Oakland, CA- The Center for Environmental Health (CEH), the nonprofit health protection organization whose work recently led to a national media expose of the Consumer Product Safety Commission's failure to protect children from lead poisoning in vinyl lunchboxes, is calling on the Senate to reject President Bush's nomination of industry-lobbyist Michael Baroody for the top spot at CPSC.

"With the recent failures at CPSC, it is especially alarming that President Bush has nominated an industry crony for the nation's top consumer protection post," said Michael Green, Executive Director of CEH. "The President had a chance to appoint a real champion of public health, but instead he has picked a man who has spent his career opposing consumer interests and trying to weaken CPSC's authority."

Last month, the Associated Press reported on government documents showing that the Bush CPSC covered up lead risks to children from lead-contaminated lunchboxes, after CEH investigations found high lead levels in lunchboxes that could pose a health threat to children (see http://www.cehca.org/CPSCFOIAinformation.htm )

Baroody is currently Executive Vice President of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), a trade group that has long opposed product safety regulation and pollution prevention laws, and that according to consumer groups has called for weakening CPSC. During his tenure at NAM, Baroody has been at the forefront of opposition to laws that protect children and the public from unsafe products and toxic health threats, including:

• In 2000, when manufacturers covered up their knowledge of tire problems that led to the deaths or injuries of over 500 people in car accidents, NAM opposed legislation requiring manufacturers to provide the government with accident data that they previously withheld. Regarding NAM's lobbying, the bill's sponsor Senator John McCain said, "The fix is in from the special interests."

• In 2001, Barody decried a Supreme Court ruling that upheld EPAs authority to regulate toxic air emissions, a decision that upheld laws that save tens of thousands of lives and billions of dollars in health costs by reducing air pollution;

• Barody later welcomed new Bush Administration rules that relaxed pollution prevention laws for power plants;

• In 2003, NAM opposed protectioins from asbestos exposure and teamed with the asbestos industry to lobby Congress in opposition to proposed regulations;

• NAM is a leader in the polluter-backed junk science campaign to deny global warming; their official position states that science has "not confirmed evidence of global warming that can be attributed to human activities."

CEH is calling on the public to urge their Senators to reject Baroody's appointment. A sample letter to Senators will be posted on the CEH website at http://www.cehca.org/CPSC_ActionAlert.htm

Oakland, California-based CEH has a ten-year track record of protecting children from hidden lead risks in consumer products. In addition to vinyl lunchboxes, the organization's legal action and advocacy has eliminated lead risks to infants and children in baby powders, children's medicines, imported candies, and metal and vinyl jewelry.

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