Article: Consumer Agency Given Leeway to Act

WASHINGTON - A federal consumer protection agency has regained its full authority to oversee the safety of thousands of household products, but only for the next six months.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has been unable to order mandatory recalls, adopt new rules or assess civil penalties since early this year because it has not had enough members to officially meet and take action.

An amendment to a homeland security bill allows the commission, which normally has three members, to meet and take action for the next six months with only two members present. President Bush signed the legislation Friday.

Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark., pushed the amendment to restore the commission's ...

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