U.S. safety agency chief rejects resignation calls
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The chief U.S. product safety regulator said on Wednesday she would not resign, amid more recalls of lead-tainted toys made in China and further urging by lawmakers for a shake-up at her agency.
Nancy Nord, acting chair of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), said in a statement she did not intend to resign "because I care passionately about the mission of this agency."
House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and three other Democrats on Tuesday had called on Nord to step down.
New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez on Wednesday joined in seeking Nord's ouster. "It has become clear to me that Ms. Nord must resign so that the Consumer Product Safety Commission can act to protect American families from dangerous products."
The Bush administration defended Nord. "We believe she's doing a fine job," said White House spokeswoman Dana Perino.
Nord and the Bush administration have criticized parts of a Senate bill that would boost funding and staff for the CPSC.
Nord, a former government lawyer and U.S. Chamber of Commerce executive, said she was saddened and troubled by the tactics being used in an attempt to silence debate on important policy issues.
With holiday shopping about to get under way, more recalls were issued on Wednesday -- including one for 380,000 toy "Galaxy Warriors" action figures sold by Family Dollar Stores Inc due to excessive lead levels in paint.
Other lead-paint recalls on Wednesday included one by Toys 'R' Us Inc for 16,000 Elite Operations military-style toys, and one for 43,000 fake teeth sold as Halloween party favors.
High levels of lead are linked to brain damage in children, and even death.
SOME WARY OF OUSTING NORD
The second-ranking Democrat in the Senate, Richard Durbin of Illinois, questioned Nord's competence but said she should not quit and urged passage of legislation to increase funding and staffing at the safety agency.
"We need to continue to put the pressure on Chairwoman Nord -- a person of questionable competence. We need to call her in regularly, hold her accountable and try to keep this commission limping along," Durbin said.
Some other Senate Democrats agreed with Durbin in saying that ousting Nord might do more harm than good at an agency shrunken by years of Bush administration budget cuts.
"I have very serious differences with Nancy Nord, but like Senator Durbin, I don't think she should resign now because I think it would just cripple the work of the commission," said Arkansas Democratic Sen. Mark Pryor at a news conference.
Nord is one of only two commissioners now serving on the five-seat safety agency, which was set up in the 1970s to regulate hazards in 15,000 different consumer products. In the 1980s, the CPSC had almost 1,000 employees. Today, it has 420.
Separately, a House Energy and Commerce panel asked four companies, including "Thomas & Friends" train maker RC2 Corp, for more information on lead-tainted toys.
Other firms questioned by the panel as it drafts companion legislation to a Senate bill were Claire's Stores Inc, Dollar General and GeoCentral, which have recalled items such as keychains, tumblers and toy swords due to unsafe lead levels.
The House panel said it expects to introduce legislation in the coming week. The Senate Commerce Committee approved a CPSC bill on Tuesday.
Democrats in both chambers back legislation that would virtually ban lead from toys and other goods used by children younger than six.
(Additional reporting by Tabassum Zakaria)
