Mary Gall nominated to head CPSC

Consumer Comments, Spring, 2001

President Bush has nominated Commissioner Mary Gall to be the next chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. With her nomination have come attacks and misrepresentations from politicians and activists who never saw a regulation they didn't like.

Gall has questioned attempts by the CPSC to unilaterally mandate costly redesigns of products such as bunk beds, baby walkers and crayons. Such mandates would pass on costs to consumers in the form of higher prices.

In discussing Gall's 10-year record, former CPSC Commissioner and CA Fellow Carol Dawson notes, "Time after time, Commissioner Gall has pointed out the statutory deviations, errors in fact, and lack of good risk analysis when regulatory decisions came before the Commission. Her record is replete with well-written and well-reasoned arguments, which have led her to oppose many of [Chairman Ann] Brown's ill-advised schemes. She is a fine example of the kind of responsible public official Americans deserve."