is your recent article an april fool’s joke? ("pro-corporation bush holdover rankles consumer product safety commission", april 1, 2012). if not, then it is misleading and better research would show the facts. since you wish to dredge up old history, back in 2007 i specifically asked for new authorities and increased penalties but expressed my reservations over legislative proposals that i believed to be unwise or which were not supported by increased budgets. i believe that is my responsibility as a public servant. i am proud of my record here at the commission. i began our current program to increase our compliance presence in the ports to catch faulty consumer products before they are distributed to u.s. consumers. i initiated the rulemaking that ultimately resulted in improving crib safety. i took the lead in pursing new rules on drawstrings on children's clothing, pressing the agency for months to bring it to a vote. these are just some of my record of principled and sensible consumer protection. my insistence on collaborative, participatory, democratic government seeks to use our limited resources to address the greatest risks to consumers, particularly children. if that 'rankles' someone, let the day's celebration focus on them. for more information, see www.nancynord.net.

commissioner nancy nord is an authority on product safety issues, and an advocate for safer consumer products. your biased commentary does not reflect the leadership and insight she offers. commissioner nord provides a balanced perspective between business, safety, and regulatory law. we need more commissioners who are sensitive to budgetary considerations! regulations must be considered pragmatically, and what the impact is to all stakeholders. the present commission is frequently in a haste to regulate, without the necessary due diligence. thank goodness for commission nancy nord. she's not a holdover. she's just not a pushover.