U.S. Congress to consider product safety

WASHINGTON, June 17 (UPI) -- House and Senate negotiators have yet to iron out differences over tougher lead standards and overhauling the U.S. agency overseeing product safety.

Negotiators were scheduled to meet this week to iron out the few remaining differences between the House and Senate consumer safety bills, The Hill reported. Sources said lawmakers were expected to vote on a conference report before the July 4 recess.

Both bills would overhaul the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which came under fire in 2007 when millions of toys from China were recalled because they had excessive levels of lead.

For example, the conference report was expected to adopt the House's threshold by setting new lead standards for products for children no more than 12 years old,. The new standard should be effective within a year, staff and members told the Washington publication.

"This has really been the year of the recall, and that has created the need to improve consumer protection and oversight," said Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., one of the lead negotiators on the bill.