Bush administration moves to limit product-safety lawsuits

It could, perhaps, be a daily story: the Bush administration using its executive authority to put its stamp on government regulations and bypassing Congress as it leaves town.

Countdown to Crawford noted a couple of environmental end-runs on Tuesday.

Today, the playing field is product-safety -- and an effort to hold off lawsuits by consumers and states.

The Wall Street Journal noted that President Bush's aides are "pushing to rewrite a wide array of federal rules with changes or additions that could block" the suits.

For one, the paper found, the administration is pre-empting such litigation by using 50 rules "governing everything from motorcycle brakes to pain medicine."

It is common for administrations, as their time comes to an end, to lay out new rules that may last years before a new administration gets around to burrowing into the nitty-gritty of government regulation to see what's been done.

In addition, the Journal noted:

These new rules can't quickly be undone by order of the next president. Federal rules usually must go through lengthy review process before they are changed. Rulemaking at the Food and Drug Administration, where most of the new pre-emption rules have appeared, can take a year or more.

Among the new rules highlighted by the Journal: Limiting the number of seatbelts car makers can be forced to install -- and prohibiting injured passengers who didn't get to wear one from suing.

-- James Gerstenzang

Photo: Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Jason Vickers]

Can this be stopped by congress? Something of this nature not voted on by congress representing the people is absolutley REDICULOUS...to take away our right to sue over improper SEATBELTS? being removed from vehicles...this should be highly illegal interferring into state and personal welfare of the american public without proper voting...I'm disgusted!

[Kritter]

This is unfortunate on so many levels.

The first thing that hits me is that the Product Safety Commission is already severely underfunded- and so regulation of product safety is very loose, and difficult to enforce. They cannot force companies to recall faulty products, for example.

Since the Federal govt has so little power and money to test products and fine companies who issue defective ones, the ONLY recourse consumers have is to sue the manufacturers. Limit that and we are all vulnerable to shoddy and dangerous products made by American companies.

Nice to know that Bush, even at the end , is looking out for his business cronies. At least he is consistent.