WASHINGTON - Amidst rising concern over the safety of foreign goods and a growing string of recalled products, the House Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittees on Trade and Oversight held a joint hearing today examining how the U.S. can better ensure the safety of its imports.
"I do not understand why a consumer cannot easily go to a single source and learn exactly what toys are safe for their children, what food is safe to eat, what beds are safe to sleep in, and what medicine won’t kill them," said Subcommittee on Oversight Chairman John Lewis (D-GA). "We need to return to being proactive, not reactive. Inspecting and stopping harmful products at the border is common sense. It saves us from the headache of tracking defective products that are already in stores and homes."
There have been over 50 recalls of imported products in the past two months, involving millions of toys and consumer goods. Earlier this week, imported decorative fireplaces and electric toasters were recalled due to fire hazards along with baby rattles that present a choking hazard. There have also been recalls of tainted pet food, toothpaste and antibiotic laden seafood. These developments led the Subcommittees to examine whether there is the proper funding, coordination and attention being given to ensuring the safety of imports. Specifically, the Subcommittees sought to determine whether steps can be taken to provide the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Agency with adequate authority and resources to improve coordination with other Federal agencies charged with ensuring the quality of goods entering the U.S.
During the hearing, Committee members also voiced their frustration at the lack of a clear, concise medium to relay information to consumers about recalled or dangerous products. Members also expressed a strong interest in developing a means by which the government can effectively stop flawed imports from entering the U.S. without severely impeding the flow of commerce.
