Consumer protection: Up in the air

by Amanda Erickson

By the time the chairman asked staffs to stay at work during Congress' Fourth of July recess, it was clear the landmark consumer protection bill passed earlier this year was not close to being finalized.

The bill passed the House in December and the Senate in March. Since then, employees of key lawmakers have been trying to iron out the differences between the two pieces of legislation. For the last several weeks, they've been predicting that they would have a final bill by this Friday. But at today's conference meeting between House members and senators, it was clear that the bill was going nowhere by the end of the week. Most of the major unresolved questions remain, well, unresolved.

Will the final bill include a law to require the creation a public database which would publish concerns of consumers? The committee hasn't decided yet. The database would allow anyone to submit complaints and read what others have to say. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration already has a similar database for cars, but some worry that manufacturers' products will be unfairly blacklisted.

Another key issue is whether to include the Senate's ban on phthalates in the final bill. Phthalates are a chemical used in plastic toys like rubber duckies to make them soft and flexible. Some studies have linked the substance to health problems like birth defects and testicular cancer, but a handful law-makers said there isn't enough medical proof to warrant a blanket law.

Other hot-button issues? How much power attorneys general should have. What kind of protection should be afforded to whistle-blowers who let authorities know a company is up to no good. Whether companies should be protected by shield laws if their products hurt children.

Staffers will keep negotiating, and the committee will meet again after the Fourth of July. The list of deals that were reached (at least 20) was not yet released, but we'll update you when it comes out.