commission

You'll find the press release below:

CPSC Grants One Year Stay of Testing and Certification Requirements for Certain Products

Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission voted unanimously (2-0) to issue a one year stay of enforcement for certain testing and certification requirements for manufacturers and importers of regulated products, including products intended for children 12 years old and younger. These requirements are part of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), which added certification and testing requirements for all products subject to CPSC standards or bans.

Significant to makers of children’s products, the vote by the Commission provides limited relief from the testing and certification requirements which go into effect on February 10, 2009 for new total lead content limits (600 ppm), phthalates limits for certain products (1000 ppm), and mandatory toy standards, among other things. Manufacturers and importers – large and small – of children’s products will not need to test or certify to these new requirements, but will need to meet the lead and phthalates limits, mandatory toy standards and other requirements.

The decision by the Commission gives the staff more time to finalize four proposed rules which could relieve certain materials and products from lead testing and to issue more guidance on when testing is required and how it is to be conducted.

The stay will remain in effect until February 10, 2010, at which time a Commission vote will be taken to terminate the stay.

The stay does not apply to:

• Four requirements for third-party testing and certification of certain children’s products subject to:

  • The ban on lead in paint and other surface coatings effective for products made after December 21, 2008;

  • The standards for full-size and non full-size cribs and pacifiers effective for products made after January 20, 2009;

  • The ban on small parts effective for products made after February 15, 2009; and

  • The limits on lead content of metal components of children’s jewelry effective for products made after March 23, 2009.

• Certification requirements applicable to ATV’s manufactured after April 13, 2009.

• Pre-CPSIA testing and certification requirements, including for: automatic residential garage door openers, bike helmets, candles with metal core wicks, lawnmowers, lighters, mattresses, and swimming pool slides; and

• Pool drain cover requirements of the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act.

The stay of enforcement provides some temporary, limited relief to the crafters, children’s garment manufacturers and toy makers who had been subject to the testing and certification required under the CPSIA. These businesses will not need to issue certificates based on testing of their products until additional decisions are issued by the Commission. However, all businesses, including, but not limited to, handmade toy and apparel makers, crafters and home-based small businesses, must still be sure that their products conform to all safety standards and similar requirements, including the lead and phthalates provisions of the CPSIA.

Handmade garment makers are cautioned to know whether the zippers, buttons and other fasteners they are using contain lead. Likewise, handmade toy manufacturers need to know whether their products, if using plastic or soft flexible vinyl, contain phthalates.

The stay of enforcement on testing and certification does not address thrift and second hand stores and small retailers because they are not required to test and certify products under the CPSIA. The products they sell, including those in inventory on February 10, 2009, must not contain more than 600 ppm lead in any accessible part. The Commission is aware that it is difficult to know whether a product meets the lead standard without testing and has issued guidance for these companies that can be found on our Web site.

The Commission trusts that State Attorneys General will respect the Commission's judgment that it is necessary to stay certain testing and certification requirements and will focus their own enforcement efforts on other provisions of the law, e.g. the sale of recalled products.

Please visit the CPSC Web site at www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/cpsia.html for more information on all of the efforts being made to successfully implement the CPSIA.

CPSIA Blog-In

As parents and concerned citizens I'm sure most of us at one time or another have been confronted with the question of lead poisoning. But have you asked yourself what your government is doing to protect your children from lead contained in toys? The answer? They're banning toys, taking books from schools and libraries, hurting low income families, killing entrepreneurial spirit and risking putting the economy in an even greater depression than we've seen in decades. I'd like to introduce you to their solution: the CPSIA.

Do you know about the CPSIA? No? Then I ask you to take a few minutes to find out about it.

The CPSIA stands for Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, a new set of laws that will come into effect on 10 February, 2009 and will impact many, many people in a negative way. Make no mistake, this is very real. View it for yourself. If Forbes, the American Library Association and numerous other media are paying attention, perhaps you should too.

How will these new laws affect you? Well, here are a few examples:

To the Parents of Young Students:
Due to the new law, expect to see the cost of school supplies sky rocket. While those paper clips weren't originally intended for your student to use, they will need to be tested now that your 11-year-old needs them for his school project. This law applies to any and all school supplies (textbooks, pencils, crayons, paper, etc.) being used by children under 12.

To the Avid Reader:
Due to the new law, all children's books will be pulled from library and school shelves, as there is no exemption for them. That's okay though, there's always television. Our children don't need to learn the love of reading after all.
Article from the American Library Association http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=1322

To the Lover of All Things Handmade:
Due to the new law, you will now be given a cotton ball and an instruction manual so you can make it yourself since that blanket you originally had your eye on for $50 will now cost you around $1,000 after it's passed testing. It won't even be the one-of-a-kind blanket you were hoping for. Items are destroyed in the testing process making one-of-a-kind items virtually impossible. So that gorgeous hand-knit hat you bought your child this past winter won't be available next winter.

To the Environmentalist:
Due to the new law, all items in non-compliance will now be dumped into our already overflowing landfills. Imagine not just products from the small business owners, but the Big Box Stores as well. You can't sell it so you must toss it. Or be potentially sued for selling it. You can't even give them away. If you are caught, it is still a violation.

To the Second-Hand Shopper:
Due to the new law, you will now need to spend $20 for that brand new pair of jeans for your 2-year old, rather than shop at the Goodwill for second hand. Many resale shops are eliminating children's items all together to avoid future lawsuits.

To the Entrepreneur:
Due to this new law, you will be forced to adhere to strict testing of your unique products or discontinue to make and/or sell them. Small businesses will be likely to be unable to afford the cost of testing and be forced to close up shop. Due to the current economic state, you'll have to hope for the best when it comes to finding a new job in Corporate America.

To the Antique Toy Collector:
Due to the new law, you'd better start buying now because it's all going to private collection and will no longer be available to purchase. "Because the new rules apply retroactively, toys and clothes already on the shelf will have to be thrown out if they aren't certified as safe." http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123189645948879745.html

To the American Economy:
Already struggling under an economy that hasn't been this weak in decades, the American economy will be hit harder with the inevitable loss of jobs and revenues from suppliers, small businesses and consumers. The required testing is far too costly and restrictive for small businesses or individuals to undertake.

To the Worldwide Economy:
Due to this new law, many foreign manufacturers have already pulled out of the US market. You can imagine the impact of this on their businesses.

If you think this is exaggerating, here is a recent article from Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/2009/01/16/cpsia-safety-toys-oped-cx_wo_0116olson.html

And for those of you prepared to be stupefied and boggled, The New Law
http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/cpsia.html

Did you know? If this upsets or alarms you, please react.

www.cpsia-central.ning.com
www.handmadetoyalliance.org
www.nationalbankruptcyday.com

Do you need Free advertising?

Check it out!!

http://blockheadradio.blogspot.com/2009/01/need-some-free-advertising-you-bet-you.html

Save the Gnome...

So sad for this little fella..... someone save him!

CPSIA Endangered Artist--OpheliaMcPhee

YUMMMY!

Help Save Handmade!! This lovely little shop is on the endangered items list!!

She makes awesome little felt food and it is AMAZING! If I had funds, I'd be all over her shop!! :)

Check out her great work and get it while you can!! Everyone's fate after Feb. 10 is still up in the air, so get her goodies while you can!!!

Click the pics for an easy look!!