[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 16, Volume 2]
[Revised as of January 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 16CFR1031.17]

[Page 126]
 
                     TITLE 16--COMMERCIAL PRACTICES
 
             CHAPTER II--CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION
 
PART 1031_COMMISSION PARTICIPATION AND COMMISSION EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT 
IN VOLUNTARY STANDARDS ACTIVITIES--Table of Contents
 
               Subpart C_Public Participation and Comment
 
Sec.  1031.17  Background.

    (a) In a Federal Register Notice (Vol. 69, No. 200) dated October 
18, 2004, the CPSC announced that it was launching a pilot program to 
open CPSC staff activities for public review and comment. The pilot 
program covered information on CPSC staff participation with respect to 
a cross-section of voluntary standards, including advance notice of 
proposed staff positions on issues to be considered by voluntary 
standards organizations. The program was based on the premise that 
increased public awareness and participation would enhance the quality 
and conclusions of the proposed recommendations made by CPSC staff.
    (b) The pilot program ended on April 18, 2005, after a 6-month 
period. CPSC invited general comments on whether to continue the 
programs beyond the pilot period and solicited suggestions for improving 
the program.
    (c) On July 28, 2005, the CPSC staff submitted to the Commission an 
assessment of the pilot program's results, including data that indicated 
the voluntary standards site ranked among the top 20 directories visited 
on the CPSC Web site. Further, the report included the staff's 
recommendation that the voluntary standards Web site be expanded to 
include information on all standards activities.
    (d) On August 4, 2005, in accordance with the staff's 
recommendation, the Commission voted unanimously to continue the 
voluntary standards program and expand it to include all voluntary 
standards activities.